A chance to catch fire

clock • 3 min read

Stuart Quinsey nearly met his maker when he struck a match next to two open petrol canisters

What was your first job, and how did you get into IT?
In my early 20s I was working as a rep for a courier company and a good friend of mine joined a company called Teksys. Soon after, he asked me to join him, despite my lack of knowledge or experience in this space. I accepted.

Should Prince William shave his head?
Yes, the comb-over has never been favourable. He should embrace the shaved look; it works for me.

Are you going to the next CRN Channel Awards?
Yes, when you send me my invite, why not? Great place to catch up with peers, and everyone needs at least one good hangover a year.

What never fails to make you laugh?
Other than the movie Anchorman, the fact that both my kids think I am either George Michael or Gru from Despicable Me.

What would you like to do next weekend?
Go snowboarding with my family, as it's one of our greatest passions.

Is charisma or brains more important for a great leader?
It's hard to pick one so I think definitely both. Truly great leaders need to be able to demonstrate their knowledge and inspire those around them with their unparalleled charisma.

Which four famous people (living or dead) would you like to invite to your next dinner party?
● Tim Berners-Lee, to find out how it feels to have influenced the most significant change in our history.
● Bruce Lee, because he was my childhood hero!
● Muhammad Ali aged 22, when he was on top of his game and inspired generations.
● Stevie Wonder, need I explain?

Do you or have you read Channelweb.co.uk on your mobile phone or other handheld device?
One hundred per cent! It allows me to keep my finger on the pulse of everything relevant in the channel. In fact, I don't know how I would live without my smartphone these days.

Your closest near-death experience?
I vividly remember the fear as, after one very cold winter's day of jet skiing, I struck a match in the back of my friend's car - only to realise I was sat next to two open petrol canisters. Phew.

What is one thing you miss as a kid but no longer do or can do?
Spending time with some of the greatest people I ever knew. Some sadly not with us at all now, and others now living on other continents.

What are you reading?
Ten Day MBA, yet again, because the first 10 times haven't made up for not doing one for real. One for the to-do list!

How far ahead should you plan for your future?
It's more important to ensure you aren't constantly looking behind you or you will miss all the opportunities in front of you. I like to have a clear five-year plan at all times.

How do you try to cheer yourself up when you're feeling down? Does it work?
Being the eternal optimist I seldom get the blues, but my family are a great remedy for anything if I do.

If you had your time again, what would have been your next choice of career?
Professional snowboarder by day, musician by night.

Stuart Quinsey is EMEA/APAC channels and business development director at LogRhythm

You may also like

Technology and Trends

CIO of third-party hardware maintenance firm gives his dos and don'ts for resellers and other IT suppliers pitching for his business

clock 07 August 2018 • 4 min read

Technology and Trends

Databarracks' technical operations manager runs through his dos and don'ts for resellers who are pitching for his business

clock 16 May 2018 • 4 min read

Technology and Trends

CIO of direct debit bureau says he was impressed at a prospective supplier's willingness to extend their proof-of-concept period with no tie-in

clock 29 January 2018 • 6 min read

Sign up to our newsletter

The best news, stories, features and photos from the day in one perfectly formed email.

More on Security

'Cyber has to become seamless, unnoticed and taken for granted' - XChange UK day one, part two

'Cyber has to become seamless, unnoticed and taken for granted' - XChange UK day one, part two

Delegates looked a decade into the future of cybersecurity and heard how generate value from generative AI

Kelsey Rees
clock 07 March 2024 • 8 min read
Six cybersecurity trends for 2024

Six cybersecurity trends for 2024

Gartner lists six ways the cybersecurity market will be influenced and impacted this year

Kelsey Rees
clock 22 February 2024 • 3 min read
Cybersecurity incident response: Your company's ICU

Cybersecurity incident response: Your company's ICU

Performanta CEO Guy Golan explains why incident response is the beating heart of a cybersecurity service

Guy Golan
clock 22 September 2023 • 4 min read

Highlights

Staff & Salaries 2022

Staff & Salaries 2022

A snapshot of pay and headcount trends in the UK channel

Doug Woodburn
clock 09 March 2022 • 1 min read
Midwich CEO on Nimans acquisition, 2021 results and return to pre-pandemic levels

Midwich CEO on Nimans acquisition, 2021 results and return to pre-pandemic levels

Stephen Fenby talks to CRN after Midwich’s 2021 results in which profitability exceeded pre-pandemic levels

Josh Budd
clock 08 March 2022 • 3 min read
4 more vendors suspend sales in Russia following Ukraine invasion

4 more vendors suspend sales in Russia following Ukraine invasion

IBM and Microsoft are among a number of vendors which have also announced that they will halt sales in Russia following the invasion of Ukraine.

clock 08 March 2022 • 3 min read