Matthieu Brignone

VP EMEA partners, Pure Storage

What has been your personal highlight of 2021?

Despite great Zoom meetings I've really been missing social interaction over lockdown. Getting back to face-to-face meetings and seeing people in real life has been amazing. It is personally very important to me to see and interact with people directly.

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

The work Dr Anne-Marie Imafidon is doing with Stemettes is inspiring. It's an initiative that is designed to encourage more women and young girls into science, technology, engineering and maths careers.

As a father of two daughters, I think everyone needs to proactively get involved in supporting it and I'm proud we do this at Pure.

Which one lockdown habit do you plan to keep going?

#I like making time for sports. When I get the chance I do something sporty early (running, cycling or punching my partner Bob - Body Opponent Bag) in the morning to get myself energised for the day.

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

I am really excited for the personal interactions, which are so important to me. I'm finding there's a real appetite from the field to get out and meet people again. Whether it's at a big industry event or a small meeting with one customer - I love being back meeting people face to face

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

I would love to learn more foreign languages. It makes such a difference to relationships - both working and personal. We live in an interconnected world and being able to engage on a level in someone else's language is a real advantage.

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

Keep being who you are and everything is going to be fine.

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

Queen's I Want To Break Free.

Sum 2021 up in three words.

Challenging, interesting (especially about people's behaviour in Covid times), amateurism (with regards to the way many governments dealt with the communication around Covid-19).