Readers' lives: Who is that man?

Endless youth might not be impossible if you follow the Doctor

Rigby: Had face-time with cheetah, thanks to IBM

What was your first job, and how did you get into IT?
I left university in 1982, and joined IBM in a finance role.

Planes, trains or automobiles?
Automobiles, because I’m a boy!

What sport should be in the Olympics but isn’t?
Beer drinking, isn’t it obvious? As a Brit I might stand a chance of a gold medal.

Which fictional TV character is borrowing ideas from your life?
Dr Who, as I feel 20 years younger than I should, given my lifestyle.

What is your favourite joke or the one you heard most recently?
My favourite joke is not for print in such an esteemed journal as this.

“In my dreams …”
I’m on the river bank fly-fishing for trout.

What was your best business trip or junket ever?
The 100 Per Cent Club to South Africa with IBM. I came face-to-face with a cheetah – awesome!

What was the best holiday you ever went on?
Jamaica, a summer holiday in the winter time.

If you had a week to live, how would you fill it?
There is only one answer: with my wife, children and best friends.

“I never…”
Finish a sentence beginning with ‘I never.’

“I always…”
Need it done NOW!

Will we see businesses take green ICT more seriously this year?
Yes, it reduces operating costs as well as benefiting the environment.

Will virtualisation become as profitable for the channel as pundits predict?
I have no doubt it will but only if you have deep virtualisation skills and a unique value proposition. With so many confusing messages about virtualisation throughout all industry sectors the opportunity for the channel to offer expertise and guidance is huge. Oh, you also need a comprehensive understanding of your client’s issues and needs.

Print or online news?
Print so you sit back and relax…not that I do that often.

Do you use social media?
Yes, both business and personal. Given my age I really should not be playing around with the likes of Twitter and Facebook, but I do. I also use LinkedIn to maintain professional contacts. I find Skype really useful for keeping in touch with friends and colleagues around the world; the video facilities are great too.

Will the economic recovery continue?
I’m confident it will. Humans are the most inventive mammals on the planet; we will find the solution to everything one day.

What does the channel most need to learn to succeed and grow this year?
The economy means that the channel has to improve in three key areas: flexibility, creativity and integrity. Or resellers will struggle to grow over the next few months.

Do vendors do enough to help their channel?
Some are better than others. There are always more creative ways to approach partners for mutual benefit, respect and growth.

Is IT well taught in schools?
I think it is much improved but there is a long way to go. Vendors could do much more to ‘seed’ their equipment into schools at affordable rates so children get to learn on the latest technology. This is beneficial for the schools, the pupils and the companies providing the equipment.

Andy Rigby is general manager for EMEA at Virtustream