Andy Corcoran

UK&I channel sales director, VMware

What has been your business highlight of 2022?

The biggest highlight this year has been the continued support our partners have provided in the evolution of VMware's transition to all things SaaS and subscription. We're seeing a response from the channel in the UK that indicates VMware's strategy is resonating well, with our partners clearly supporting the ‘cloud smart' approach that we are encouraging. We have partners who are adopting more of our MSP solutions and services and are investing in their own skills by completing Master Service Competencies, like for example the upcoming Customer Success MSC. That means they've recognised the need for the constant touch with customers and they're adopting practices, such as customer success practices, which are completely in line with what we're proposing they do to help us grow further. The alignment between the VMware strategy and our partners feels really close.

If you were ruler of your own country, what law would you introduce first?

I'd make the incorrect serving of toast illegal. Toast needs to be stacked in a rack when it leaves the toaster, that's why the toast rack exists! Otherwise, when served straight onto a plate you cannot avoid toast sweat - the sogginess you get on the plate when toast hasn't been properly cooled. There is nothing worse.

Which channel or tech leader (outside of your own company) has impressed you most in 2022?

While not a tech leader, per se, the person I've got the greatest respect for at the moment is Yvon Chouinard. If you ever want to have the courage of your conviction, and put your money where your mouth is, you'll not find a better example of that than Yvon, who gave away Patagonia to make an impact on climate change and protect the environment. Here is a business leader that makes you think, at least someone is doing something. From a technology point of view, I'd like to give a mention to all those at the very front-end, doing the research to figure out what the tech world might look like in the future. Geoffrey Hinton, for example, is referred to as the godfather of machine learning. Everything that we do and achieve moving forward in respects to deep learning and artificial intelligence, has amounted from the huge amount of work that he's done on neural networks in the past. Rather than the big names and CEOs, it's people like Geoffrey and his research teams who are working on the input to VMware's output.

If you had a warning label, what would it say?

"Largely miserable" is probably an accurate label.

What was your first job?

My first job was as a sales assistant at a sports store, Olympus Sports, in Liverpool. It was only a Saturday job, but to this day I haven't had a better laugh. I loved being part of a very big team, regardless of whether I was just there for a weekend, and it was a really special time for me while growing up. W

hat was the last book you read, and was it any good?

The last book I read was Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain. I bought the copy that includes his annotations along the side of the page. Having seen him present on various shows, what really struck me about the book is how authentically him it was. There is zero chance that it could have been ghost written - there are some incredible stories in there! It's a really funny perspective on the whole of the restaurant industry anyway. But the key learning that I took away from reading it is, whatever the trials and tribulations, he was a success because he never stopped working hard. He never stopped putting the effort in and got the reward from doing so.

What's the most important lesson you've learned from another business leader or mentor?

Your business is your customer. That's by far the most important and effective piece of advice that I was given early on. My manager at the time told me that if you can enjoy the process of being almost like an investigative journalist, learning about the intricacies of your customer and business, it will be difficult to not to demonstrate that interest in the customer outwardly. Enthusiasm is by far the best way to build a relationship and engage with a customer. I'd draw back to Anthony Bourdain. Do the work. Do the research. Do the prep. Be the investigative journalist for your customer. Once you do that, and it goes down well with the customer, you form a habit. That's what's helped me in my career.

Who would play you in a movie of your life?

I think it would have to be John Candy. I love travelling, and I don't believe you can even think of travelling without remembering Planes, Trains and Automobiles if you have seen it - one of the greatest films ever. Having done huge amounts of travel for my job, I can say that, personally, that film relates to so many different experiences I've had. John Candy was a guy who lived life to the max, and I see that a little bit of that trait in myself too. I've lived, so I think he would be a good fit.