Apay Obang-Oyway

CRN staff
09 November 2018

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Director channel, Northern Europe, Symantec

Tell us something most people won't know about you

I DJ in my spare time to relax; I'm open to weddings, christening and all other significant family occasions.

What has been your highlight of 2018 so far?

Being awarded Cloud Visionary of the Year at the UK Cloud Awards 2018.

Who would play you in the film of your life?

Idris Elba - a progressive actor with strong core values and fluid identity.

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

SpaceX - a disruptive approach to business, innovation and breaking boundaries.

What is your guiltiest pleasure?

Häagen-Dazs Cookies & Cream ice cream.

What is the most irritating tech buzzphrase of 2018?

‘Blockchain'. It has the potential to be transformative to how we live, work and play, and few in our industry understand its potential. Therefore, struggling to envision the art of the possible for customers and their customers.

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

Ban reality TV - the most mind-numbing piece of entertainment invented and, in many cases, promotes mediocrity by elevating talentless individuals to notoriety.

What's the biggest untapped opportunity facing the channel?

IaaS. This segment in the cloud is the fastest growing and set to become the largest segment accounting for more than 50 per cent of the cloud market. The augmentation of the derivatives of IaaS namely AI, IoT and big data will continue to drive exponential growth for organisations of all types and sizes who embrace it. It's the critical ingredient to achieving differentiation and competitive advantage.

What is your most treasured possession?

My wedding ring, of course. Without the strong woman in front of me I would not be where I am today.

What do your family think you do all day?

Talk on the phone and do numbers.

Who has been your mentor in business?

I have been blessed with having access to numerous mentors over the years both internal and external. My mentors have been from myriad industries, not just IT, and include senior executives both technical and business from companies such as ITV, Microsoft, Morgan Stanley, Greenpeace, Symantec and smaller tech startups.