Culley, Nick

A-List 2006

Job title: Managing director.

Company: Midwich.

Year of birth: 1966.

Place of birth: Luton.

Career outline: From 1982 to 1985 I was a commercial apprentice at Vauxhall Motors. Then in 1986 I worked in various sales roles at Thame Systems for a couple of years. In 1991 I became product manager at Midwich. In 1999 I was product marketing director at Midwich. In 2001 there was a management buy-out of Midwich from Avnet and then in 2004 I became managing director.

What motivates you every morning to get up and work in the channel? Working in a business with a dynamic and ambitious team with loads of new opportunities to develop.

What has been the most over-hyped technology in the past five years? Nothing really stands out, but I get the feeling that Tablet PCs have not really taken off.

What will be the most underrated technology in the next five years? Any products that we’ll have as aged stock in 2012.

Which technology would you most like to have invented? The iPod.

Do you have any regrets from your time in the industry? We’ve had a couple of difficult vendors that we should have canned earlier.

If you could swap places with anyone in the industry, who would it be? No one person , but I’d love to educate some vendors about channel management and a much broader appreciation of the challenges faced by distributors.

What is the biggest hurdle you have faced in your career? Dealing with a few senior people from former vendors. I cannot tolerate people who renege from agreements, behave without integrity and are totally unprofessional.

What is the biggest success of your career? Two things: first, the management buy-out from Avnet in 2001. Second, as managing director, to be working with a great group of people and helping to re-shape Midwich as a value added specialist distributor.

What piece of technology could you not live without? My mobile phone and my iPod. I could certainly live without email and PCs.

What would be your advice to anyone starting a career in IT? Work hard, be ambitious, innovative and stick firm to your personal values.

What would you like for Christmas if you could have anything? Aston Martin DB9 Sport.

What is your favorite karaoke song? I sang No Woman, No Cry, by Bob Marley at my 40th birthday this year. It was terrible.

What would be the title of your autobiography? Inside I’m Really Very Happy.

Do you have any phobias? Yes. I hate snakes and I flinch whenever I see one on TV.

How many beers before you fall over? 20.

Number of staff you manage? 150.

What is your golf handicap? 28.

What car do you drive? Range Rover Sport.

Number of air miles you have? I don’t collect them.