I am a sixty something, married and living in South Wales. I grew up in Talybont on Usk in the Brecon Beacons and went to Brecon Grammar School followed by King Henry V11 Grammar School in Abergavenny where I managed to get 9 ‘O ‘Levels.

I entered the world of work as an apprentice electrician for the MoD at the Royal Ordnance Factory at Glascoed near Usk. I gained City and Guilds full tech certificate and a HNC in electrical engineering - Idid most of my exams with a slide rule!. I am a member of the IET (MIET) and of the British Computer Society.

I joined Ferranti Computer Systems (Bracknell division) in 1980 as a computer centre support engineer. Things were so different then. In 1983 I joined Digital Equipment Co. as a field service engineer and worked my way through the system as a project manager and then sales representative. I was given the very best in formal sales training, legal negotiation, commercial negotiation, communication, planning and account management and following a rigorous and formal process attained “Sales Executive” Status - this involved a two day interview!

As a result of business acquisitions and mergers I have been employed by Digital Equipment Co, Compaq Computer and finally Hewlett Packard where I completed 27 years of unbroken service.

I have worked mainly in the public sector selling to the Cabinet Office , Lord Chancellors Dept., GCHQ , MOD , Dept. for Work and Pensions , Dept. for Transport , Wales Ambulance Service, Wiltshire Council and many more.

I have a breadth of experience looking after large accounts such as Fujitsu, EDS and BAE Systems . I have focussed most of my career on complex services and service delivery contracts but did also do a spell as corporate account manager for the MoD when I was employed by Compaq. I have consistently met or exceeded my goals and on two occasions won “Presidents Club” awards for coming inside the top ten percent of the global sales force.

My Style is to engage with customers in an amiable easy going way. Sometimes people find this approach unusually laid back but there is method herein. Being personable gives you the time to gain trust and every conversation reveals more about who the customer is and what their real objectives are. I map out who is important in terms of business and technology, who are the key influencers, the gate keepers, who will support you internally and who are the decision makers all the while building a trust with the client and gaining intelligence.

This valuable information will help you make good decisions and develop those key relationships to the point of becoming a trusted advisor where the customer always looks for your opinion before moving on any significant issue. I use the phrase: “Letting the customer have your way,” Sometimes jokingly but with serious intent If your product and service is that good then everyone wins! I really like winning.