This month, Planet Mainframe celebrates influential mainframers nominated by the community. Today, we recognize a man who won’t let the conversation about COBOL—or the mainframe—fade.
Derek Britton
CMO of PopUp Mainframe
England, United Kingdom
Connect with Derek on:
View the entire 2025 Influential Mainframers group here.
Derek Britton’s impact on the mainframe community is driven by decades of technical insight, advocacy, and a gift for making complex topics readable, relatable, and—at times—uncomfortably honest.
In 2024, Derek led a one-man content campaign celebrating the 65th anniversary of COBOL and the 60th anniversary of the mainframe. His articles spanned Planet Mainframe, TechChannel, ELNION, and Enterprise Media. “If you don’t talk about it, it didn’t happen,” he says. That phrase represents his approach to community building.
As a founder of the COBOL Working Group under the Open Mainframe Project, Derek continues to lead industry discussions around modernization, enterprise software, and the technologies that quietly keep the world running. (He really loves to talk about COBOL).
In the past year, Derek could be found:
- Presenting on panels at SHARE Kansas City
- Speaking at keynotes at GSE UK
- Planning an upcoming talk at GSE Nordic
- Collaborating with modernization vendors like PopUp Mainframe
- Contributing to the Tech Field Day community
- Engaging directly with students and universities to talk about careers in mainframe
In between, he published dozens of technical and thought leadership articles covering z/OS, COBOL, watsonx Code Assistant, AI orchestration, and how enterprises can navigate the crossroads of tradition and transformation.
He’s described as strategic and grounded. “He’s a calm—wise—head in a chaotic world,” said one client. “You always come away from any session with more energy and more ideas than when you started.”
In 2025, Derek is a vocal, visible force in the global mainframe conversation. Whether he’s writing about the future of COBOL or helping define what ‘modern’ means, count on him to defend mainframe technology.
Influential Mainframer
Mainframe technology continues to evolve because of the dedicated professionals, educators, mentors, and innovators who drive it forward. We’re shining a spotlight on the individuals who are making waves—whether they’re advancing technology, mentoring new talent, sharing knowledge, championing modernization, or quietly keeping mission-critical systems running every day. These are the people shaping the future of mainframe. They come from all backgrounds and experience levels, but they all have one thing in common: they’re making a difference.
Check back daily as we reveal a new honoree. Read their stories, celebrate their impact, and be inspired.
Follow @Planet Mainframe and follow #pmfinfluentialmainframers to congratulate this year’s honorees, share your favorite stories, and spread the word.