David Soubly

I did not have an IT background. But early in my Ford career, I watched a colleague interact with his machine as he coded a program. So I thought, that's for me. I am self-taught in programming languages, project management, audit (CISA certified), business continuity, and strategy. IT in a global multinational provided numerous challenges across the spectrum - large scale system development, program management, business continuity, leadership and strategy, cyber security and compliance / audit, to name a few. It was like having a dozen careers wrapped up in one.

The Ford IT senior leadership team, for demonstrating how to work as a team on C-suite challenges. There are individuals who, through feedback, help me navigate complex writing efforts (I am on my second novel). Many cyber security / audit professionals help test my thinking on risk-based challenges. I was blessed with a strong research team, who opened my eyes on how to evaluate trends vs. fads, assess long-term implications of short-term actions. Others informed me through example of how to lead, to analyze, to do.

At Ford, it was leading a cross-functional team at all leadership levels to build a worldwide IT strategy that needed to be comprehensive yet lean, reducing the complex to simple terms. The world is complex and evolves rapidly. We had to make a solid assessment, develop short, medium, and long range plans, and get the message out across the world.

Personally, though, I think writing two novels and three major piano suites while holding down a demanding job demonstrates to the world my drive to go beyond work and achieve greater things.

Professional tools - besides the usual office stuff, mind-mapping is indispensible. It helps to organize complex topics around a big theme. I used a mind-map to develop a people-centric information strategy that served as an early model for the more formal stuff we did later on.

As well, research can rely on the big firms -- Gartner, Forrester, IDG, etc. -- but you're a better researcher if you do some of your own primary research and think deeply about what's going on out there. That way you can separate the good material from the brochureware. There's a lot of open-source and professional material if you know where to look.

Formally, I also use ISACA and OCEG as members-only sources of information on audit, cybersecurity, compliance, and GRC (Governance, Risk and Compliance).

For writing fiction, I am now using Scrivener, which helps to develop scenes and keep materials organized. It facilitates what writers really need - a means of keeping things organized when you are keeping plotlines, characters, and dozens of scenes straight.

For music - Finale is a leading notation program and was used to develop the three piano suites. I have also used Notion. MuseScore is an open-source alternative. There are also a suite of tools needed to get from composition to CD production.

I am a member of Infragard (DHS / FBI / cyber law enforcement), as well as ISACA (IT Audit) and SEMCACFE (fraud examiners). Continuing to provide assessments of developments across these fronts.

I have just completed the second draft of my second novel, which is out for trial read. This will be revised over time. I am also blogging on both business-related and social justice topics.

Continued exploration, adding valued perspective to those in need - organizations large or small. I have capped a 40 year Ford career with a move into a new chapter. I am poised to consult, compose, share my experience with the world. I can engage at all levels of an organization. 

Privately, continue enhancing my writing capabilities. Publish my second novel. Take my compositions to the next level.