Microsoft the most admired tech company among top UK channel executives

Executives polled in this year's CRN A-list praise software giant's successful reinvention over last five years. Apple, Amazon and Softcat also popular choices

Microsoft has topped a straw poll of top UK channel executives' most-admired tech firms, beating off stiff competition from Apple, Amazon - and Softcat.

Some 18 of the 137 executives quizzed for our 2019 A-list, published today, cited the software giant as the technology firm they most admire. You can view the PDF here and individual profiles here.

Microsoft edged out Apple (15), Amazon (9), Softcat (9) and Tesla (8) to top the poll (see graph, below).

A-listers praised Microsoft's transformation under CEO Satya Nadella, whose tenure has seen the software giant's market value treble since 2014.

The firm has "re-engineered itself and its channel so effectively after some dark days", Softcat CEO Graeme Watt remarked.

"Microsoft got very lost", and then "found itself and its customers again," opined GCI CEO Adrian Thirkill.

"Transforming a business on that scale has been a feat to behold over the last five years or so," added ANS CEO Paul Shannon, while Des Lekerman, CEO of TIG also picked out Microsoft because it has "re-invented itself as a cloud-first business".

Others, meanwhile, selected Microsoft more on ethical grounds, with Stone CEO Simon Harbridge praising its TEALS schools programme and Ultima CEO Scott Dodds highlighting how the firm bankrolls Bill Gates' philanthropy.

Running Microsoft a close second was Apple, which was lauded for the design and user experience of its technology.

"It has to be Apple as it was the first trillion-dollar company and its products are easy and fun to use," said Darren Barker, vice president and general manager (UK&I) at Hitachi Vantara.

Amazon was nominated by nine channel luminaries, including Dan Scarfe, UK founder of New Signature (pictured), who remarked that "it's scary how easy it makes it to spend money with it".

Nominated eight times, Softcat was the only reseller/services firm with multiple votes other than Computacenter (3). There were six resellers or MSPs that bagged a single nomination in the shape of ANS, Air-IT, Bytes, Managed 24-7, Mirus and SCC.

First act as prime minister and annoying buzzwords

When asked what their first act would be if they were made prime minister, cancelling or sorting out Brexit was the runaway winner. It was nominated by 31 A-listers.

GDPR was crowned the most annoying tech buzzword of the year, meanwhile (see graph, below). It received 15 nominations, ahead of AI (13), Blockchain (10), digital detox (9) and digital transformation (7).

We also asked our A-listers which actor they would have play them in a film of their life.

Leonardo Di Caprio emerged as the victor here, with six votes, ahead of Daniel Craig (4), Tom Hardy (4), Mr Bean (3), Ray Winstone (3), Sir Patrick Stewart (3) and Tom Hanks (3). Among the female A-listers Drew Barrymore (2), Meryl Streep (2) and Reese Witherspoon (2) were the most popular choices.