Jenny Hicks

Group head of technology, Midwich Group

What has been your personal highlight of 2021?

My professional highlight for 2021 has been the success of Midwich Live, our AV talk show hosted by myself and my stateside colleague Chris. There are real nerves and excitement for every show and the feedback, interest and views we have received are humbling. However, my personal highlight for 2021 was watching phonic blending sink in for my five-year-old son, who is now reading fluently.

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

For me this year it is Eric Yuan. In 2020, Zoom saw phenomenal success with what they already had, but through 2021 the development of the Zoom video platform to meet the demands of a hybrid workforce and smoothly transition us from home to office has been exceptional.

Which face-to-face industry event are you most excited to return to, and why?

2022 Infocomm in Las Vegas. While I am excited for ISE in Barcelona, it will be a new venue and the first industry event potentially back to big attendee numbers so there's a lot of pressure on the event to deliver value, feel safe and find its feet at a new location. Infocomm will give the industry the familiarity it needs to feel firmly on the return to normal journey (plus it's Vegas!).

If you had the time to learn one new skill, what would it be?

Definitely another language, perhaps Mandarin.

If you could go back in time and tell your childhood self one thing, what would you say?

As impossible as it seems, spiders will not scare you in your 30s!

If you had to sing karaoke, what would be your song of choice?

The Beatles, Hey Jude. No matter how bad it was you know everyone would join in at the end.

Sum 2021 up in three words.

Restricted, returning, rewarding.