Meet the Team

Name: Owen Furnell

Job Role: Technical Architect

Length of service: 9 years

What attracted you to TELUS Agriculture & Consumer Goods (formerly Muddy Boots)?

I've always been interested in technology's role in improving our own environmental and social impact. Our role in connecting the supply chain and providing insights and analytics to help drive key change in the food industry made it an appealing place
to work as it aligned with my own values.

Tell us a bit about you and your work history?

During my time at Muddy Boots (now part of TELUS Agriculture & Consumer Goods) I've been working in different roles from deep behind the scenes to working directly with customers. I think this has helped me get both a technical and personal view of how the interconnected parts of our system connect together.

What does your typical working day look like?

One of the things that keeps my job interesting is that no two days are the same but one thing that is consistent is that I'm always learning something new. Whether I'm discussing new technologies to teams, listening to technical challenges from developers, talking
to customers about requirements or working with partners to integrate new features, there is always something new to discover.

What's an interesting fact about you?

I was lucky enough to have triplets in 2022 so I'm now a proud father of four.

Who would be your ideal dinner party guest and why?

Anyone with an interesting story to tell is welcome at my dinner parties. I find it fascinating to learn something I've never heard before.

What's your favourite food?

I love Curry. In my student accommodation at university we used to have a weekly curry competition so I got quite good at cooking them too.

What makes you passionate about food / farming?

Food is something that connects us all. I think that people have more and more of an interest in where their food comes from and its impact on the world around us. I feel like if I can make a small impact then I'm helping make a difference.

Any skills or talents that people don’t know about?

I've been playing guitar for over 10 years. I'd describe myself as an enthusiastic amateur!

What advice do you wish you’d been given early in your career?

Don't be afraid to make mistakes. If you try something and it fails, then you can learn and adapt. If you avoid the risky path then you risk missing new paths entirely.


Finish this sentence: on Sunday mornings you usually find me...

On the sofa, watching children's TV while feeding babies, wishing I was still in bed.

What’s one item you can’t leave your house or apartment without?

I think my mobile phone has replaced nearly every other item that I'd take with me. In the interconnected world we live in I can't see how I'd function without it.

Describe yourself in three words...

Bona fide nerd

What publications do you regularly read or what book are you reading now?

I'm always trying to keep up-to-date on technology so each week my inbox fills up with technology news digests which I read throughout the week. Outside the world of tech, I'm currently reading the illustrated Harry Potter books to my eldest.