Fraser McKenzie
Frontend Software Engineer based in Glasgow, Scotland

With more than two decades of experience, I'm happy to admit I still learn every day. I've had a great career working in some of the world's biggest and best known organisations and always look forward to wherever life takes me next.

Unlike many in the industry, I do not believe I'm the world's best software engineer. Other people might write better code. Other people might produce better user interfaces. Other people might better plan and organise projects. Other people might write better paragraphs.

However, I believe that no-one can match my desire to produce applications that do what the users need in the most user-friendly and compelling way possible. This is what separates me from the rest.

Experience - Scotland
J.P. Morgan, Glasgow
May 2018 – Present, Vice President
UI/UX Team Lead helping developers to build applications with the end-user in mind
Javascript, ES6, React, Redux, Restful services, Java, HTML, CSS
J.P. Morgan, Glasgow
May 2017 – April 2018
Scrum lead, Tech lead and UX design authority for a suite of applications
Javascript, React, Redux, Restful services, Java, HTML, CSS
J.P. Morgan, Glasgow
February 2016 – April 2017 (Contract)
Built a single page frontend for a web-based application allowing users to re-balance large numbers of client portfolios at once. This UI has to be capable of displaying hundreds of thousands of data items and allow the user to perform operation either on individual items or in batches. Data volumes and performance were considerable challenges. The frontend was built using the ext.js framework and with many lines of javascript code to parse, aggregate and filter data.
Javascript, ext.js framework, Restful services, Java, Spring, HTML, CSS, Sybase
Barclays, Glasgow
March 2014 – September 2015 (Contract)
Developed a single page web based application for handling client responses to Corporate Actions. An original Access-based solution was replaced by a fully dynamic web-based solution, which not only centralised data but was built in a flexible manner such that the business users could not only capture client responses, but also configure the types of Corporate Actions that the system could process. The frontend was built using the ext.js framework, with rest calls made to a java backend.
Java, Spring, JPA, Intellij, SQL Server, Restful services, Javascript, HTML, CSS, Ext.js javascript framework
Airliner Ai, Glasgow
October 1995 - December 1999
Developed an unique and critically acclaimed Air Traffic Control simulation product. Major GUI work both in 2 and 3 dimensions, simulation involving 3-dimensional mathematics, data monitoring, logging and cutting edge voice recognition technologies.
C++, MFC, OpenGL, Dragon Naturally Speaking, DirectX
Experience - Switzerland
Julius Baer, Zurich
June 2012 – December 2013 (Contract)
Assisted the Pricing Team by providing real-time and static market data throughout the department. This involved sourcing, calculating and distributing data, together with providing a mechanism for other parties to publish and consume data of their own using an in-house pub/sub platform.
Java, Spring, Hibernate, Eclipse, Oracle, Restful services, QT Framework
Julius Baer, Zurich
October 2010 – April 2012 (Contract)
Developed suite of trading applications including Derivatives and Fixed Income products. Created generic platform such that applications could be easily created and integrated into an overall toolbox. Highly customizable via database configuration. Applications available both internally on the trading floor and via the internet to external customers. The frontend was built using the Dojo javascript framework and it’s associated Dijit component toolkit.
Java, Spring 3.0.5, Eclipse, Hibernate, Oracle 11g, HTML, CSS, Javascript, Dojo and JQuery javascript frameworks, Websphere, Tomcat, JBoss
PartnerRe, Zurich
December 2007 – September 2010
Created various applications assisting different functions of the re-insurance business. Main tasks were creating a platform designed to assist Reserving Actuaries perform their daily tasks and an estimate capture tool for Exposure Control. Also helped with general infrastructure, smaller ad-hoc projects and drove on-going processes within the team and department.
ASP.Net, C#, .Net 2.0 and 3.5, Web Applications, Web Services, Visual Studio 2005 & 2008, WPF (XBAP and Silverlight), SQL Server, LINQ, HTML, CSS, Javascript, JQuery javascript framework, AJAX, Excel, VBA, XML, SOAP
UBS Wealth Management, Zurich
July 2007 – September 2007 (Contract)
Developed Data Warehouse application designed to gather input data from a variety of sources and expose them generically from a single source. Consumers of the system were various analytical tools for the Portfolio Construction department and for the Reporting area.
C#, .Net 2.0, SQL Server, Oracle, MS Access, Coldfusion, HTML, CSS, Javascript, JQuery javascript framework
UBS Wealth Management, Zurich
April 2004 – December 2006
Various applications pertaining to Portfolio Management including a forward looking portfolio simulation tool using Monte Carlo techniques and a portfolio construction and management tool used for a product family with over CHF 30 billion invested. For the reporting needs of the department, an Automated Report Generation tool was conceived and developed which allowed the dynamic design and creation of various reports for internal use, customer use and sales & marketing.
VB, XML, VBA, Office Suite automation through VB and VBA
UBS Investment Bank, Zurich
January 2000 – March 2004
Various large-scale projects for FX department, including real-time Deal Blotters for back office staff and an Advanced Trade Blotter with real-time analysis, aggregations and risk analysis for use on the trading floor. Client and server side.
C++, Microsoft Visual Studio 6, MFC, TCP/IP, Tibco Rendezvous
CERN, Geneva
July 1992 – August 1993
Created command and control software for monitoring various pieces of hardware around the LEP Particle Accelerator. The applications were used by the technical support team and as such had to be as user friendly and reliable as possible for 24/7 usage.
C++, DataViews, X-Windows