Jon Thorpe

Managing director, ACS

What is your greatest career move to date?
TBA.

What is top of your bucket list?
To take the family on a 12-month round-the-world holiday to include watching all the tennis Grand Slams.

What has changed most since you started working in the channel?
The speed of change with new ways of working. Some are on the bus with this while others will be left behind.

How do you think Brexit is going to affect the channel?
Time will tell, but the period of challenges should hopefully be outplayed by the opportunities for future generations.

What is your least favourite task during the working day? Email, email, email.

If you were an animal, what would you be? Probably a cheeky monkey but my colleagues and I do already work with a panda (Stephen Harley) - long story!

If you won the big one on EuroMillions, what would you do?
Make sure friends and family are well looked after then travel the world playing tennis and golf.

What is your worst habit?
I vapour. But that is better than the old smoking days.

How has 2016 been for you?
ACS had its best year in 21 years - a good, solid, team performance. I think 2017-2020 will present the greatest opportunities as we take them.

If you didn't work in the IT channel, what would be your dream career? You have probably gathered by now a tennis or golf life. As I watch the Ryder Cup in the office while typing these answers, what would I prefer to be doing: golf or this document?!

What major issues will the channel face in 2017? This has not changed for the last five years as we learn how to adapt to change with the as-a-Service model. Clients will always need trusted partners and will continue to select those that have greater depth of knowledge, are using the technology and are leading from the front.