Moving a 200-user business to the cloud
- What I did
- Moved the business onto Microsoft 365 and its SQL databases to the cloud, with disaster recovery and backups put in place as part of the move.
Proper IT leadership, without the full-time hire.
I'm Mark Noble, an independent IT director in Leeds. I've spent over 30 years running IT in retail, manufacturing, distribution and insurance. Now I help small and mid-sized businesses get their IT working, keep it working, and get through big changes like acquisitions, system upgrades and bringing in AI.
- Ten years as IT director at a 200-user Leeds business, reporting to the board.
- Two acquisitions Kept IT running through both, in 2023 and 2025.
- A whole business moved to the cloud with backups and disaster recovery built in.
- Now at Buckley London as part-time IT director, on an AI and Business Central project.
When businesses call me
We've outgrown our IT.
What worked at 20 people is creaking at 80. Nobody owns IT strategy, the budget is a guess, and you're not sure what your suppliers are doing for the money.
We're buying, or being bought.
Two businesses, two sets of systems and a deadline. I've been through it from both sides, and I've moved acquired businesses onto new systems while their day-to-day IT kept running.
Our systems are old and risky.
An ERP version that's no longer supported, servers in a cupboard, backups nobody has tested. I'll tell you what matters, what can wait, and what it will take.
We want to use AI, but sensibly.
Staff are already trying AI tools, and you'd like to know where it would actually save time. I'll look at how the work gets done, find what's worth automating, and put sensible rules around it.
What I'm working on now
Buckley London
Part-time IT directorI ran IT at Buckley London, the Leeds jewellery brand, for 12 years. I'm back as their part-time IT director, on an AI and Microsoft Business Central project.
I'm talking to the people who do the work, looking at the system and the processes around it, and finding where everyday work can be automated and where AI can help inside Business Central.
What I do
Part-time IT director
Senior IT leadership for the days you need it: strategy, budget, suppliers and projects. Sometimes called a fractional IT director.
IT health check
A short, honest review of what you have, what could hurt you and what to fix first.
Cloud, security and recovery
Microsoft 365, backups, disaster recovery and Cyber Essentials, planned properly.
ERP, business systems and AI
Navision, Dynamics NAV and Business Central upgrades, project rescue, linking your systems to your website and customers, and finding where AI and automation can take work off people.
Acquisitions and integration
Bringing a bought business onto your systems, or being bought, without stopping the day job.
Selected work
Keeping the main business system current, and connected
- What I did
- Upgraded the ERP from Navision 3.6 to Dynamics NAV 2009 R2, then to NAV 2016, one of the first UK businesses on 2016. Introduced EDI to automate ordering and invoicing. Built trade and retail e-commerce websites linked to the main system.
Moving acquired businesses onto a new owner's systems
- What I did
- Worked with Gallagher's M&A team to move acquired agencies onto Gallagher's infrastructure, and kept their local IT running while it happened.
What colleagues say
“Knowledgeable, approachable and someone you can rely on.”
“Good manager with a sound grasp of the technologies and issues.”
“He isn’t a ‘yes man’ and yet he is able to bear the responsibility for the necessary improvements.”