Jones, Karin

A-List 2006

Job title: Sales and marketing director.

Company: VIP Computer Centre.

Year of birth: 1973.

Place of birth: Watford.

Career outline: After a year of retail management training at Ryman The Stationer in London, I decided to pursue a career in marketing and am now a fully qualified CIM chartered marketer. I spent time at Promethean. I was its third employee and promoted the interactive whiteboard solutions to education sector and digital projection before moving to VIP Computer Centre.

What motivates you every morning to get up and work in the channel? I am motivated by the challenges that the new day will bring and that I have the opportunity to make a positive difference for the business.

What has been the most over-hyped technology in the past five years? Generally, convergence and the digital home.

What will be the most underrated technology in the next five years? You hear very little of technology that allows ‘Big Brother’ to watch over the population, yet this will have a huge impact over us in the coming years.

Which technology would you most like to have invented? The internet. It has revolutionalised our access to information, global contact and ultimately the way we all live our lives.

Do you have any regrets from your time in the industry? No, I don’t have any regrets. Everyone makes the occasional poor decision along the way. It all boils down to experience in the end.

If you could swap places with anyone in the industry, who would it be ? No one. I genuinely enjoy working at VIP.

What is the biggest hurdle you have faced in your career? There are always career hurdles along the way, but getting into marketing as a graduate without a business degree was difficult. I attended countless interviews, competition was really tough, so I had to be tenacious and prepared to move away and start a new life.

What is the biggest success of your career? I am really proud of my achievements, including involvement in launching interactive whiteboard into schools in the late 1990s when it was new technology. My biggest success, however, has been at VIP, managing the sales and marketing strategy and implementation, which was rewarded by promotion to director.

What piece of technology could you not live without? Other than hair straighteners and my hairdryer, I can’t live without my mobile phone and notebook.

What would be your advice to anyone starting a career in IT? Be proactive, objective and use honest, strategic business principles.

What is your favorite computer game? Theme Hospital.

What would you like for Christmas if you could have anything? A million-pound-winning lottery ticket.

What is your favorite karaoke song? I don’t partake in karaoke, it’s only fair on my audience.

What would be the title of your autobiography? Nothing Is Impossible.

Do you have any phobias? No.

How many beers before you fall over? 15.

Number of staff you manage? 23.

What is your golf handicap? 99.

What car do you drive? Citroen C2.

Number of air miles you have? Not sure.