Gary Woodward

Chief executive, niu Solutions

Career so far

I've been in IT sales since 1983 and along the way founded a couple of channel companies, namely Panacea and Pasporte. Today I'm chief executive at niu Solutions.

What was your first job and were you any good at it?

I was a trainee civil engineer at British Rail. No trains crashed on my watch!

Who was your top teenage pin-up?

I didn't have one, but today it would be Eva Mendes.

My colleagues won't know this about me but... I know it's hard to believe but at 17 I had a curly perm.

What is your favourite snack?

Dark chocolate.

What has been your career high point to date?

Marrying a girl from the office 24 years ago.

Has 2013 been good, bad or ugly?

It's only ugly on Mondays but overall it's been a good year.

What do you say when asked at a party what you do for a living?

Sell computers.

If I wasn't working in the channel I would probably be... a ski bum.

What will be the channel's biggest challenge in 2014? To lighten up a bit - it's all too serious and hard work.