A good cure for depression might include going out shooting, accompanied by Fraser Fisher's best friend
What was your first job, and how did you get into IT?
At the age of 13 I worked as a shelf stacker in a shop. This was my introduction to the IT industry, as I was stacking tape-based, cartridge and floppy disk-based software games in a computer shop that sold IBM PCs. I have no idea how much I earned, but I do remember that the feeling of being paid for a day's work was brilliant.
Planes, trains or automobiles?
Automobiles. You can choose when to drive, where to drive and you have more flexibility about what you can take with you. In short, you're more in control. With planes, if it all goes horribly wrong, it rarely ends well.
What is your favourite joke or the one you heard most recently?
This one was really funny: "Fraser, some people would be remotely interested in reading your odd answers to some questions in CRN."
What was the best business trip or junket you have ever experienced?
India. We have our largest office in Hyderabad and I am fortunate enough to travel there fairly regularly. I love the energy, the people, the atmosphere and of course the food. The average high street curry house doesn't have much appeal any more.
If you had to choose just one leisure activity, would you choose an art or a sport?
Running. It's good exercise and it always clears my head of any work-related stresses. The simplicity of it is important; so long as I've got my trainers with me, I can do it anywhere. It also helps minimise the effects of my love affair with pork pies.
How do you try to cheer yourself up when you're feeling down?
I don't ever really feel down, but I always feel good after either going for a run or going out shooting with the dog.
Oranges or bananas?
Oranges by a mile. You can eat the fruit or juice them and use the skin to make a perfect whisky cocktail.
What never fails to make you laugh?
People who take themselves too seriously. I once witnessed a pompous fool (who shall remain nameless) on a plane shouting into his mobile phone. A BA stewardess asked him politely to switch off as we were just about to reverse from the bay.
He paused long enough to say: "Do you know who I am, you stupid woman?" To which she replied: "Someone who is now being denied flight." This pompous fool was then removed from the plane - and we still managed to land on time. Brilliant!
Would you rather draw up the plans, or carry them out?
I'd say that you have to do both. If you devise a plan, it's up to you to deliver on it.
Is it wrong to tell little white lies? If not, under what circumstances?
Little white lies are never a good move; they have a tendency to go black really quickly.
Your closest near-death experience?
Very late one evening on the M11, when I was driving back into London, the car in front of me hit a car that was being driven the wrong way down the carriageway. Unfortunately, an elderly lady had become confused and was behind the wheel of the car driving the wrong way.
Sadly, it didn't end well for her. It didn't end well for the guy driving the car in front of me either. I was about a quarter of a mile behind. I saw it all unfold, but managed to avoid the accident. I then called the police.
What was the last film you saw and what did you think of it?
Man of Steel. It started really well and I had great hopes for it, but unfortunately the ending was really weak.
Fraser Fisher is chief operating officer of Redcentric
