Colourful Norwich skyline illustration

Michael Sage

IT, Digital & Culture

Welcome.

Hi, I’m Michael, an IT leader with over 25 years of experience, proudly recognised by Computing Magazine in 2025 as one of the Top 100 IT Leaders in the UK.

My journey began on the service desk and has culminated in my current role as Head of IT for a major local authority in Essex. Along the way, I’ve honed a unique blend of technical prowess, cultural insight, and strong leadership.

While the last two decades have largely been dedicated to the public sector, my career also spans the MSP world and private enterprise. The consistent thread? Driving digital transformation. I’ve spearheaded numerous cloud migrations, with a particular knack for Office 365 deployments, expertly navigating both the technical complexities and the vital cultural shifts required for success. My expertise also extends to transitioning complex on-premise infrastructure to cloud-based systems, including virtualisation and Azure migrations.

This site is where I share my thoughts on the latest in technology, organizational culture, and smart home innovations. I believe in quality over quantity, so posts are updated only when there’s something genuinely new to add!

Currently, I’m immersed in a large-scale transformation project in Essex, focused on revolutionising our back and front-office systems. The objective is clear: simplify our vast IT estate, consolidate to a core of 3-4 key suppliers, and unlock the power of our data – all within the inherent constraints of public sector budgeting. This initiative is creating profound process and cultural change, empowering our staff, customers, and residents to maximise their engagement with the local council through optimised workflows, improved business processes, and comprehensive technical and people-centric transformation.

I am a seasoned technical leadership professional with deep expertise in solution design. I have a proven track record of solving complex technical business challenges, specialising in:

  • Digital Transformation: Unlocking the true potential of existing solutions and empowering teams.

  • Cultural & ‘Hearts and Minds’ Transformation

  • Passionate Leadership: Driving staff development and organisational change.

  • Proprietary and Open-source Software

  • Virtualisation & Cloud Technologies

Looking for an expert for your next project? I offer consultancy services for small projects, with rates starting at £450 per day, though I’m always happy to provide a fixed quote for compelling opportunities. My core focus areas include v2v, p2v, and virtualisation platform migrations, along with support and management. Additionally, I provide technical leadership as a service to a select number of small businesses.

Home is just outside Norwich, Norfolk, where I live with my wife, three dogs, and a cat. When I’m not immersed in technology, you’ll find me enjoying hobbies like Lego, reading, cooking, and tackling various tech projects (with a focus on the smart home and extending my ever growing self-hosting habit) – the usual pursuits of a dedicated tech enthusiast!