Penelope Thompson
Channel development manager, VentureTech Network UK, Ingram Micro
What was the worst job you have ever had?
Loading and unloading the dishwasher in a busy café for four hours on Saturday mornings while still at school.
Which actor would you pick to play you in a movie of your life?
Kristin Scott-Thomas, a gritty English actor who chooses the parts she plays carefully.
What do you do as your party trick?
I can recite the poem Jabberwocky by Lewis Carroll: "Twas bryllyg, and ye slythy toves...".
What is your favourite chocolate bar?
I prefer my chocolate as an indulgent mug of hot chocolate.
What has been the highlight of your career to date?
Launching VTN in the UK.
Has 2014 been a good, bad or ugly year?
Good because I have my dream job developing the VTN programme for the UK and helping my favourite partners grow their businesses.
How would you explain the IT channel to a stranger without boring them to death?
I would turn the question around and ask questions about their industry.
Aside from the channel, my dream career would be... a hands-on philanthropic role helping those less privileged.
What major issues will the channel face in 2015?
Developing loyalty in the customer base and becoming a true trusted advisor to end users, keeping up with new technologies, creating new practises and providing end-to-end solutions.