Martyn Kenyon – A Career in IT Innovation and Strategy
From the earliest days of commercial computing to today’s interconnected digital world, Martyn Kenyon’s career has been defined by innovation, practical problem-solving, and an ability to bridge the gap between technology and business needs.
1960s – Foundations in Computing
After earning a BSc in Mathematics from Nottingham University, Martyn joined the North West Gas regional IT department as a programmer. Early experience in troubleshooting and application design led to the development of multiple commercial systems, setting the stage for a career built on turning ideas into working solutions.
1970s – Leadership in IT Planning
Progressing through roles in programming, systems analysis, and team management, Martyn designed and built a pioneering COBOL framework to support development teams using VDU access. As IT Planning Manager, he produced rolling five-year IT plans, mastered cost/benefit analysis, and became the department’s go-to expert for board-level project papers. He also taught report writing at the regional company college and worked with British Gas HQ on securing central approvals for major initiatives.
1980s – National Impact and Technological Recognition
Martyn’s expertise was recognised nationally when he served as an advisor to the Alvey Committee, shaping the UK’s advanced IT research programme. As chair of the ICL User Group on Content Addressable File Store, he helped drive development of the technology, earning a Queens Award to Industry medal. He managed teams evaluating hardware/software, introduced “author word processing” to replace typing pools, and attended the prestigious London Executive Programme at London Business School. His work at British Gas HQ led to strategic plans for company-wide office system adoption.
1990s – Transforming Communication at British Gas
Promoted to Company Office Systems Manager at British Gas HQ, Martyn led the rollout of the Company Office System (COS) across all 13 regions. This was instrumental in enabling rapid, accurate communication during the UK gas industry’s demerger. Reporting directly to the Group IT Director, he also acted as informal IT Strategy Manager before taking redundancy in a major restructuring and founding ISENSE Ltd.
2000–2025 – Independent Consultancy
Through ISENSE Ltd, Martyn has advised clients across sectors on technology adoption, cost/benefit analysis, project planning, product evaluation, contract management, problem-solving, and solution prototyping (often in Excel). His work has supported financial institutions, legal reform groups, IT security start-ups, gas companies and major contract transitions, always with a focus on practical, results-driven outcomes.