Mark Halpin

CEO, CloudCoCo

What has been your business highlight of 2022?

Tripling in size revenue wise, integrating the four acquisitions we made in late 2021 so quickly and completely revamping our phenomenally sexy new hardware store at www.morecoco.co.uk

If you were ruler of your own country, what law would you introduce first?

I'd merge childcare with elderly care homes and see what energy and wisdom combined created. The kids would learn life lessons and the older ones may just get a few extra smiles in before they continue on their journey.

Which channel or tech leader (outside of your own company) has impressed you most in 2022?

On a personal level I had a very brief but really cool meeting a while ago with Tim Mercer, CEO at Vapour near Leeds. I'd also have to say Mr Musk always adds a bit of entertainment throughout the year for his ability to back himself, his ideas and his team around him.

If you had a warning label, what would it say?

"You better have a plan and please get to the point."

What was your first job?

I did all sorts to earn some money to start with, from picking lettuce and tomatoes on an industrial scale, to putting the labels on Coke and Lucozade bottles. But the very first one was a paperboy, which involved running away from dogs and angry old blokes when I was in a rush to play football on a Sunday.

What was the last book you read, and was it any good?

I actually haven't read a book, apart from the amazing ones to the kids now and again, for ages. I think the one I remember most was in 2018 when setting CoCo up called ReWork, which helped me validate some of my ideas to create something really valuable for customers but in a disruptive and simplified more modern way.

What's the most important lesson you've learned from another business leader or mentor?

If you can't count it you can't control it, from an amazing man called Colin Elcock when I was 17.

Who would play you in a movie of your life?

The film has already been made (albeit nine years before I was born, ha). Peter Ostrum in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. But nowadays, I think Sean Bean would add the cheeky northern charm to what so far has been an incredibly exciting 42 years.