Career so far I’ve always been involved in technology, and my technical introduction to commercial computing came from programming mainframe systems.
With an eye to a developing market, I moved to Australia, taking on the emerging microcomputer market, initially in a technical capacity, but breaking into sales, marketing and moving rapidly into management.
When the opportunity arose to work for Alan (now Lord) Sugar at Amstrad, I joined the team, launching Amstrad Australia and scooping the Marketer of the Year award along the way. I moved back to Europe as managing director of Amstrad to take on my current role.
If you could be anyone else for a week, who would you be and what would you do? Richard Branson. First I would book my seat with Virgin Galactic on the inaugural flight into space aboard SpaceShipTwo. I would then arrange for a Virgin Jumbo jet to fly myself and 20 of my best friends to Necker Island via Ulusaba Game Reserve. We would finish up in Morocco at Kasbah Tamadot to chill out and relax. OK, now back to reality.
What would you have as your last meal? Sushi on the dock of the Bay at Bora Bora.
What is the best corporate jolly you have ever been on/taken partners on? When I won Marketer of the Year, I was flown by helicopter to an exclusive restaurant in the Barossa valley to celebrate.
Do you see the cloud as a threat or an opportunity? I can just see a technological storm coming.
Have any of your predictions come true this year? Yes, my last year’s prediction of Viglen competing in Tier 1 space and winning major government contracts has come true. We won OGC10 and OGC11 contracts, worth approx £40m.
What do you see as the channel’s biggest challenge in 2011? Direct competition from the multinationals, and ever-decreasing margins and ASPs.
What is the best part of your day? Waking up early, going to the gym and getting the adrenaline pumping for the rest of the day.
