Andy Barrow

What has been your personal highlight of 2020?

Renovating the forever home despite the significant challenges!

Which three celebrities would you invite to a Zoom party?

Sir David Attenborough, the band Future Islands, Al Pacino.

What has been your guiltiest lockdown pleasure?

Learning how to cook really unhealthy and fattening food - plus booze.

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

There are so many: Scott Galloway, who has great views on the future of the tech business and wise words on COVID; Steve Mullaney from Aviatrix is a top guy with tons of experience and great opinions; and Simon Wardley, who proves to be right on many things related to tech.

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

Deliveroo. I've spent far too much money on this app.

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

Doesn't everyone want to be the prime minister for just a week?

Do you miss face-to-face events?

More than anything. I'm a field-based CTO who's used to the M6 and the train. I'd do anything to meet people and socialise. You can take this for granted until it's taken away.

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

The last few months have shown who can help customers when they need it and how certain technologies help businesses and move them forwards. Hopefully this will clean out some of the less relevant technologies and solutions and refocus everyone on what's important.

Constant Zooms and Teams are boring, so finding innovative ways to engage certainly in the short to medium term is becoming key.