Simon Harbridge

Chief executive, Stone Group

Which tech figurehead do you admire the most?

Elon Musk. I really admire his visionary approach to business and the way that he envisions high-level goals and goes after them.

What's the biggest challenge facing the industry no-one is talking about yet?

This may be a surprising response, but I firmly believe it's security. While you might argue that it's already being talked about, it is certainly the biggest challenge our industry is facing today, and will continue to face in the future. The risks will continue to grow at unprecedented levels and I am not convinced that we, as an industry, have a plan in place to address the heightened security risks of ever-more connected devices and the rise of the data generated. I think we should be talking more about this.

If you could invite three famous people to dinner, who would they be?

Leonardo da Vinci because he was equated with genius in so many areas; Mozart for a bit of music over dinner; and Marilyn Monroe, because why wouldn't you?

How has 2017 been for you?

It has been challenging, but at the same time brilliant. I have witnessed our team at Stone work incredibly hard, under difficult industry conditions, and the work has been rewarded with some great achievements.

What's the most extravagant business lunch you've ever had?

Fish and chips with an extremely cold glass of chardonnay. The meal might not have been extravagant, but the location overlooking Sydney harbour in the sunshine was definitely out of the ordinary.

Which global city best matches your personality?

It would have to be Sydney - not only is it one of my favourite cities, it is cosmopolitan with lots of buzz but at the same time you can find a lot of wide open spaces and fresh air.

What would be your super-hero power?

Teleportation - it would save an inordinate amount of time!

Complete this sentence. The worst thing about our rivals is… their great ideas. But, as ever your greatest rival challenges you to bring out the best in what you do.

What makes you nervous?

Besides jellyfish and wasps? It would have to be the very human response to doing something for the first time, because of course we all want to be successful.

If you could eat one type of food for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Seafood.

Sum up the channel in three words

Innovative, fast-moving, fun.