Paul Emery
Vice president of cloud solutions & services, ScanSource
Tell us something most people won't know about you
My first job was working for Boots (The Chemist) in the photography department. Processing and developing the general public's 35mm film meant I got to see some rather interesting photos!
What has been your highlight of 2018 so far?
It has to be the ScanSource event at Goodwood Festival of Speed. Flying into Goodwood in a helicopter with our partners and spending the weekend there was certainly special.
Who would play you in the film of your life?
Henry Cavill.
Which tech firm (other than your own!) do you most admire?
For me it has to be Apple. I am a big Apple fan and pretty much have all of its technology gadgets; its innovation is something I really admire.
What is your guiltiest pleasure?
This one ties in with who would play me in the film of my life. My guiltiest pleasure is going to the cinema with a mate to watch the latest Marvel or DC Comics film.
What is the most irritating tech buzzphrase of 2018?
There are several. ‘DX', ‘artificial intelligence'… but I would probably say ‘blockchain' wins that one.
What would be your first act if you were made Prime Minister?
I'd start by working on the current Brexit climate - not an easy job I'm sure.
What's the biggest untapped opportunity facing the channel?
One of the biggest opportunities is solution selling. It is becoming a lot easier for partners to sell an entire solution to an end user - for instance UCaaS, CCaaS, CRM, DC, Connectivity, IT and AV - without having to be a specialist, especially if it's sold through an agency model and all delivered via the cloud.
What is your most treasured possession?
I love cars and I've just bought a Porsche Macan S, so I would have to say that.
What do your family think you do all day?
When I asked my wife that question, she responded: "You help your company sell cloud things." I think that is close enough!
Who has been your mentor in business?
I've been pretty lucky in business to have lots of different mentors over the years, ranging from both executives in the US to peers in the UK.