Hughes, Mark
A-List 2006
Job title Channel development manager.
Company IBM UK.
Year of birth 1963.
Place of birth London.
Career outline A career working in the reseller channel with NatWest Centre-File, AST Computers, LG Electronics and for the past five years IBM. I’m now working on recruiting new storage partners for the IBM System and Technology Group.
What motivates you every morning to get up and work in the channel? Being part of a community of business partners with many different personalities and characters.
What has been the most over-hyped technology in the past five years? Video downloading on mobile phones. 3G.
What will be the most underrated technology in the next five years? Mobile technology.
Which technology would you most like to have invented? The iPod.
Do you have any regrets from your time in the industry? Not at all. You make mistakes and live by them.
If you could swap places with anyone in the industry, who would it be? Nick Wiltshire of Basilica. He works smart and knows how to enjoy himself.
What is the biggest hurdle you have faced in your career? Knowing so many industry figures and being able to meet with them on a regular basis socially.
What is the biggest success of your career? Recruiting a major distributor and a number of business partners that have achieved huge success for IBM.
What piece of technology could you not live without? My mobile phone and laptop.
What would be your advice to anyone starting a career in IT? Look at the people you want to aspire to and pick up the good habits.
What would you like for Christmas if you could have anything? All my children together.
What is your favourite karaoke song? Never Too Much, by Luther Van Dross.
What would be the title of your autobiography? Life Of An Ordinary Man (Nearly). I am writing a book now.
Do you have any phobias? Yes. Spiders.
How many beers before you fall over? 30.
Number of staff you manage? 0.
What is your golf handicap? 24.
What car do you drive? Mercedes CLK 240.
Number of air miles you have? 200,000.