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Five-minute interview: Jordan Hobday, Netgear Enterprise

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Hello, Jordan. Tell us what you do for a living.

I’m the country manager for Netgear Enterprise in the UK

Why are you the right person for this job?

I have a real understanding of what’s going on in the local market combined with the ability to execute our global vision. I believe in empowering my team and creating an environment where people thrive.

What gets you up in the morning?

The opportunity to make a real impact, leading my team to achieve great results, ensuring our customers get exceptional value from us as a brand, and see my team grow and exceed all expectations along the way. Well, during the week anyway.

Who helped you get to where you are today?

I’m very fortunate to have worked under many great industry leaders and mentors in my career and while it’s difficult to single out just one, I think it would be the first sales director I worked for when I was just 18. The best thing about having so many, however, is that I’ve been able to learn different things from all of them.

What is the best or worst business advice you have received and from whom?

Buyers find real value in helping them see risks, opportunities or perspectives they haven’t thought of.

What advice would you give to someone starting out today in IT?

I would say, don’t curb your curiosity, ask plenty of questions, don’t be afraid to seek advice and get a good mentor. I have been working in IT for many years and I am still learning. You never stop learning.

Is it possible to get through an industry conversation without mentioning AI?

It’s very unlikely at the moment because AI is such a hot topic. It will continue to evolve and be more integrated with businesses, so the likelihood is that we’ll continue to be talking about AI for a long time.

“I have been working in IT for many years and I am still learning. You never stop learning.”

Jordan Hobday, Netgear Enterprise

What does the next five years hold for the channel?

The networking channel is evolving. It’s no longer just about hardware, but about how resellers can help customers to achieve great outcomes. That means giving the channel secure, scalable and simple to deploy solutions that work as they should from the get go.

Tell us something most people do not know about you

I have played cricket for a season in Australia and in South Africa during the UK winters.

What is the best book you’ve ever read?

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. It was one of the first books I read at eight years old.

And the best film you’ve ever seen?

Anything by Quentin Tarantino – if I have to pick, I would say Pulp Fiction.

What would be your Desert Island MP3s?

Right now, I would pick Morgan Wallens’ I’m the Problem album. If for some reason it was to disappear from my recent Spotify playlist, my daughter would have me listening to Taylor Swift on the school run.

What temptation can you not resist?

Anything Biscoff.

What was your first car and how does it compare with what you drive now?

I had a red 1997 VW polo, quite different to today’s car, which is much more luxurious.

Who would you least like to be stuck in a lift with? Why, what did they do?

Bear Grylls. If we were in there for too long, I’m not sure I would be up to the task of withstanding his “survival” mode.

If you could be any animal for a day, what would you be and why?

I’d be my dog. She gets free food, constant praise, guilt-free naps and she’s spoilt rotten.

If you were facing awesome peril and impossible odds, which real or fictional person would you most want on your side and why?

In the worst-case scenario, Deadpool. At least I’d be laughing while chaos unfolded! 

And finally, a grizzly bear and a silverback gorilla are getting ready for a no-holds-barred rumble. Who is your money on and why?

I’m going grizzly bear, due to sheer size and power – however, it would be a close fight.