After working with our co-founders Chris Michael and Freddi Gyara at the UK Open Banking Implementation Entity, Isla Humphreys was one of the first UK team members at Ozone API. Isla makes things happen and has been integral to the company’s growth across marketing, operations, DevOps and HR. She’s excited about what’s to come for the business and her career as a Project Manager.
Isla, you were one of the first members to join the Ozone API team. Can you give us a brief overview of your role when you first joined Ozone API to today?
I joined Ozone API in the early days when we were a team of around 7. I had a wide ranging role, getting my hands stuck in to whatever required attention including: managing and publishing content on the Ozone API website and social media channels, creating and developing internal HR processes and helping to implement a HR management system, reviewing our internal policies and procedures, managing Atlassian administration for clients, acting as a secretariat for management meetings and much more. I was also involved in organising the world’s first VRP Hackathon. Ozone API worked with Open Future World and UK Finance along with sponsors Accenture, Mastercard, Worldpay and Volt. The winning use cases can be found here.
I have recently been promoted into a Project Management role, working alongside the Delivery and Engineering teams; which I am extremely excited to get my teeth into. My focus is to improve how we track and report on deliverables both internally and externally to our partners and clients.
We have a flexible working culture at Ozone API. How has this benefited your work life balance and family life?
Being a parent to a young child, having flexible working is tremendously helpful to me. The flexibility allows me to be able to drop off and collect my child from school as well as not having to worry if I need to attend an appointment. I am also able to take him to his sports club once a week and work later to compensate. If we did not have a flexible working culture, I would miss out on being able to provide these simple everyday needs. I am extremely grateful for this.
How would you describe the company culture in three words?
Inclusive, collaborative and honest.
What do you love most about working at Ozone API?
Each and every one of the team is highly talented, driven and dedicated to Ozone API’s growth and the products we provide. We are lucky that we all have the opportunity to input and provide our opinion on various projects during our regular ‘all hands’ team meetings. It’s great to work in a business that is both collaborative and inclusive.
I like that the ratio of women to men is growing in the team. It is refreshing to see this in an industry which is typically male dominated. I know that the leadership team feels strongly about trying to reach an even balance.
I also like that I have learnt so much since working with Ozone API and that there are clear career paths in sight. The leadership team is very supportive, encouraging and open minded if people want to get involved or learn new things.
Many members of the team were involved in creating and developing The Open Banking Standard and therefore between us we have a deep depth of knowledge in this space. I am both proud and privileged to work alongside such amazingly talented, level headed, driven individuals.
In summary, I love working with the Ozone API team. We really do feel like one big strong family unit. Everyone works extremely hard but we also find time to have light hearted banter and take time to ask how each other are. Everyone is so supportive of one another and genuinely concerned about others wellbeing.
Our team is growing as is our geographic footprint. What are you most excited about for the future of Ozone API?
Having been one of the first members of the Ozone API team, I have seen the business shape and grow. I’m looking forward to working with the team in shaping the way we work internally to be able to scale in future. I am excited to see the development in the open finance, open insurance space as well as the continuation of the development of open banking standards globally.
