Neil Sawyer

What has been your personal highlight of 2020?

The opportunity to be able to read to my children every night since mid-March. It has brought such enjoyment personally.

Which three celebrities would you invite to a Zoom party?

I could not think of anything worse than an online celebrity Zoom party!

What has been your guiltiest lockdown pleasure?

Building an office from foundations upwards in the back garden. And enjoying kitting it out with loads of cool HP technology. Complete with green screen and lighting!

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

With everything going on in the world, I would definitely say HP's CEO, Enrique Lores has led the way in raising our voice around equal rights, diversity and inclusion. I admire his authenticity and he has led from the front.

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

For the family, the Disney+ App has been great. Hands down a brilliant service.

Having always used a laptop, I have now moved over to an HP Desktop Mini PC and integrated HP monitor with speakers, camera, mic etc. It has made a real difference for my home set-up. Although being out and about is something I hope is not too far away!

Do you miss face-to-face events?

I miss face-to-face interaction with my colleagues and our partners. It is the best thing about our industry.

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

Digital-first has led the charge in strategy and conversation over the last six months, whether it be collaboration, cloud-first strategies, flexible location services or data-driven insights. This trend is here to stay.