Chief executive, European Electronique
What is your greatest career move to date?
Taking up the reins here at European Electronique.
What is top of your bucket list?
To travel the world.
What has changed most since you started working in the channel?
A lot. The market is very fast moving now and in order not only to survive but strive, companies need to be more agile and dynamic than ever to keep pace with the changing landscape.
How do you think Brexit is going to affect the channel?
The looming prospect of Brexit has already affected the channel, with the value of the pound falling since the Brexit vote. In my view, Brexit will have a negative impact on the channel and also the UK economy and at this point in time we don't know what ‘Brexit means Brexit' actually means.
What is your least favourite task during the working day?
Reading my emails and finding so many
unwanted ones.
If you were an animal, what would you be?
A panther: sleek, powerful, intelligent and determined.
If you won the big one on EuroMillions, what would you do?
Travel the world - in style! What is your worst habit? Impatience.
How has 2016 been for you?
Challenging, and the Brexit vote added to what was already a competitively tough business. A number of contracts won prior to the Brexit vote have been affected by the price hike introduced by all the main vendors. Changes in government which inevitably affected policies and the spending pattern of the public sector contributed to the uncertainties.
If you didn't work in the IT channel, what would be your dream career?
A lawyer, which is what I studied for.
What major issues will the channel face in 2017?
Brexit will certainly affect the economy. The price of equipment will probably rise again with all the experts predicting that the pound will fall even further. On a positive note one can predict that there will be more money pumped into the economy as Theresa May's government abandons George Osborne's austerity agenda. From a technology point of view the changing economic landscape will drive the adoption of cloud services and the way IT infrastructure and services are being procured. This is a fantastic opportunity for suppliers who want to embrace this challenge and adapt their services accordingly.
