Martin Hellawell

Managing director, Softcat

Career so far Thirteen fabulous years at the mighty Computacenter equally split between the UK and France and then seven great years as managing director of Softcat.

If you could be anyone else for a week, who would you be? I would be my son Matthew. He is a fabulous, autistic, eleven year old. I would love to understand how his brain works and how he sees the world.

What will next year’s most overhyped industry buzzword be? Downturn. Get on with it.

Has 2012 been a good, bad or ugly year? It has been an outstanding year. Softcat had a brilliant 12 months, my wife’s talking to me again and the whole Olympic experience was magic.

What would you have as your last meal? Something really healthy. I’d like to try something different on my death bed.

What keeps you awake at night? Children – both at home and in the industry.

What piece of technology could you not be without? The internet – I am a complete addict.

Have any of your predictions come true this year? Yes – it never gets easier.

What is the best partner/customer trip you have ever been on? The Toshiba Himalayan Challenge about 20 years ago. It involved getting in a very comfortable helicopter and flying up a bit of Everest. That’s my kind of challenge.

What do you see as the channel’s biggest challenge in 2013? Too many ferries. There will be a horrible crash one day.