A little bit about us
Nikki Pike
Nikki is the founding director of Brochet. She brings together extensive technical expertise with an understanding about what users and clients really value and how we can make their lives easier when they are working with Microsoft Word and PowerPoint.
Following degree in Zoology from Exeter University she went on to study complet an MSc in Palynology at Sheffield. Whilst she was there she enrolled on a two week computer science course along with 30 others. At the end there werejust two two of them left. One thing led to another and she ended up being trained as a programmer at Marconi working on torpedo guidance. At Deloitte Haskins and Sells she wrote a programme to calculate complex tax liabilities and then spent eight years at Bankers Trust in IT support.
After a break from the job market she worked as a freelance contractor. A project in GlaxoWellcome opened up a world of Microsoft Word development. Pharmaceutical companies are obliged to make submissions to the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) that have to have defined a set of styles. Following more projects with law firms and the BBC, Brochet started to take on a more distinct character and we started to build our own client base.
The objective remains the same – to make clients’ lives easier - and we constantly developing new features and capabilities in Microsoft Word and PowerPoint.
David Pike
David brings a different perspective to Brochet. After an initial degree in architecture and then MBA from London Business School he has worked in the design industry for over 20 years. Initially he was with Lloyd Northover and Michael Peters before spending ten years as a partner at Merchant, the design arm of the financial PR firm Brunswick. Latterly he worked alongside Stephen Taylor at Heat design for a number of years.
Early on David helped to build a presence amongst design agencies and in the last couple of years has thrown himself full time into the business. We enjoy working with the creative community and recognise that tiny details matter. When designers say 10 on 14 we know that it’s important to them.
Merchant gave an insight into the pressures of producing large complex documents and the value to both clients and designers of simplifying that process by using intelligent Microsoft Word templates.
Ita Lafferty
Ita has worked with us for three years now getting progressively drawn into the business. She runs our accounts but having been a water engineer she understands the consulting and pharmaceutical world which is quite a bonus. She also brings a sound and invaluable perspective on the business.
Fiona Bolt
Fiona met Nikki when they were working together on a project with the Hampshire Constabulary in 2005. She started to work regularly with us just over 18 months ago.
She is one of a rare breed of a professional programmer that focuses on Microsoft Word. Apart from a broad range of experience developing in VBA she also was a director in a printing company so understands many of the issues graphic designers grapple with.
More amazingly she currently lives on a yacht in the Solent and will soon bring a new flavour to working remotely as she heads off to the Mediterranean and later across the Atlantic.
Vibhu Gautam
Vibhu joined us last summer after completing his MSc at Southampton University. Like all of us he continues to discover the more obscure quirks of Microsoft Word and learn from Nikki and Fiona how to build templates using efficient, professional code. He brings a younger perspective of the business world and his introduces us to a range of authentic curries he cooks for his lunches.
Bess
And then there's Bess who knows nothing about programming, Word or designers. But she knows as soon as the postman is on our floor and sits waiting for a Bonio. She's untroubled by any of the things that stress us out and is always cheerful at the prospect of a walk.