Alex Tatham

Career so far: I've worked in zoology, at Ernst & Young, Ideal Hardware/Bell Micro and Simms.

If you could be anyone else for a week, who would you be and what would you do? David Milliband. I would resign.

Cloud - friend or foe? Neither - it's an opportunity to change your business model. I believe that on-premise will still be predominant in five years' time, though.

Has 2011 been as bad as everyone said it would be? Who said it would be tough? The media. I wish that everyone would understand that there are opportunities everywhere; that IT is a catalyst to change; it enables cost reduction and allows businesses to improve productivity. We have had a great year.

What would you have as your last meal? Beef Wellington, rare.
Who would you like to be stuck in a lift with? The Pussycat Dolls.

Have any of your predictions come true this year? Yes. Westcoast Wholesale would grow spectacularly and the Liberal Democrats wouldn't.

What do you see as the channel's biggest challenge in 2012? Keeping the growth alive. I think Unified Communications and Lync is going to be a great solution but there is a lot of hard work ahead in making sure it can be articulated and delivered.

What is the best part of your day? A month-end that lands on a Friday when we have hit a big number. This business allows little time for self-congratulation - so it is great to have a weekend before the clock is reset to zero.