Miriam Murphy

President Europe, TD Synnex

What's the most surprising lesson 2024 has taught you so far?

Sometimes going back can really be going forward ... it's been an amazing couple of quarters since my return to TDSYNNEX, the welcome I received from partners, vendors and colleagues has been extraordinary and the opportunities for profitable growth are significant!

If you could have dinner with any historical figure, who would it be and why?

Well, there is nothing I love more than hosting a dinner party, so I'd probably want quite a collection of figures there. If pushed to choose one, then it would have to be Nelson Mandela who demonstrated extraordinary resilience in the face of adversity and commitment to making the world a more inclusive and just place.

Which tech or channel figurehead has impressed you the most this year, and why?

Last year I had the immense pleasure of meeting Martin Cooper, the man who led the team that built the first mobile cell phone and that in 1973 made the first cell phone call while standing on the streets of New York. While Martin's contribution to technological innovation is reason enough to be impressed, it was his incredible energy and determination to ensure technology is used to do good in the world that made a lasting impression. In his mid-nighties, he remains as connected as ever to the industry that he helped to forge and is not shy about calling out leaders who are not doing enough, in his mind, to support future generations.

What technology trend do you think is being overhyped, and why?

I don't think any technology trend is being overhyped but I certainly think the impact of AI is questioned to a higher degree than anything else. I'm hugely optimistic about the growth opportunity being driven by the convergence of high growth technologies and AI to deliver transformative solutions. At TDSYNNEX, we have built an entire practice, Destination AI which provides tailored support to partners to accelerate their journey into AI from awareness to enablement and throughout the sales lifecycle.

If you were stranded on a deserted island but could have one piece of tech with you, what would it be?

Assuming that particular island has a reasonable network, my phone without a shadow of doubt, I run much of my life on that particular piece of tech ... most importantly keeping connected.

 What's your go-to productivity hack that keeps you on track during a busy day?

I love an old-fashioned list albeit a digitised one - my list is classified according to urgency, importance and impact; this helps me keep on track and also utilise every moment to maximum effect. It also ensures that I balance the time I spend on strategic planning and impactful connections which are core to my ability to deliver successful outcomes.

If you had the time to learn knew new skill, what would it be?

I'd like to learn another language, but which one??? Italian, Japanese, Mandarin... you'll have to wait until I clear that spare time to find out 😉