Chief executive, Daisy Group
What is your greatest career move to date?
There are two - the first was 20 very happy years at Computacenter, and the second is joining Daisy nearly two years ago.
What is top of your bucket list?
To watch Aston Villa in another Champions League final with my son. I was at Rotterdam when Aston Villa beat Bayern Munich in 1982 European Cup Final, but I won't be holding my breath!
What has changed most since you started working in the channel?
There was no internet for a start! Nowadays, through the convergence of IT and business communication my smartphone provides me with access to all the information I need.
How do you think Brexit is going to affect the channel?
I imagine it will cause a bit of disruption for some channel businesses, but we are a UK business serving the UK SMB and mid-market customer base, so we are well placed to continue doing so.
What is your least favourite task during the working day?
Fighting the traffic. I can't bear wasting time.
If you were an animal, what would you be?
Someone once told me that male lions sleep for 20 hours a day. That's pretty much the opposite for me, so maybe in my next life...
If you won the big one on EuroMillions, what would you do?
I don't do the lottery but my dad does, and I do phone him every Saturday to see if we have won.
What is your worst habit?
Haribos. The fizzy cola bottle ones (which I don't share with anyone).
How has 2016 been for you?
We have seen an explosion in the digital revolution and we are at the forefront of helping our customers maximise that.
If you didn't work in the IT channel, what would be your dream career?
I really love our channel and we should be very proud of it. It's a great place to be and I love its people.
What major issues will the channel face in 2017?
A seismic shift from capex to opex (and the way in which data is consumed and used) will mean customers will want to buy almost everything as a service if they can - particularly in the UK SMB and mid-markets. Only those who can adapt well to that new model will remain relevant.
