Wright, Nigel
A-List 2006
Job title: Sales director.
Company: Abtech Computer Services.
Year of birth: 1966.
Place of birth: Macclesfield.
Career outline: After a few years selling laboratory equipment to hospitals and schools, I moved into IT with a sales job at Silversands Computers in Poole. I moved to Abtech in 1997 and progressed up to sales manager and sales director.
What motivates you every morning to get up and work in the channel? I enjoy the speed of technical development and using it to solve customer issues.
What has been the most over-hyped technology in the past five years? Grid computing.
What will be the most underrated technology in the next five years? Hewlett-Packard’s System Insight Manager.
Which technology would you most like to have invented? Google.
Do you have any regrets from your time in the industry? Yes, that I didn’t take on VMware while it was still new technology.
If you could swap places with anyone in the industry, who would it be? Bill Gates. He has made his money and is now leaving others to keep Microsoft running while he does what he wants.
What is the biggest hurdle you have faced in your career? I think my initial more into IT was a big hurdle.
What is the biggest success of your career? Probably my progression through the ranks at Abtech.
What piece of technology could you not live without? Email.
What would be your advice to anyone starting a career in IT? Choose an established company that has a good mix of growth technologies and a wide customer base.
What is your favorite computer game? Tiger Woods PGA Golf.
What would you like for Christmas if you could have anything? A house at the Isleworth Country Club in Orlando (where Tiger Woods lives).
What is your favorite karaoke song? I can’t sing.
What would be the title of your autobiography? Life is full of major decisions (you only know how big after you’ve made them).
Do you have any phobias? Yes. Tuna.
How many beers before you fall over? 8.
What car do you drive? Mercedes CLK.
Number of air miles you have? 0.