Lewitt, Darren

A-List 2006

Job title Divisional director.

Company Midwich.

Year of birth 1965.

Place of birth Leicester.

Career outline After spending seven years in the RAF, I joined Midwich in 1991. I spent five years in sales including a time as national sales manager. I became a product manager then business manager looking after printers and PCs. In 1996 I started an audio visual business with Sanyo – Midwich – which today incorporates all of the major vendors and is worth more than £80m.

What motivates you every morning to get up and work in the channel? Knowing that every day I will have at least one new idea to contemplate.

What has been the most over-hyped technology in the past five years? DLP projection technology.

What will be the most underrated technology in the next five years? Wireless. It seems to be taking an age for people to adopt wireless in all areas, but the possibilities are endless.

Which technology would you most like to have invented? The internet.

Do you have any regrets from your time in the industry? None.

If you could swap places with anyone in the industry, who would it be? I wouldn’t mind some of Bill Gates’s millions.

What is the biggest hurdle you have faced in your career? It’s been a challenge, without anything specific standing out.

What is the biggest success of your career? Taking Midwich from nothing to become the largest audiovisual distributor in Europe.

What piece of technology could you not live without? Two: my wheelbarrow and my mobile phone.

What would be your advice to anyone starting a career in IT? Get stuck into sales and get yourself known. Quantity is as important as quality to start with.

What is your favorite computer game? Gotham Racing.

What would you like for Christmas if you could have anything? Shania Twain dressed up as Santa.

What is your favorite karaoke song? Kari what?

What would be the title of your autobiography? The Norfolk Blues.

Do you have any phobias? Wasps.

How many beers before you fall over? 5.

Number of staff you manage? 23.

What is your golf handicap? 9.

What car do you drive? Lexus and a Mini Cooper S.

Number of air miles you have? Too many.