Managing director, Prianto
Career so far I’ve been in IT for 33 years. I started life as a programmer specialising in communication protocols. I lived and worked in Paris for 15 months before moving to Belfast for a year. Eventually I arrived in Newbury to develop software for Kerridge Computer Company. In the mid- to late-1980s I burnt out as a programmer and turned to sales and then founded KNS Distribution in the mid 1990s followed by Centia in 2001. Recently I have started Prianto, a new virtualisation specialist distributor.
If you could be anyone else for a week, who would you be? Mark Knopfler, the lead singer and song writer of Dire Straits. Not because I want his fame, money, or even his lifestyle. I just would love to have the skill to play an acoustic guitar. I don’t play any instruments although some say I can sing. To be able to play and sing just for myself would be excellent. After my week as Mark, I’d like to retain my new found skill.
What will next year’s most overhyped industry buzzword be? Patent infringement.
Has 2012 been a good, bad or ugly year? 2012 has been a great year so far as the new business model I designed is working very well. The consolidation of the distribution industry is great news for Prianto as more opportunities will arise out of it.
What would you have as your last meal? Classic British of course… a curry with lashings of cold beer followed by a Davidoff Grand Cru No 2 cigar with a peaty whisky – the perfect meal for me.
What keeps you awake at night? Sadly I have a habit of biting my tongue in my sleep. The rest you can imagine! Thankfully my dentist will correct this soon.
What piece of technology could you not be without? I am known for my love of tech and I expect everyone would expect me to say my smartphone, perhaps an iPad or even my 8-core Mac Pro computer. However, the best gadget I use is my Bluetooth headphones, which I’m never without.
Have any of your predictions come true this year? I have been saying for some time now that the smartphone has got as smart as it is going to get (for a while). What else can they put into it? Apple’s recent iPhone 5 is a classic case of mild evolution and not revolution.
What is the best partner/customer trip you have ever been on? I once took several customers for a night out in San Francisco. I never imbibe alcohol with work but on this one occasion I let my hair down and I have to say we all had a fantastic night. Many have asked for a repeat but one can never replicate a one off.
What do you see as the channel’s biggest challenge in 2013? This is an interesting one, as the channel always seems to be wrestling with a challenge. I am of the opinion that those resellers who have started a small cloud business in order to tap into this slowly growing market will find themselves under pressure and I suspect it will bring down a few them. With all the recent consolidation in distribution I can see a price war coming between the big four. This won’t be good for resellers but as always will be excellent for end users.
