Chairman, Transputec
What was your dream career as a child?
I wanted to be a fighter pilot or an aeronautical engineer. I never suspected I would end up as a software engineer/computer scientist.
What has been your personal highlight of 2019?
I became a grandad of twins. While I was initially shocked, I am over the moon about the outcome.
Which famous person deserves a (gentle) slap?
David Cameron, because he gambled he would win the referendum which was ill-conceived and poorly planned. The resulting Brexit has been terrible for the country and it will take 15 years to get past the resultant instability.
What two things (apart from family) would you grab if your house was on fire?
I would grab my Mclaren 650s from the garage and my digital storage devices. All our memories are stored on these and would be irreplaceable.
Which of your 2019 predictions have come to pass?
Brexit would effectively lead to political civil war.
What TV show have you binge watched this year?
Peaky Blinders has been my favourite. I love the coarse, violent and romantic storyline of the series.
How has 2019 been from a business perspective?
Fantastic. We started the transformation of our business three years ago and now we are truly a service business. The culture and motivation of the people is aligned with providing superior service and playing the infinity game.
What annoys you most about your commute?
The traffic and the average speed cameras.
If you could witness one past event, what would it be?
I would love to be present at the time when India got its independence in 1947 because my roots are in India. It was a special occasion for both Britain and India.
How do you explain the channel to people?
It is an ecosystem for communicating, product/services distribution and value creation in so many different ways, which are not possible without the channel.
What have been your favourite and least favourite partner conference destinations?
I prefer local conferences (London), but there are so many and they can be a bit ‘samey'. My least favourite are the American ones because they are a giant circus providing very little value.
What is the biggest challenge facing the channel in 2020?
I believe it will be human capital - both access to educated and relevant staff will be a challenge. Brexit will only impose more tax burdens on business and simultaneously restrict fresh young talent from coming to Britain.
Britain has put the "you are not welcome" sign out to the world's brightest people.
