Career so far: Started life in sales at the Surrey Advertiser before moving into the IT business. Worked as sales director at Data Guardian before co-founding a series of successful value-added distribution companies namely Data Connectivity, equip Technologies were acquired by Datrontech Group and Matrix respectively. In 2007 I co-founded VADition which was acquired by Exclusive Networks Group in June 2010.
If you could be anyone else for a week, who would you be and what would you do? It may sound weird given that he's dead but as it's only for a week and I could come back, then Steve Jobs. It would be great to see what reception he got in the after life given the all the adulation he's received since his death. Depending on where he went (and I'm thinking up as opposed to down) it would give the iCloud a whole new meaning.
Cloud - friend or foe? Definitely 'friend'; and embrace him like a brother, lend him your lawnmower, laugh-at-his-jokes-even-if-they-aren't-funny kind of friend. Grit your teeth when you do it if you must, but ingratiate yourself because this is something you wouldn't want be on the wrong side of.
Has 2011 been as bad as everyone said it would be? There's no doubt that it's been tough but I don't think it's been the doom and gloom that many predicted. As far as our business is concerned we had a very successful year, growing by over 50% and being acquired by Exclusive Networks Group. Give me a bad year like that any time.
What would you have as your last meal? Bangers, mash and onion gravy.
Who would you like to be stuck in a lift with? Tony Blair. Would love to give him a few home truths.
Have any of your predictions come true this year? Some have, some haven't. On a business level we believed that 2011 would be a defining year for the company and that has proved to be the case. A few of the vendor partners we chose to invest in have paid dividends too. On a personal front my beloved Spurs didn't manage to win the Premiership but there's always this season.
What do you see as the channel's biggest challenge in 2012? Coming up with a sales incentive that doesn't have anything to do with the Olympics? Seriously though, much of the channel still doesn't understand how to make money out of enterprise mobility, social applications and the cloud; and they need to work it out quickly.
What is the best part of your day? Any time a deal comes in.
