Director, Chess Telecoms
Career so far At Chess, I have led the growth in turnover from £4m to £45m as a result of my bank-supported successful acquisition strategy. I am a dealmaker with experience of more than 100 transactions (M&A, IPOs, JVs including cross border) as a corporate advisor and within industry. I am on the board of listed and unlisted companies.
If you could be anyone else for a week, who would you be? Usain Bolt. He must be having a great time at the moment.
What will next year’s most overhyped industry buzzword be? Cloud.
Has 2012 been a good, bad or ugly year? There’s a good case for any answer, but as an optimist I will go for “good” , on the basis that Europe is determined to weather the storm, and as a consequence British industry remains flatlining with the result that weak businesses will fail and only the string survive.
What would you have as your last meal? I think I have become Michael Winner: I book tables not restaurants, so a good table at Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen or La Columbe D’Or, and a la carte for me.
What keeps you awake at night? The wood pigeon (I must get a shotgun), otherwise nothing - my conscience is clear.
What piece of technology could you not be without? The TV which allows me to switch off from the iPad, mobile phone and BlackBerry which appear to take up the rest of the day.
Have any of your predictions come true this year? My predictions are on the economy and as usual have been correct. Shouldn’t your question be “What predictions have you for the forthcoming year?” - a better test.
What is the best partner/customer trip you have ever been on? Skiing in Kitsbuhel this year.
What do you see as the channel’s biggest challenge in 2013? Understanding what the customers really will buy, need or want, or understanding the difference between buy, need and want.
