Hot Seat: Mark Leonard

What was your first job and how did you get into IT?
My first job was actually as a cub reporter. It’s a long story, but I started my career in IT via a series of fortunate events and a lot of hard work.

Which IT vendor do you think has been the most influential in the past 20 years?
Microsoft. Love it or hate it, the company has made end-user computing ubiquitous.

And which IT professional?
Steve Jobs has been hugely influential because of the form and functionality that Apple pioneered, and for making technology usable for everyone regardless of their skill level.

What technology would you save in a fire?
It would have to be either my mobile phone or my BlackBerry.

If you were not in IT, what would you be doing?
In my dreams, I would be a golf pro. In reality, I would be a businessman.

Which technology would you most like to have invented?
The relational database, especially if I could have filed the patent.

Is now a good time for people to enter the UK IT profession?
Yes it is. Working in technology is a great place to be. As our lives at home and work become increasingly inseparable from technology, the IT challenge will only become bigger and more complex.

What has been your biggest technical challenge to date?
I’m not so sure technology is the issue. The real challenge is usually driven by how people specify and relate to it.