Ellis, David

A-List 2006

Job title: Director of e-security, professional services and training.

Company: Computerlinks.

Year of birth: 1967.

Place of birth: Ipswich.

Career outline: I worked as a test engineer for three years at GEC-Marconi Instruments. I then moved into IT distribution at Midwich Thame working in a number of technical then commercial roles over a nine-year period. I joined Unipalm as a product manager in 1997 shortly after the management buy-out from Worldcom. After running some key product groups and divisions, I was promoted to the UK board in 2001.

What motivates you every morning to get up and work in the channel? What I like most about this market and working in the channel is that it’s so dynamic and fast moving. Everyday brings a new challenge.

What has been the most over-hyped technology in the past five years? Probably WAP. I know that there was a lot of investment in this area, but it just didn’t take off as hoped for various reasons.

Which technology would you most like to have invented? Over the past 10 to 12 years, it would have to be Firewalls. Market leading vendors such as Check Point went through massive growth and the founders of such companies made a lot of money.

Do you have any regrets from your time in the industry? I wish I’d seen the potential of the internet earlier and moved into the market before I did.

If you could swap places with anyone in the industry, who would it be? Bill Gates is in a rather nice position.

What is the biggest hurdle you have faced in your career? We faced a number of tough times in the early days at Unipalm. It was hard scaling the business to keep up with the growth.

What is the biggest success of your career? Definitely being part of the management team that has taken Computerlinks (UK) and Unipalm to where it is today.

What piece of technology could you not live without? A mobile phone and my satellite navigation system. It’s amazing how it can take the stress out of driving.

What would be your advice to anyone starting a career in IT? Go for it. It’s a market where hard work can definitely pay off.

What is your favourite computer game? I don’t really play them now so it would have to be a retro game such as Phoenix.

What would you like for Christmas if you could have anything? Probably a good lie-in. With a five-year-old son and three-year-old daughter though, I don’t think it’s very likely.

What is your favourite karaoke song? We Are The Champions, by Queen is a good one, but being a Norwich City FC fan, it’s not one that I get to sing to often though.

What would be the title of your autobiography? I’d go with Safe Hands, but unfortunately David Seaman beat me to it, so how about Saving The Day given my exploits between the sticks (and elsewhere).

Do you have any phobias? Not a phobia as such, but I don’t like heights, which is pretty strange for someone who is more than 6ft 5in.

How many beers before you fall over? 15.

Number of staff you manage? 40.

What car do you drive? Grand Vitara XL-7.

Number of air miles you have? You don’t earn them with EasyJet or RyanAir.