Jamie Campbell

Jamie Campbell began his OU journey with some short courses in 2004 in the hope of gaining some formal qualifications. He was so inspired by his studies that he went on to do an Open Degree and completed his MBA in 2010. One year later, he set up his own company in the gaming industry and, now working as Global Head of Innovation exploring the opportunities of Artificial Intelligence (AI), he has never looked back. 

Starting his study path with the OU

Jamie originally attended a bricks and mortar university after completing his A-levels but, after one year of study, felt drawn to get out into the real world and gain some hands-on experience in the industry he was passionate about: gaming. 

Jamie acquired skills and knowledge in several roles but later on found that, despite his keen interest and plentiful experience in the gaming sector, many doors were closed to him as he hadn’t got a formal qualification. This planted the seed for Jamie to begin studying some short courses with The Open University. 

“I eventually found a job in a UK-based games company but, having been made redundant in the past, I wanted to futureproof my career. I completed several short courses but felt like having a degree would make me more employable should redundancy happen again,” Jamie said.  

“I was working full-time so I knew I’d need to study alongside work and I quickly found that The Open University was the only option that would allow me to do that. And having already undertaken some courses with the OU, I was familiar with the study environment.”

Enjoying the experience

Jamie embarked upon an Open Degree and soon discovered that his thirst for learning kept him motivated, right the way through to completing his MBA. 

“I loved the modular aspect of my Open Degree; that I could pick and choose my modules as I went along and know that the safety net of taking a break was there if I needed it. 

It felt like I was almost ‘banking’ the milestone qualifications and I found this really rewarding – almost like a game. It’s what motivated me to carry on and pursue my MBA specialising in Technology Management, which was perfect for me and where I wanted to be.”

When asked about his study experience at the OU, Jamie said “I loved it. The course materials were fantastic, the course and the tutors were engaging, and I developed a real camaraderie with my tutor groups. We didn’t meet that often but when we did it was fascinating. I met people from all different backgrounds, so to be together in one room sharing our experiences and exchanging ideas about our learning was a real melting pot of ideas and very inspirational.”

Embarking on a brand-new adventure

One year after completing his MBA, Jamie was made redundant for a second time. However, with an MBA under his belt, Jamie felt empowered to try something new and founded his own company, d3t (which stands for design, develop, deliver technology). 

“Having faced redundancy twice before, I wanted to set up a robust company where job loss wouldn’t be a concern. d3t offered work-for-hire gaming services to companies, so that they could outsource their gaming requirements using dedicated specialists, rather than having to absorb the fixed cost and risk of hiring their own developers in-house. 

This set-up meant that we have never had to make employees redundant at the end of a project and, with the surge in demand for gaming, d3t has gone from strength to strength and now offers co-development services all over the world!”

Jamie credits his MBA as a significant factor when it came to the decision to set up his own company.

I am quite a risk averse person, but the MBA gave me a real sense of confidence. As with any new company there are challenges to face but having the MBA under my belt meant I was more empowered to tackle challenges and overcome those hurdles. 

“Understanding the business-related aspects of setting up a company, such as marketing and finance, was hugely valuable in setting up d3t because I was familiar with the jargon and felt confident in what I needed to do.”

Looking to the future

Jamie now works as a Global Head of Innovation for Keywords Studios, the company that acquired d3t in 2017. Keywords Studios is a global provider of technical services for video games; an industry that is at the forefront of Artificial Intelligence (AI).  

“My role now is really exciting as I am looking at the AI landscape and how the clusters of AI tools and technologies map to the service delivery within Keywords. For example, will video analysis of people and animals impact character animation and real-time gameplay? And how will 2D, 3D and video art asset generation accelerate production pipelines - enabling even more content for bigger, better, more immersive games?

“Some clients are hesitant about AI and we respect that and continue to deliver for them using established workflows, while others are now choosing to adopt AI into their ways of working and we are perfectly placed to guide them through this fast-moving and constantly evolving specialism. 

“At Keywords we see AI as an enabler for our business too. We can use AI to automate repetitive tasks and allow employees to focus on more fulfilling aspects of their work. We have recently acquired tech companies including Kantan.ai and Mighty Games. I think AI allows us to do more, rather than spend less; AI drives automation, which enables innovation."

“If you don’t try, you won’t know”

For anyone considering studying, Jamie says to give it a go. 

I realised that going to University straight after my A-levels wasn’t a right fit for me, but I only found that in trying it. Similarly with my OU studies; I tried it and found that it was actually much more in line with what I wanted. If you don’t try it, you won’t know!”