Billing, Les

A-LIST 2005

Company: Microtronica.

Job title: Managing director.

Place of birth: Rotherham, South Yorkshire.

Year of birth: 1957.

Marital status: Married.

Career highlights: After a degree in Environmental Science, I spent three years selling semiconductors at Texas Instruments. I was involved in a start-up distributor MMD, selling Intel and Hitachi semiconductors, sold this business to Arrow Electronics in 1993, and worked for Arrow Electronics UK as director of value added services for three years. Led the start of a stand-alone Microtronica business for Arrow in the UK (1998), selling components to the computer industry, and took responsibility for the whole of Microtronica northern Europe in 2001.

What do you love most about the IT industry? It is not boring.

Which company do you most admire or respect in the IT business? Intel.

Which individual do you most admire or respect in the IT business? Bill Gates.

What is the biggest technology trend you anticipate in the next 12 months? Digital home, with high-definition TV roll-out in the UK and broadband access to an increasing number of households

What is the one thing working in the technology industry has taught you? Attention to detail, and that the price goes down.

Where do you think the channel will be in five years time? There will be fewer players, and they will either be non-value-added broadline or specialist value-added.

Which do you think is the most influential vendor in the UK? Dell.

Which vendor's technology do you think has changed the face of IT? Intel.

How do you unwind or spend your spare time? Going to the gym, playing golf and squash. Being with the children and family.

Where is your favourite place to eat? The New Mill at Eversley, Hampshire.

What is your favourite drink? Port.

What is your favourite TV programme or film? Tom and Jerry, Top Gear, Spooks, Red Dwarf. Films: The Matrix, Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings.

Who is your favourite musician, band, artist or genre? Too many to list and it changes over time.

What is your favourite book? Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings.

What career would you have pursued if you hadn't worked in the channel? OEM sales for a semiconductor manufacturer.

What has been your greatest business achievement? Keeping the business returning good profits, shareholder value and capital utilisation through the industry cycles and the latest recession

What is your personal ambition? To own my own successful business.