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is a huge trend that has started to take off
in 2019 and will continue to be relevant well
into 2020.
What do you currently identify as
the major areas of investment in
your industry?
Organisations are starting to realise that
putting the right infrastructure in place
is the first step in making their Digital
Transformation projects a success. With that
in mind, many businesses are increasingly
investing in both physical and virtual
networking solutions that help them lay
the foundations to change their operations
and processes in the future. Security, AI and
cloud-based solutions are in particularly
high demand, as well as any other flexible
solutions that can scale alongside a
business. With most organisations being
in the process of undergoing some form of
Digital Transformation, I believe advanced
network infrastructure and solutions will
continue to be a major area of investment
in the near future.
How do you deal with stress and
unwind outside of the office?
I love watching sports of any kind,
particularly when either my kids or my
favourite football team, Liverpool FC, are
involved. This isn’t necessarily always
the most relaxing way to unwind but it is
definitely exciting and helps take my mind
off things.
“
A POSITIVE,
CURIOUS AND
OPEN MINDSET
ARE ESSENTIAL
FOR ANYONE
THAT ASPIRES
TO BECOME A
SENIOR LEADER
WITHIN THEIR
ORGANISATION.
If you could go back and change one
career decision, what would it be?
I would have become involved in data
networking earlier. I started my career in
FMCG and moved into voice later on, but the
networking industry is still the most exciting
I’ve seen to date.
What are the region-specific
challenges when implementing new
technologies in Europe?
I think the differences between European
markets and regions such as North America
tend to be overstated. Both are characterised
by forward-thinking businesses looking to
integrate new solutions that will drive value
for their organisations. Within EMEA, we do
have different drivers that create fantastic
diversity. I would describe Western Europe
as an innovation-driven economy. With
less natural resources and mature markets,
this region needs to innovate against other
low-cost economies driving a huge focus on
Digital Transformation. When you look at
some of the other markets like Russia, Turkey
and the Middle East, you can see pockets of
innovation where they are applying the very
latest technology to completely greenfield
sites like Smart Cities. This range makes it
one of the most vibrant markets to work in.
What changes to your job role have
you seen in the last year and how do
you see these developing in the next
12 months?
One of the reasons it’s so exciting to work
for a forward-thinking company like Extreme
is that we as an organisation are constantly
innovating in order to support our
customers in the best way possible. A great
example of this is our recent acquisition of
Aerohive. Bringing in new cloud capabilities
as well as new talent has really expanded
what we can offer our customers. It’s been
rewarding to see Extreme’s offering mature
with the development of cloud, security and
eSports-specific solutions in the last year
and I am incredibly excited about what lies
ahead for Extreme.
What advice would you offer
somebody aspiring to obtain C-level
position in your industry?
Fundamentally, the networking
sector and, more broadly, the IT
industry aren’t too different from
most other industries. To progress
within an organisation and obtain
a C-level position, many years of
hard work, a deep understanding of
current and future customer needs,
as well as extensive knowledge about
the trends defining our industry today,
are required. A willingness to learn
and the ability to creatively overcome
challenges are also hugely beneficial.
Finally, a positive, curious and open
mindset are essential for anyone that
aspires to become a senior leader
within their organisation. n
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