Darren Brodrick

General manager, SHI UK

Tell us something most people won't know about you

I'm the head coach for Milton Keynes RUFC under 14s, which sometimes can be just as stressful as working for SHI.

What has been your highlight of 2018 so far?

Exceeding 150 UK employees was a nice sign of the investment being made in our business and believe it or not this year sees the 20th anniversary of SHI UK.

Who would play you in the film of your life?

According to my wife, Tom Hardy.

Which tech firm (other than your own!) do you most admire?

I'm a big fan of the smaller VARs; even though SHI is a multi-billion dollar business, at a local level we've had to earn our stripes like everyone else and I totally respect the smaller VARs that differentiate and compete against the big boys. Seeing the investment HPE has made with a lot of channel partners this fiscal year has also been very positive.

What is your guiltiest pleasure?

Galaxy and a glass of red wine.

What is the most irritating tech buzzphrase of 2018?

‘Digitisation'.

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

Start investing back in public services and abolish inheritance tax.

What's the biggest untapped opportunity facing the channel?

We need to figure out the role the reseller will play when it comes to artificial intelligence.

What is your most treasured possession?

My family, of course.

What do your family think you do all day?

Play golf. Or sit behind a computer telling people what to do.

Who has been your mentor in business?

I've not really had any direct business mentoring. I think a lot of the skills I've picked up are from my sporting days. I report directly into our VP of global sales and in most cases support the direction we want to take the UK business in. What you might find interesting is that I left school at 16 with no qualifications and found my own way in life; hard work and a bit of luck brings me to where I am today.