From early days of building websites to leading the way in AI-powered transformation, Blue Llama has spent the past 12 years helping businesses simplify complexity and embrace innovation. As one of Digital Jersey’s long-standing members, Founder and MD, Phil de Gruchy, has seen both his agency and the island’s tech community evolve. We caught up with him to hear more about Blue Llama’s journey and how AI is shaping the future for their clients.
Tell us a bit about yourself and your role
I’m Phil, founder and MD of Blue Llama – an AI transformation and digital agency. My job is a mix of strategy, sales, and customer calls, steering the business and making sure we’re moving in the right direction. Somewhere along the way, I swapped dreams of being an old-school DJ for herding projects instead of llamas.
For anyone who doesn’t know, what does Blue Llama do?
We’ve been around for 12 years, building user-friendly websites for a decade before expanding into AI-powered process automation. Today we partner with organisations on their AI transformation journey, helping streamline their operations, free up team time for higher-value work, and make customer journeys smoother.
What inspired the journey behind Blue Llama?
I’ve always been fascinated by technology. Back in the late 90s I was building hobby websites, amazed by the idea that you could publish something and anyone in the world could see it. That excitement carried into business: making technology approachable and easy to use, whether for staff or end-users.
Blue Llama has evolved from websites into AI, but the core idea hasn’t changed – simplify complexity, create clarity, and help people work more efficiently.
How long have you been a member of Digital Jersey?
Pretty much since the start, definitely before AI was a big topic of conversation. I had a desk at Digital Jersey in town but now I’m a part timer at DJX in St Brelade.
What do you like about being a member of Digital Jersey?
I’ve made the most of their events, meeting rooms, and blog exposure over the years. The community is a big part of it, being around like-minded people who “get it”. I enjoy the chance to connect with other businesses, share ideas, and be part of a group that champions innovation on the island.
What’s been a highlight for Blue Llama so far?
Being shortlisted for two Jersey Tech Awards this year is definitely a proud moment. But the real highlight has been seeing AI make a tangible difference for clients. For example, for our client All Island Media we automated a very manual process that involved printing and combing through huge paper documents. We turned it into instant AI-powered data extraction. Watching the impact that kind of leap has on a business is hugely rewarding.
What do you enjoy the most about your work?
Seeing the results. I love turning what looks like a complex challenge into something clean and simple – it takes work, but it’s powerful. I also enjoy the reactions from clients when they see an AI solution we’ve created in action for the first time. And yes, I get a kick out of naming our AI assistants as they become “colleagues” that clients genuinely admire.
What does the Blue Llama team do outside of work?
Our server admin, Hany, is a former colonel in the Egyptian armed forces.
Magic Mike, our support developer, juggles work with four kids, three cats and a dog, weirdly he also holds a HGV licence!
Roman, our front-end developer, is also a fitness fanatic and assembles drones in his free time.
How does the team unwind after a big project?
We’re a remote team spread across Europe, from London all the way to Varna in Bulgaria, so Friday pub drinks aren’t really an option. Usually we celebrate with a debrief call, plenty of virtual high-fives, and the occasional llama meme doing the rounds in Slack. We have the occasional virtual socials including our Christmas games and hope to have an IRL meetup somewhere in Europe next year.
Which tools or systems are essential for your team?
We experiment with new AI tools constantly, but the essentials are Microsoft’s Power Automate, Copilot Studio, and Azure AI – secure, enterprise-ready, and already tied into the systems our clients use. ChatGPT is also a big part of our internal workflow. For project management and collaboration, Teamwork and Slack keep our remote team on the same page. And of course, a strong Yorkshire tea is non-negotiable.
What emerging technology are you most excited about exploring or incorporating into your services in the near future?
For me, the big shift is the rise of AI agents. Unlike traditional automation, where you build a set workflow step by step, agents work more like colleagues you give an outcome to — and they figure out the steps needed to achieve it. This has been reserved for big enterprises until now, but we’ll soon see it filter down into the world of small and medium businesses. What makes it really exciting are new standards being developed, like MCP (Model Context Protocol) and A2A (Agent-to-Agent). These are designed to let AI connect directly with everyday tools without needing a human to glue everything together with custom integrations.
On top of that, it’s fascinating to see the hardware side evolving. OpenAI is working with designer Jony Ive (of Apple fame) to develop new AI-first devices that could bring the concept of a true personal AI assistant to life. That kind of innovation could change how we interact with technology altogether.
What exciting projects have your team been working on recently? Have you got anything coming up you can talk about?
Yes, lots! We’re launching a beautiful new website for a local holiday company, working on customer service automations for a utility company and a host of time saving AI projects for local real estate businesses.
Side projects keep things fun too, and we’re hoping, with help from Impact Jersey, to develop an AI-powered mortgage comparison site for the island – watch this space!
Want to explore how AI could streamline your business? Get in touch with the Blue Llama team via bluellama.co.uk or connect with Phil on LinkedIn.
