Niall McGrane

General manager, Westcon

What was the worst job you have ever had? Law clerk - boring.

Which actor would you pick to play you in a movie of your life? Tom Cruise. He has the same nose and that's about it.

What do you do as your party trick? Use my magnetised watch to open up ladies' dresses.

What is your favourite chocolate bar? Yorkie Raisin and Biscuit.

What has been the highlight of your career to date? Addressing the entire Nigerian government about building a network infrastructure in an "emerging" economy and then hosting the party at the American embassy.

Has 2014 been a good, bad or ugly year? It has been a great year: the business is growing, children are growing and the waistline is reducing.

How would you explain the IT channel to a stranger without boring them to death? The channel is an intricate chain of expertise which recommends IT solutions to the man/woman with the problem who pays all our bills.

Aside from the channel, my dream career would be... being Bernie Taupin, writing songs but still able to shop at Waitrose.

What major issues will the channel face in 2015? How to combine technologies from disparate vendors to deliver real business benefits for the end user.