Alex Louth
What has been your personal highlight of 2020?
Over the last 20-plus years from Monday to Friday and sometimes at the weekend I've worked either away from home or in London. Since March this year, I have had more family dinners than in the rest of my life put together. The lockdown provided very little good but what it did provide my family enjoyed!
Which three celebrities would you invite to a Zoom party?
Sylvester Stallone - what a life! Rocky/Rambo/Demolition Man. I started to follow him on Instagram and have realised what an awesome chap he is.
Sir David Attenborough - how interesting would he be? Think about everything he has seen and experienced! His work on the environment and the impact of what we are doing to the planet is massive and something we need to listen and act on.
The Queen - I've just started watching The Crown and would love to think she had similar views that she might share over a Zoom chat!
What has been your guiltiest lockdown pleasure?
I've tried to lose weight over lockdown. I found a recipe for a Keto Popsicle - a non-dairy lollypop. I now have one a day!
Which tech figurehead has inspired you most this year, and why?
Elon Musk - still a crazy genius.
What piece of technology, or app, have you not been able to do without during the pandemic?
The BBC app. I've always had it installed but being home-based and not purchasing my daily newspaper, I've found myself using the app. I love the Long Reads.
If you could be anyone else for a week, who would you be and what would you do?
Normally I would say the UK prime minister, but that is a thankless job right now. Whether you agree with the government or not at the moment, it is a tough job that has to balance 101 things.
I would be Jeff Bezos. The guy is worth $185bn (September 2020). I would use 90 per cent, leaving Jeff with a measly $19bn when he returns after a week. There are many people who live in unbelievable poverty, I'm sure $166bn will help!
Do you miss face-to-face events?
One hundred per cent. I enjoy spending time with people, customers, colleagues, friends and family. Over the last 20 years, social events with customers and colleagues have been a big part of my roles and now things are different, for the time being anyway. I miss them but I don't miss the hangovers!
How will COVID leave its mark on the way the channel operates long term?
Loads of things but the top for me are: 1) Accelerated digital transformation. There are some companies catching up and others reaping the rewards for their technical adoption. It is now a necessity. We cannot live without security wed through it. 2) Flexibility on planning, flexibility on budgets to plan for the unforeseen and flexibility on company policies such as remote working.