Director, business development, Portal
What achievement are you most proud of?
A few years ago our family had to cope with my daughter aged 23 having a sudden serious stroke. She has made a great recovery and the family as a team coped pretty well. And I left the business for a while to cope with the family crisis - and the business did well also.
What has been the biggest change in the channel since you started working in it?
The increase in variations in software licensing and therefore the need to constantly adjust software sales models.
What three things could you not live without?
1. Fresh air and the outdoors - I have to get outside to stay sane. 2. A mobile device, smartphone or tablet etc - I've got used to being able to make contact whenever I want; 3. Playing sport - it's even good playing more slowly as I get older!
What has been your most embarrassing moment so far?
Sending internally a flame email expressing my frustrations with a key executive of our main vendor partner. Somehow I managed to copy it to the person involved - deeply embarrassing. But quickly following up with flowers somewhat dug me out of the hole.
What do your family think you do all day?
I go to meetings; I guess they are not far wrong.
Who is your ultimate celeb crush?
Gillian Anderson.
What is your guilty pleasure?
Getting away on my own to a house we have on the west coast of Donegal.
What would be your first act if you were made Prime Minister?
Cancel HS2.
Has 2015 been a good, bad or ugly year?
A good year. Our business has made real progress in developing solutions in some targeted markets. But the Rugby World Cup was ugly, with no northern hemisphere teams in the semis.
If you didn't work in the IT channel, what would you do?
I'd go to less meetings and do some long-distance walking.
What major issues will the channel face in 2016?
Further fragmentation of software from an increasing number of vendors, along with the challenge of delivering elegant user solutions on multiple mobile platforms.
