Wayne Cockerill

Managing director of Aindale and chairman of Network Group

Career so far

I have spent 27 years working within IT, starting out at the Mars Group where I first cut my teeth in IT with PC DOS and good old Lotus 123! Having an entrepreneurial passion, moved from a large corporation to an independent reseller with great potential and joined Aindale to run the support operation. Working quickly up through the company I became a Director and Partner before taking full ownership and establishing Aindale as a successful VAR, employing nearly 50 people over two divisions. In addition in 2002 I became Chairman of Network Group, the UK’s premier IT Buying & Networking group and now enjoy leading both organisations in driving further success.

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

This was at Pedigree Petfoods, part of the Mars Group and I working in Industrial Engineering, working on the stats of manufacturing performance and efficiencies. Loved the job and the organisation…was I good at it, yep move upwards into the IT division of Mars from here – think part of my success was the passion and interest in the position.

Who was your top teenage pin-up?

Seriously!! My teenage years were some time ago… I suppose late teens, if you can still have a pin-up was Kylie…

My colleagues won’t know this about me but….. I was once a member of the Magic Circle……. (OMG!!)

What is your favourite snack?

Has to be Wotsits and a glass of full fat Coke!

What has been your career high point to date?

Achieving my current role and ownership of the business, with each day driving the business forward.

Has 2013 been a good, bad or ugly year? Why?

Good… a definite turn in clients buying behaviour and lots of technology moves that are helping fuel the business and our clients journey with technology.

What do you say when strangers at a social gathering ask what you do for a living?

If they are female – I am always a pilot!! Otherwise, it’s just the ‘Working in IT’ bit!

If I wasn’t working in the channel I would probably be…

On a beach after making my fortune!!!

What do you see as the channel’s biggest challenge in 2014?

Finding the right people to grow the teams as our business moves through the next growth period.