Julie O'Hara

What has been your personal highlight of 2020?

My son passing his GCSEs and being accepted on to his college course of choice.

Which three celebrities would you invite to a Zoom party?

Andrew Scott, Jürgen Klopp, Reese Witherspoon.

What has been your guiltiest lockdown pleasure?

I took some time out to exercise and I joined some fun Zoom exercise classes.

Which tech figurehead has inspired you most this year, and why?

I would have to say Bill Gates because of his philanthropic efforts and the work his foundation is doing to help with co-ordinating a worldwide response to the pandemic, despite all the detractors.

What piece of technology, or app, have you not been able to do without during the pandemic?

Microsoft Teams, it's been a revelation!

If you could be anyone else for a week, who would you be and what would you do?

Georgia Hall, British female professional golfer. I would love to know what it feels like to play well and consistently…to avoid trees and rough and know how to get out of sand bunkers!

Do you miss face-to-face events?

Yes, I do. Attending an event or conference in person, where you have to step away from the day-to-day distractions and focus on learning and collaborating with your colleagues, I believe is invaluable.

How will COVID leave its mark on the way the channel operates long term?

It has shown the amount of work that you can get done working virtually. Not only does it avoid unnecessary costs such astravel and so on, it has enabled us to work quicker and much more efficiently globally. I believe it has also had a hugely positive impact on the work/life balance.