Derek Jones

Career so far: From HM Forces in the 1970s, I joined the chemical industry. Went from basic salesman to sales training manager from 1982-84. I was owner/manager of an IT reseller, selling mainly consumables into large corporate accounts, from 1984. Changed the business to PC builder and trade distributor (import and export) in the late 1980s through to mid 1990s - growing as an independent business to circa £4.5m per annum. Founder, managing director of Computer Office Group (COG) in 1995. Merged COG with Integra Office Solutions in 1998. Appointed IT channel director at Integra from 1998 to February 2008. Launched Synaxon UK in September 2008 and commenced trading in January 2009. In parallel to my career within the channel, I was elected as a director of the Professional Computing Association (PCA) in 1999, PCA financial director from 2003-04, PCA chairman from 2005 to 2009, and delivered structure and vision for the not-for-profit channel association.

If you could be anyone else for a week, who would you be and what would you do? It would have to be Sir Richard Branson - he's cool, laid back and has incredible vision. He is also extraordinarily successful. My week would be spent getting inside the head of the UK's greatest-ever entrepreneur.

What would you have as your last meal? A banquet from around the world - variety is the spice of life. It would also have to be enjoyed in the company of friends from the channel.

What is the best corporate jolly you have ever been on/taken partners on? For taking partners it has to be several Integra conferences through the late 1990s and early 2000s - Paris, Brussels and Barcelona. The best for me personally was a Samsung invitation to South Korea - wow, what a culture shock and what an incredible corporation!

Do you see the cloud as a threat or an opportunity? Cloud computing is the single biggest opportunity in the marketplace. A more difficult question is how do resellers embrace the opportunity? (Answers on a postcard to CRN).

Have any of your predictions come true this year? Only one, and that is that Synaxon would be recognised as a serious player within the UK channel. I'm still waiting for my prediction of a win on the lotto to happen.

What do you see as the channel's biggest challenge in 2011? Due to various factors, the stability of our professional reseller community. Without resellers we wouldn't have a channel.

What is the best part of your day? All day, every day. I have a great job delivering a valuable service to the channel.