Mark Armstrong

UKI VP channels & alliances, HPE

Tell us something most people won't know about you

I have run 39 half marathons and two full marathons. My target was 50 halves by aged 50; family commitments got in the way so it's now looking like 50 by 52.

What has been your highlight of 2018 so far?

Business: huge successes growing hyperconverged and storage through HPE Simplivity and Nimble this year, and growing our overall share of the channel in UKI.

Personal: a day's helicopter trip and boat ride to the Grand Canyon with my two sons.

Who would play you in the film of your life?

Crikey, no idea… Robert De Niro?

Which tech firm (other than your own!) do you most admire? Square - let's get rid of cash altogether.

What is your guiltiest pleasure?

Whiskey with a slab of dark chocolate.

What is the most irritating tech buzzphrase of 2018?

‘Double-click'.

What would be your first act if you were made Prime Minister?

Ban smoking, full stop, everywhere.

What's the biggest untapped opportunity facing the channel?

Software defined, private, cloud, delivered as a service.

What is your most treasured possession?

My iPhone AirPods.

What do your family think you do all day?

Talk on my mobile.

Who has been your mentor in business?

I don't have one mentor; you can learn so much from everyone you work with.