Chairman, Bell Integration
What is your greatest career move to date?
Founding the company in 1996 to taking a non-executive chairman role in 2014.
What is top of your bucket list?
To dive the cave system linking the cenote "El Pit" with the cenote "Dos Ojos" in Tulum, part of the Mayan Riviera - a four-hour dive through a beautiful cave system.
What has changed most since you started working in the channel?
The biggest change has been the introduction of cloud-based applications and remote data storage to the customer, leading to erosion of the traditional channel model of hardware and software sales. The companies surviving in the channel are genuine value-added resellers/consultancies and service-based businesses that have been able to adapt and flourish.
How do you think Brexit is going to affect the channel?
The free movement of goods and services throughout the EC will be removed, goods will have to be procured in-country until tariffs are removed to enable competitive pricing and services delivered in line with the various countries' employment legislation.
What is your least favourite task during the working day?
Having to watch people taking cigarette breaks. If you were an animal, what would you be? I'm happy to be a man, and blissfully unaware of preferable options.
If you won the big one on EuroMillions, what would you do?
Create an incubation fund to invest in tech startups and charter a Wally yacht as an office to work from.
What is your worst habit?
I don't think it's a bad habit to order another bottle of wine - one for the ditch - but apparently it is.
How has 2016 been for you?
A great year. The company has clearly defined service offerings, unique IP, is highly profitable and operating in more geographies than 2015 with good growth and 100 per cent customer retention.
If you didn't work in the IT channel, what would be your dream career?
Wine taster in Burgundy.
What major issues will the channel face in 2017?
The same issues faced in previous years along with the realisation that without embracing a cloud-based sale approach or supplying connected or ancillary services the approach may possibly be flawed.
