Rob Tomlin

Managing director, UKI, Azlan

What is your greatest career move to date?
Taking the UKI reigns at Azlan this year.

What is top of your bucket list?
Stockport County getting back in the Football League.

What has changed most since you started working in the channel? Consolidation. £3bn distributors and £1bn VARs; in 2000 it was £1bn distributors and £500m VARs.

How do you think Brexit is going to affect the channel?
Our country is great, as is our industry. We will be just fine.

What is your least favourite task during the working day? Commuting. We really need to speed up commercialising teleporting.

If you were an animal, what would you be? A bird. I would love to be able to fly. I tried to learn to fly a plane but it's far too hard.

If you won the big one on EuroMillions, what would you do?
Probably still work - I am boring like that. Oh, and obviously give a lot to charity.

What is your worst habit?
Spending 50 per cent of my day on my iPhone.

How has 2016 been for you?
It has been an exciting year. Azlan has gone from strength to strength. Then we announced the intended Avnet acquisition - exciting times.

If you didn't work in the IT channel, what would be your dream career?
I was rather good at Football Manager. So I reckon in my dreams being a top-class football manager might be it.

What major issues will the channel face in 2017?
A talent shortage. Across the business we need to pull together, to bring the best youngsters into the channel.

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