Chief executive, Shift F7 Group
What achievement are you most proud of?
Starting Shift F7 20 years ago.
What has been the biggest change in the channel since you started working in it?
Not a lot. We have taken 25 years to go round in an enormous circle; we are back to where we started from AS400, green screens with maybe the choice of Amber to hosted DC services with data and applications.
What three things could you not live without?
1. My Nepresso coffee machine - the Ristretto kick starts my day without the granule mess. 2. My iPhone - it's so simple and just brilliant when you are on the move, it does everything. 3. My VoIP phone packed up recently and it was awful without it, back to Skype and FaceTime which are great, but the VoIP is wonderful now it's working again.
What has been your most embarrassing moment so far?
Asking my cousin when she was expecting again, only to be told she wasn't pregnant. I died - it was horrible!
What do your family think you do all day?
They think I am Daddy Pig - turn it off and turn it on again when the thing doesn't work.
Who is your ultimate celeb crush?
Tricky one. Natalie Portman. She was fabulous in Black Swan, but a bit scary.
What is your guilty pleasure?
Bubble and squeak, HP Sauce with a poached egg.
What would be your first act if you were made Prime Minister?
Reduce the personal tax rate and the ever-increasing company ‘tax' demands as we are an easy target. It costs more and more to even stand still, which decreases investment.
Has 2015 been a good, bad or ugly year?
It's been hard work so far as we merged in reality three companies into one. However, we celebrated 20 years in business in May and had a great company party. We have also transformed our managed service offerings so the hard work will be worth the pain in 2016.
If you didn't work in the IT channel, what would you do?
Fly float planes or travel writing as I would get to go to some cool places.
What major issues will the channel face in 2016?
Vendors taking more and more deals directly. Some are more than happy to sell directly if the corporate client asks to buy direct, cutting us guys out.
