Managing director, Shift F7
Tell us something most people won't know about you
I used to be a drummer in a punk rock band. The Sex Pistols, The Damned, The Clash… it's all coming back to me.
What has been your highlight of 2018 so far?
After 23 years in business, Shift F7 finally became part of a plc, the Adept Technology Group.
Who would play you in the film of your life?
Tony Soprano - I liked the way he did business, but I wouldn't have our head office in a strip club!
Which tech firm (other than your own!) do you most admire?
HP. For all the comings and goings in the IT industry, HP has been the one vendor we have continually worked with. Its products have stood the test of time and it continues to be a major innovator.
What is your guiltiest pleasure?
Sitting in my hammock with a glass of red wine.
What is the most irritating tech buzzphrase of 2018?
‘Blockchain'.
What would be your first act if you were made Prime Minister?
Reform business rates to encourage the regeneration of the high street.
What's the biggest untapped opportunity facing the channel?
Network security. Not a new opportunity but one that continues to hold great opportunities for MSPs.
What is your most treasured possession?
My Arsenal rosette and program from my first visit to Highbury in 1973. It was the first football match my father took me to and I have been an Arsenal supporter ever since. And yes, it was one-nil to the Arsenal.
What do your family think you do all day?
They have absolutely no interest in IT. If they thought about it at all they would imagine me in meetings, answering emails, talking a lot and drinking coffee.
Who has been your mentor in business?
Garry King, CEO of Shift F7, who I have worked with for 12 years. After 17 years of being a VAR he had the vision of transforming Shift F7 into an MSP, acquiring three businesses along the way in order to achieve this.
