Meet the Magnopians: Dean Rickards
Dean Rickards is an IT Manager at Magnopus. Born in Durban, South Africa, his passion for tech began with console gaming and high school LAN parties, leading him to fast-track an IT diploma and earn certifications in MCSA, MCITP, CompTIA A+, and N+. Driven by a love for media, Dean built a diverse career spanning voice-over editing, game server administration, and specialized on-site IT support for print presses, national newspapers, and architectural firms. After immigrating to the UK during the pandemic, Dean joined Magnopus as a Junior Administrator – a role that launched his journey into the team today!
Tell us about your role at Magnopus!
I’m the IT Lead for the UK. I’m responsible for making sure the UK IT ops run smoothly and align with the Global IT goals. My day-to-day responsibilities are taking on IT administration, IT architecture maintenance, infosec oversight, and running the UK IT team.
What skills are essential for anyone in your role?
Strong technical knowledge of local and cloud-based IT administration, infosecurity and network infrastructure knowledge. Cross-departmental communication skills with the ability to break down IT technical jargon are super important, plus listening skills and professional personability skills for building rapport with peers.
What or who inspires you?
My parents have inspired me to be a go-getter and work hard. They sacrificed a lot to help me succeed, and this motivates me to continue working hard and achieve my goals.
What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learnt in your career?
Never waste an opportunity to learn. It could give you more skills or build character.
How do you approach challenges and setbacks?
I persist and keep trying to get better. Challenges and setbacks are opportunities for your growth and success in the long run. The most memorable stories and conversation pieces are often the ones that include failure or setbacks.
If you didn’t have to sleep, what would you do with the extra time?
I enjoy gaming, but I also enjoy living vicariously through others. So most likely I’d watch travel adventures while gaming.
What are you reading/listening to right now?
I go to concerts and musicals as much as I can, so the theme changes constantly. The last two concerts were Green Day and Foo Fighters. The last two musicals were Matilda the Musical and Moulin Rouge. I had to miss out on My Chemical Romance, sadly due to my current broken leg. For plays, I would suggest you check out Shitfaced Shakespeare. It was really fun!
On the way to Mt Mafadi, in the Drakensburg.
Tell us something you think everyone should do at least once in their lives.
Do something way out of your comfort zone. Try a hobby you’ve never tried before. For example, I climbed Mt Mafadi, the tallest peak in South Africa. I didn’t think I’d enjoy hiking, but it was amazing.
If you could have a superpower, what would it be?
Teleportation, as most of my family and friends are spread around the globe, and it would make seeing them much easier.
Tell us something that would surprise us!
I’ve spent 16,000+ hours playing ARK: Survival Evolved. My girlfriend and I have played together for almost a decade. I’ve also broken my legs three times in my life – more times than I have legs!
