Derek has been a real asset to the Flash UI team at YouView. He has strong ideas and communicates them well. When he joined the team we asked him to work on an area of the UI that had real performance problems. He proposed a refactoring which he then presented to the team for peer review and then implemented with a colleague in a fine example of pair programming.
Derek really understands the need to keep work flowing through the system and to focus on value. If a code review needs doing or someone needs supporting to enable the unblocking of a piece of work Derek will be all over it.
He will also speak up if he thinks things are wrong, and when he does so offers a solution rather than just calling out a problem.
It's great to work with someone who has a real hunger and enthusiasm for the work and that is what you get with Derek. I'd welcome the opportunity to work with him again.