Phil Pace

Sales & marketing director, Simms International

Career so far I have spent 27 years in IT sales working for a number vendors and distributors in various sales roles. I have a security guard to thank for all this who sent me to the wrong HR department in 1982.

Do you care about green IT? Yes. For recycling and reduction in power consumption. We need better worldwide policies and regulations on this due to the number of computers in the world. This would make a real difference.

If you could be in a rock/pop band, which one would it be and who would you be? Bucks Fizz, Mike Nolan.

What is the best corporate jolly you have ever been on/taken partners on? Wacky Races with Computers Unlimited. Seeing so many channel personalities running around northern France in fancy dress, you certainly see them in a different light.

Has 2009 been as bad as everyone said it would be? No, and in hard times you always have to adapt to survive and grow.

Have any of your predictions come true this year? No, as Leeds United are still in League One.

What do you see as the channel’s biggest challenge in 2010? Apart from the distraction of cloud computing, credit limits. As the market improves I’m sure the credit insurers will still be less than generous to us all.

What is the best part of your day? Listening to Chris Evans on the way home after a good sales day it gives you time to think, and he makes the M25 bearable.