David Hobson

Career so far I trained as a lawyer and ran a small solicitors office, decided that was not all it was cracked up to be and then switched to IT. I have been involved in internet and data security since 1993, and founded GSS in 1997.

If you could be anyone else for a week, who would you be and what would you do? Jenson Button. Living the dream.

Cloud - friend or foe? It is a white fluffy thing in the sky, which blocks out the sun. Managed services are an opportunity.

Has 2011 been as bad as everyone said it would be? It isn't fun out there.

What would you have as your last meal? An Italian, with a bottle of fighting red.

Who would you like to be stuck in a lift with? No one ever talks in a lift. However, a lift with a view would be nice.

Have any of your predictions come true this year? Yes. I expected it to be tough. It has probably been worse than expected.

What do you see as the channel's biggest challenge in 2012? Vendors continuing to erode margin.

What is the best part of your day? Waking up - at my age it is a major achievement.