Simon Church

General manager & executive VP, Europe Optiv

What was your dream career as a child?

To be a racing driver - my brother and his friends used to race and I always wanted to join them.

What has been your personal highlight of 2019?

Seeing all my children out of university, working, but also realising there's more to life than work - it took me 25 years to figure that out.

Which famous person deserves a (gentle) slap?

Anybody who thinks they're more famous than they actually are.

What two things (apart from family) would you grab if your house was on fire?

Nothing - I'd let it all burn to save the bother of decluttering.

Which of your 2019 predictions have come to pass?

The mainstream market is starting to recognise that cybersecurity is really broken.

What TV show have you binge watched this year?

I don't really watch TV, let alone binge watch anything!

How has 2019 been from a business perspective? Definitely exciting. Building up business for Optiv and servicing a real market need has been a great opportunity.

What annoys you most about your commute?

I cycle into London, so it has to be people on their phones stepping out in front of you without looking.

If you could witness one past event, what would it be?

It may sound cheesy for a tech executive to say, but the breaking of the enigma code has always fascinated me.

How do you explain the channel to people?

A convoluted and out-dated way of servicing a market that is always changing.

What have been your favourite and least favourite partner conference destinations?

You never get to see them anyway, so it doesn't matter - getting in and out of the conference efficiently is my main focus.

What is the biggest challenge facing the channel in 2020?

Relevance and real value - not the channel's perceived value.