Some people build technology, others build communities. Niall Ashley does both.

A Security Consultant at Vertali Ltd and an IBM Champion since 2024, Niall has quickly become a familiar face across the IBM Z community. Whether he's speaking at conferences, mentoring new professionals, supporting students, or answering questions from peers, his enthusiasm for helping others is impossible to miss. Spend a few minutes talking to him and you'll quickly realize that people are at the heart of everything he does.

For Niall, becoming an IBM Champion was never about collecting a title.

"Being recognised by IBM as a top advocate in their ecosystem is more than a title. To me it's a commitment to keep paying it forward by sharing my technical knowledge with the community. I've honoured that commitment so far, and I have no intention of stopping."

That mindset has shaped the way he approaches advocacy from the very beginning. Every presentation, conversation and mentoring opportunity is another chance to give back to a community that invested in him.

Although RACF holds a special place in his heart, his favorite IBM technology is the zSecure Suite. For Niall, each component brings something uniquely valuable to security teams. Audit, Alert and Command Verifier help organizations strengthen their security posture in different ways, while Admin dramatically improves the day-to-day experience for administrators through thoughtful usability improvements. It's a toolkit he genuinely enjoys working with and one he recommends to anyone responsible for securing IBM Z environments.

When it comes to advocacy, you'll usually find Niall in front of an audience rather than behind a keyboard. He enjoys writing articles, but nothing beats the energy of live discussions where questions spark new ideas and conversations naturally evolve. Some of his favorite moments have come from audience questions that turned into engaging group conversations, with speakers and attendees building on each other's experiences. For him, those unscripted exchanges are often where the best learning happens.

His own journey into the mainframe world only began in late 2021, making the impact he's already had even more impressive. Looking back, Niall is quick to credit the people who supported him during those first years.

"The guidance and mentorship that I received was incredible. Without it, I wouldn't have had the confidence to volunteer with Guide Share, speak at IBM TechXchange or present at university careers fairs."

Those experiences changed his perspective, and today he feels a genuine responsibility to create similar opportunities for the next generation of professionals entering the industry.

Ask him about his proudest achievement and you won't hear about conference stages, certifications or industry recognition. Instead, he'll tell you about mentoring a student through university and helping them begin their career.

"That was the moment where I realized I could make an astronomical difference to someone's future."

Today, many young mainframers look to him for guidance, something he considers both an honour and a responsibility. Knowing that people trust his advice is one of the accomplishments he values most.

Outside of cybersecurity and IBM Z, Niall has another creative side. If he hadn't chosen technology, he'd have loved working in the video game industry, combining programming with concept art and 3D modeling to build immersive experiences. If not that, he laughs that he'd happily become a chef. Both careers appeal to him for the same reason: they combine technical skill with creativity and offer the satisfaction of making something from scratch.

Over the past year, Niall has remained deeply involved in the community, attending events such as GSE Nordic, IBM Champions gatherings and Tech4Her. However, the events closest to his heart are the WAVEZ Spring Events, which focus on helping up-and-coming mainframers build both technical knowledge and professional confidence. He speaks just as passionately about his work with Bedford College, where he regularly supports Student Development Days by talking about cybersecurity, careers, mental wellbeing and what it's really like to work in technology. Seeing students gain confidence and leave with a clearer sense of direction is something he finds incredibly rewarding.

For anyone beginning a career on IBM Z, Niall's advice reflects the journey that brought him to where he is today. Push yourself outside your comfort zone, but don't burn yourself out trying to do everything at once. Take opportunities when they come, surround yourself with people who encourage your growth, and remember to celebrate your progress, even when impostor syndrome tries to convince you otherwise. Whether your achievement is earning your first badge, giving your first presentation or helping someone else succeed, every milestone matters.

After spending time with Niall, one thing becomes clear: his greatest contribution isn't simply sharing technical expertise. It's helping people believe they're capable of achieving more than they thought possible. That's a lasting impact, and it's exactly what being an IBM Champion is all about.

Lighting round

• What would be your superpower and why? Atom Eve from Invincible has some pretty useful powers. Ultimately, the important thing is to remember that “With great power there must also come great responsibility” 
• Bucket list trip? Florence and Forlì, inspired by Ezio Auditore
• Ice cream or cake? Ice Cream, especially with a Banana Split
• Cats or dogs? Dogs, every single time.
• Summer or winter? Winter, you can always warm-up by putting extra layers on, but there are only so many layers you can take-off to cool down.
• Morning or evening? Mornings. I’d rather get stuff done ASAP so I can get an early night of sleep
• eBook or paper book? eBooks, but only because I hate getting creases on my pages
• TV shows or movies? TV shows, since there’s more time to flesh out characters and story-arcs
• A night out or a night in? Night-in. No doubt.
• Cannonball into the pool or dip a toe in first? Cannonball. You may as well ‘bite the bullet’ and get it over-with.
• Go-to karaoke song? I can’t sing well, but I did enjoy singing Mr Brightside during the karaoke at IBM TechXchange Orlando last year.
• Drive or fly? In one Bond film the villain has a flying car (the AMC Matador Coupé), so I think that ‘both’ is a valid option