Rob Tomlin

clock • 1 min read

Managing director, UKI, Azlan

What is your greatest career move to date?
Taking the UKI reigns at Azlan this year.

What is top of your bucket list?
Stockport County getting back in the Football League.

What has changed most since you started working in the channel? Consolidation. £3bn distributors and £1bn VARs; in 2000 it was £1bn distributors and £500m VARs.

How do you think Brexit is going to affect the channel?
Our country is great, as is our industry. We will be just fine.

What is your least favourite task during the working day? Commuting. We really need to speed up commercialising teleporting.

If you were an animal, what would you be? A bird. I would love to be able to fly. I tried to learn to fly a plane but it's far too hard.

If you won the big one on EuroMillions, what would you do?
Probably still work - I am boring like that. Oh, and obviously give a lot to charity.

What is your worst habit?
Spending 50 per cent of my day on my iPhone.

How has 2016 been for you?
It has been an exciting year. Azlan has gone from strength to strength. Then we announced the intended Avnet acquisition - exciting times.

If you didn't work in the IT channel, what would be your dream career?
I was rather good at Football Manager. So I reckon in my dreams being a top-class football manager might be it.

What major issues will the channel face in 2017?
A talent shortage. Across the business we need to pull together, to bring the best youngsters into the channel.

You may also like

People

clock 16 November 2020 • 3 min read

Reseller

clock 23 November 2016 • 2 min read

Vendor

Who are the industry's movers and shakers?

clock 21 November 2016 • 1 min read

Sign up to our newsletter

The best news, stories, features and photos from the day in one perfectly formed email.

More on Distributor

QBS Technology Group buys Maxtec, teases more M&A in 2024

QBS Technology Group buys Maxtec, teases more M&A in 2024

The acquisition adds 86 heads to QBS and grows its META footprint

Kelsey Rees
clock 24 April 2024 • 2 min read
Westcon-Comstor achieves 100 per cent renewable electricity milestone in UK

Westcon-Comstor achieves 100 per cent renewable electricity milestone in UK

IT distie transitions UK sites to renewable energy sources, aligning with sustainability goals

Andrea Gaini
clock 24 April 2024 • 2 min read
Distribution heavy hitters reveal their M&A wishlist

Distribution heavy hitters reveal their M&A wishlist

CRN hears from four of the major channel distributors to find out what they’re on the hunt for in an M&A deal

Kelsey Rees
clock 22 April 2024 • 4 min read

Highlights

Staff & Salaries 2022

Staff & Salaries 2022

A snapshot of pay and headcount trends in the UK channel

Doug Woodburn
clock 09 March 2022 • 1 min read
Midwich CEO on Nimans acquisition, 2021 results and return to pre-pandemic levels

Midwich CEO on Nimans acquisition, 2021 results and return to pre-pandemic levels

Stephen Fenby talks to CRN after Midwich’s 2021 results in which profitability exceeded pre-pandemic levels

Josh Budd
clock 08 March 2022 • 3 min read
4 more vendors suspend sales in Russia following Ukraine invasion

4 more vendors suspend sales in Russia following Ukraine invasion

IBM and Microsoft are among a number of vendors which have also announced that they will halt sales in Russia following the invasion of Ukraine.

clock 08 March 2022 • 3 min read