Alastair Banks
Alastair grew up in Essex before moving to study in Exeter, where he helped found Optix Solutions with James Dawkins while still at University.
Alastair is hands on by nature and likely to be the first face of Optix you'll meet, be it at Optix's Exeter offices, your business or any number of events. A serial networker, Alastair has a too rare quality in business. He is genuinely interested in people, what they do and, to an even greater extent, what they are trying to do.
There are few better placed to advise on which online marketing tools will enhance a business and generate revenue than someone who have established a successful internet solutions business themselves!
Alastair believes in practicing what he preaches. His own blog www.iambanksy.co.uk is made up of articles and advice based on personal experience covering all aspects of starting up and growing a business, and he has gone back to his roots, starting a mentoring scheme for promising computing and marketing undergraduates from Exeter University.
Interests: Sport, sport and eh.. more sport. Playing and studying Poker is an intellectual pursuit, of course.
James Dawkins
James grew up on the Isle of Wight before moving to Exeter to study and subsequently set up Optix Solutions with business partner Alastair Banks.
His early days in print design earned him the 'creative one' tag, but James' areas of expertise go far beyond simply an eye for a good-looking design. He always seeks to implant his technical expertise and grasp of the latest online innovations in such a way that reflects and improves the uniqueness of a brand or business.
To James, 'off the shelf' is a dirty phrase. He firmly believes that to deliver the best possible functionality you have to fully understand the business you are dealing with and produce solutions that actually fit.
In the office, James makes sure that the whole team are trained up and fully conversant with all the latest creative and technical industry gems at their disposal.
Interests: Fishing. Whether it swims in the sea, the river or the lake, be it in his native Devon or on the other side of the world, James is on a quest to catch it.
