Patel, Harnesh

A-List 2006

Job title Senior vice-president EMEA.

Company SurfControl.

Year of birth 1962.

Place of birth Nairobi.

Career outline More than 20 years in IT.

What motivates you every morning to get up and work in the channel? The channel allows me to deliver complete, value-added solutions to my end-user customers. No vendor can meet the needs of all of its customers completely on its own. In addition, the channel provides me with reach that I simply could not otherwise get, from the very large customers to the mid market.

What has been the most over-hyped technology in the past five years? 3G. Its time will come, but right now the killer applications are not quite there to convince the market that it’s a must have.

What will be the most underrated technology in the next five years? I think voice over IP. The focus is still very much on the potential for cheap calls, but it has so much more to offer.

Which technology would you most like to have invented? Open Source Linux. The way that Linux has been embraced and propagated by its advocates, and the way the Linux community works together to continuously improve products is inspiring.

Do you have any regrets from your time in the industry? No.

If you could swap places with anyone in the industry, who would it be? Tim Berners-Lee. His ideas have been fundamental in creating a virtual universe that’s expanding as fast as our own.

What is the biggest hurdle you have faced in your career? Facing static revenues when I joined SurfControl.

What is the biggest success of your career? Being able to grow SurfControl’s business in the mid market in the face of strong competition and predictions of a saturated market.

What piece of technology could you not live without? BlackBerry.

What would be your advice to anyone starting a career in IT? Aim high, but also be realistic.

What is your favorite computer game? I love the classic arcade games, such as Defender, because they remind me of my university days.

What would you like for Christmas if you could have anything? More time with my family.

What is your favorite karaoke song? Surfin’ USA, by the Beach Boys.

What would be the title of your autobiography? Surf’s Up.

Do you have any phobias? No.

Number of staff you manage? 85.

What is your golf handicap? 18.

What car do you drive? Mercedes.

Number of air miles you have? Too many and lost count years ago.