Jenny Hicks

What has been your personal highlight of 2020?

I have been lucky enough to have an exciting project throughout, designing our new technology experience centre at Innovation House in Bracknell. The 4,500 sq ft provides nine application-themed zones, over 150 Midwich Group sold products, a home cinema room, film studio, control room and multiple examples of education, meeting space and workplace technologies.

Which three celebrities would you invite to a Zoom party?

James Corden, Tristan Harris, Charlotte Dujardin.

What has been your guiltiest lockdown pleasure?

The TikTok app.

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

Tristan Harris - to promote his work and fears via the Netflix show and bring awareness to the infinite possibilities both good and bad.

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

Krisp.ai - offers noise cancellation of background disturbances for video calls.

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

Jessica Meir (astronaut on the first all-female spacewalk) - I would collect a handful of the surface from the moon (moon dust) to bring back for my son.

Do you miss face-to-face events?

Yes, particularly conferences. The learning experiences at virtual events cannot compare to the immersive experience of a great in-person conference.

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

COVID has accelerated user adoption of workplace technologies, video communication, data collection and analysis activity-based (including remote) working. Channel providers will find interest in the latest solutions will increase and that the user is far better informed about their requirements.