Career so far: More than 20 years in sales and marketing across the entire IT spectrum – working for leading hardware and software vendors, systems integrators and resellers – on both sides of the Atlantic. I’ve been with Google for the past three years (equivalent to 13 human years).
If you could be anyone else for a week, who would you be and what would you do? Hmm… I’m going to show my age here. Robert Plant from Led Zeppelin, 1977. That’s when rock ‘n’ roll lived large – the world at your feet before it all went downhill. Everything afterwards is a cheap imitation.
What would you have as your last meal? Foie gras, followed by veal. I used to be a vegetarian and will burn in veggie hell.
What is the best corporate jolly you have ever been on/taken partners on? Motor racing days – there’s nothing like a near-death experience to create lasting bonds.
Do you see the cloud as a threat or an opportunity? The cloud offers companies significant opportunities to grow their customer base, differentiate themselves from their competitors and gain attractive annuity revenues. It is an irresistible force that IT companies choose to ignore at their peril. At Google, we see first mover advantages, as those partners that were early in the cycle are most successful. Having said that, the market is still quite immature and we are at the early stages of a fundamental shift in the way companies consume IT. But like anything in life, to be successful you have to be committed, passionate and patient.
Have any of your predictions come true this year? I placed a big bet on England winning the World Cup. I didn’t, however, state which year that would be in, so I still live in hope.
What do you see as the channel’s biggest challenge in 2011? I passionately believe we are about to cross the chasm with cloud computing and the challenge that many channel companies face is how fast to adapt to the new model, how to build value-added services and how to quantify the life-time value of your customer relationships. With software-as-a-service, the emphasis is on the service element. Cloud customers are for life, not just for Christmas.
What is the best part of your day? First thing in the morning, I walk my dog in the park to clear my head, put life into perspective and read a few emails while dodging deer and dogs***.
