Building the future of Livestock Protection with Brendon De Meyer

Can you tell us about your role and the key responsibilities you manage on a daily basis? 

I’m the Cloud Operations Lead at Livetec. It’s a bit of a multi-headed role. I look after the infrastructure that keeps our platform, Livestock Protect alive, including cloud, security, and how everything is managed in an online/digital environment. I also manage our internal tech setup, making sure things like laptops, Microsoft systems, and other workplace tools run smoothly and securely, often with support from external partners like Focus. On top of that, I handle compliance and governance to make sure we follow data regulations. 

How did you get into this line of work and was it part of your career plan? 

I got into it almost by accident. I originally studied infrastructure, and like many in tech, I focused on keeping up with how fast everything changes. I’ve had the chance to work across a range of industries including education, banking, stock exchanges, and aviation, which gave me a broad view of the tech landscape. I started out building physical data centres and eventually moved into cloud as it became more prominent. That shift led me toward more strategic and leadership roles. In some cases, I was brought into organisations as an external architect to support Chief Information Officers in shaping their tech strategy. It wasn’t a set career plan, 

What would you say is the most rewarding aspect of your role? 

What drew me to Livetec was the chance to work on a problem that hasn’t truly been solved yet which is quite rare in tech. In previous roles, especially in banking, it often felt like solving the same problem repeatedly, just with different tools. Here, the challenge is real, meaningful, and still evolving. There’s also a strong sense of purpose in what we do, even if the results aren’t always easy. The work has genuine global relevance, which you don’t always get in more traditional or regional roles. I also wanted to step away from the corporate environment, and Livetec gave me that opportunity. The combination of the people, the challenge, and the mission really makes this role stand out.

What does a typical day look like for you? How do you prioritise your tasks? 
Because of the nature of Livetec, my days can vary a lot. There are busy periods where I’m handling a lot of support requests, anything from internal tech issues to supporting digital teams with builds, data migrations, or other urgent tasks. Those usually take priority. Then there are quieter times, which allow me to focus on strategic work. Being part of the Senior Leadership Team means I also help shape our tech direction and drive adoption across the business. I enjoy that balance, some days I’m deep in technical problem-solving, and other days I’m thinking more about the bigger picture. I prioritise based on urgency and business needs. 

What’s the most challenging part of your day? 

The most challenging part is shifting out of a purely tech mindset and helping the wider organisation adopt a digital-first approach. Coming from tech-focused environments, I was used to everyone just getting how things worked. At Livetec, that wasn’t always the case, not because people resisted it, but because for many, it was unfamiliar. I had to slow down, explain concepts more clearly, and avoid making assumptions. It pushed me to reconnect with the basics and reminded me where I started in tech. I even re-learned a few things along the way. So, while it’s a challenge, it’s also been a valuable and rewarding one. That’s the beauty of being in a phase of digital transformation, the Livetec team have come from a legacy of face-to-face and on-farm activity and now we’re building a digital platform to enable our customer to adapt, so we have to adapt and learn too. 

The role itself isn’t difficult in terms of constant break-fix work, we’ve built things properly from the start. The real challenge is helping drive the mindset shift across the organisation, and that’s something I take ownership of. 

How often do you say you work with the team or collaborate with other departments?  

I find myself working across the entire business quite regularly. I tend to get involved in all sorts of areas — which I genuinely see as a positive. It gives me visibility across departments and allows me to take on challenges I might not have encountered otherwise, even after 20 years in the industry. 

While my role is rooted in digital, my time is fairly evenly split between digital, operations, the Senior Leadership Team, and knowledge and learning initiatives. I’m fortunate to be part of a business that doesn’t operate in silos. There’s no fixed routine, and I’m grateful to be included in such a wide variety of conversations and projects on a regular basis.

Can you describe a recent moment of teamwork that has made a big impact on the business? 

A recent standout moment was a hackathon we ran within the digital team to tackle a specific, long-standing problem. Hackathons are usually fast-paced and idea-driven, and while I’ve taken part in many over the years, often just to keep teams engaged, this one delivered real results. 

I should mention, I’m convinced the other team cheated, but the outcome was impressive regardless. What made it even better was the chance to work closely with digital colleagues in a way I hadn’t for some time. We managed to crack a challenge that the industry is actively seeking solutions for; in just three days. 

It still needs refining and scaling, but getting to a working solution that quickly was exciting, and it’s going to make a real difference to the business. I love how this business enables innovation to thrive and for everyone to bring ideas to the table. 

What would you say has been the most memorable day in your role so far?  

It’s hard to pick just one day because there have been many memorable moments. One standout was the launch of the Livestock Protect platform, there was a lot of excitement and buzz around that. Another memorable experience was at AVI Africa, we walked in expecting to discuss basic services, but by the end of the conversation, they were ready to adopt the full platform. Those kinds of conversations really stick with me, and I’m excited for more opportunities like that ahead. 

If you could give one piece of advice to someone starting in your field, what would it be? 

A lot of people get drawn into tech by the buzzwords and the promise of big money, and while it can be lucrative, it’s also really hard work. You’re solving complex problems in creative ways, and when things go wrong, they can go wrong in a big way. It’s not just risk and reward, it’s both. So don’t jump in just because it sounds appealing.