Quinton 'Q' Hayter

Part of the IT Leaders 100 - a list of the most influential IT leaders in the UK in 2024.

"Whilst my name is Quinton, everyone knows me as 'Q.' Yes, it's a bit James Bond, and I don't mind that - apart from the film Skyfall, when James gives Q the bad man's laptop and he plugs it straight into the corporate network. That's info sec first morning stuff!"

Q is fast approaching 40 years in IT, having started as a computer programmer at a small computer dealership based in Knutsford, Cheshire.

He followed that role with a couple of job moves, including a stint with a managed service provider working on a massive Y2K refresh (if anyone remembers the predictions, planes falling from the sky, etc).

Eighteen years ago Q joined his present company - then Dee Set Logistics, now Dee Set Complete Retail Solutions - which he has seen grow from a £20 million pound turnover to more than £140 million. There, he works in a variety of different roles: from service desk techy to full fledged IT manager.

Five years ago, Dee Set's new CIO asked Q to head up the Information Security department for the Dee Set Group of Companies, which is where he still sits - having overall control of all information security, infrastructure, data protection and data governance.