Sami Karim

As a passionate and results-oriented IT Support specialist with over a decade of experience transforming technology landscapes across diverse industries—including fashion, fitness, and retail—I thrive on the challenge of designing and implementing robust IT infrastructures that enhance operational efficiency and drive significant business growth. In my current role, I have spearheaded the development of innovative solutions, such as an online support desk portal that dramatically improved response times and customer satisfaction across EMEA markets. I take pride in managing complex IT projects from conception to execution, ensuring alignment with organisational goals while delivering measurable ROI.

I believe that technology should empower people, and I am committed to delivering exceptional user support and training to enhance adoption and efficiency, while also developing strong vendor relationships and managing budgets with a keen eye for cost-effective solutions throughout my career.Approaching every challenge with a proactive mindset, I leverage my extensive industry insight to conduct thorough risk assessments and craft resilient disaster recovery strategies that protect essential business functions while driving technological advancements. My focus is not only on meeting today’s demands but also on positioning organisations for future success.

IT Manager (Contract) 2023 – November 2024

Utvekla Managed Services (start- up, now in administration)

• Designed and implemented an online support desk portal that streamlined support request tracking and resolution, improving response times and customer satisfaction across EMEA markets.
• Led the planning, deployment, and management of the company’s IT infrastructure, encompassing disaster recovery, strategic acquisitions, and operational oversight to ensure robust, efficient performance.
• Managed the IT budget annually, conducting thorough ROI analyses on hardware and software purchases to make data-driven decisions that optimised budget use and enhanced system capabilities.
• Delivered comprehensive training sessions for users on new and updated systems and educated the infrastructure team to improve user adoption and system efficiency across departments.
• Identified areas of underperformance within networks and implemented targeted strategies that ensured consistently smooth, reliable operations for all critical systems.
• Coordinated the development of new applications and enhancements to existing systems while collaborating with vendors to negotiate high-value product and service agreements within budget.
• Conducted in-depth risk assessments across the IT environment and developed a resilient disaster recovery strategy to minimise system downtime and protect essential business functions.

IT Manager 2019 – 2023

Equinox Fitness

• Managed the maintenance and implementation of a comprehensive network infrastructure for UK gyms, including a disaster recovery site via SRM, while leading IT infrastructure teams across multi-site environments to effectively support hundreds of end users in the UK, USA, and Canada as part of an international team.
• Played a key role in Equinox's $100,000 migration from Zendesk to ServiceNow by configuring workflows, troubleshooting issues, and optimising system performance to ensure a smooth transition and alignment with business requirements.
• Collaborated with leadership to develop and execute the company’s IT roadmap, aligning technology initiatives with business objectives, and successfully reporting project status to management to ensure timely completion within established deadlines.
• Designed and executed the IT infrastructure build-out for new club openings in London and Canada, while also managing the infrastructure for store openings and modernising IT systems in existing clubs in London and Toronto.
• Oversaw contract negotiations and budget management, strengthening supplier relationships and optimising costs, while training and leading the IT support team to provide efficient remote, telephone, and onsite assistance in adherence to service level agreements (SLAs).
• Identified opportunities to streamline processes and automate repetitive tasks across departments, enhancing overall operational efficiency and productivity.
• Assisted in the implementation and ongoing maintenance of ServiceNow, while providing comprehensive support for Apple and Windows products and ensuring seamless operations for all internal PCs, laptops, and mobile devices.
• Directed the rollout of COVID-related hardware and policies, implemented a PCI-compliant payment system, and executed the installation of a new EPOS hardware system and people counting system in clubs to improve operational efficiency and customer experience.
• Installed and configured centralised management antivirus solutions for servers and clients, maintained overall responsibility for the entire IT infrastructure for UK fitness centres, and created onsite feedback forms to empower technicians in achieving performance targets for installations and support requests.

IT Manager & Service Delivery Lead 2015 – 2018

East Lifestyle

• Progressed from IT Service Delivery Lead to IT Manager within a year by demonstrating commitment to exceptional service delivery, identifying performance improvement areas, and showcasing effective leadership skills while training and managing a team of four to provide remote, telephone, and onsite support that consistently met service level agreements (SLAs).
• Reviewed and audited company systems to ensure compliance with GDPR guidelines, enhancing data protection and regulatory adherence while maintaining and managing the iSeries and Merrett retail ERP systems for seamless operations.
• Oversaw the procurement of retail and IT equipment, maintaining strong supplier relationships to optimise service delivery and cost efficiency, while successfully directing the IT infrastructure relocation during the head office and distribution centre move with minimal disruption.
• Led the rollout of IT infrastructure for over 10 new store openings, ensuring timely and successful implementations to support business growth and managing the outsourcing of out-of-hours retail support with Retail Assist to enhance service availability.
• Implemented a new EPOS hardware system and a people counting system in stores, improving operational efficiency and customer insights, while executing a PCI-compliant payment system implementation for all stores to enhance payment security.
• Project managed the procurement and deployment of a mobile sales platform with a mobile device management (MDM) solution, significantly improving sales team efficiency and ensuring effective management of mobile devices.
• Developed and delivered IT-related continuing professional development (CPD) programmes for all company staff, nurturing a culture of learning and skill enhancement across the organisation.

SCP: Support Professional Certificate | American ITIL Certification 2012

Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) | York University, Canada 2010

Diploma in Networking & Technical Support | Seneca College, Canada 2004