Darren Hedley

UK MD, Insight

What has been your business highlight of 2022?

Insight being recognised for its culture in the UK this year. To date, we have been awarded with a Great Place to Work© award as a Best UK Workplace for Technology, for Women, and for Wellbeing - and we received an overall recognition as Best Workplace in the UK 2022. These awards not only show the amazing team we have at Insight UK, but also the workplace culture that we have been able to maintain and build.

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

As part of the government's new UK Digital Strategy, I would create a law to allow organisations flexible funding options and support packages for digitalising their businesses. The UK is becoming more of a leader in terms of digitalisation, and while the enthusiasm and need is clear from many businesses, the scale and cost of digitalising operations and investing in new technologies can be high.

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

Not really a person, but the team behind DeepMind has really impressed me. The software they developed uses deep learning, an AI technique that allows for the prediction of proteins. This breakthrough could greatly progress research into cancer medications, antibiotic resistance and much more. It is great to see the power of AI used for medical advances.

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

"Warning: full coffee cup must be on desk at all times."

What was your first job?

Being a waiter at a Happy Eater restaurant.

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

The last book I read was R "Ray" Wang's Everybody Wants To Rule The World - it was a really interesting read about how our world is changing, and how business leaders can adapt and change to stay on top of their industry.

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

One of the most important lessons would be that it is important to be clear in your communication and intentions. Everyone can interpret directions and plans differently, so being coherent can streamline projects and make teamwork a lot more productive.

Who would play you in a movie of your life?

Tom Hanks - he is a really talented actor, and is able to slip into the most complex roles with ease. But moreover, Tom Hanks looks approachable, something I hope my colleagues would say about me.