Chris Dyke, Allied Telesis UKI
Who was your hero when you were growing up?
As a as a child, it was always my dad. He was an extremely hands-on parent, and we were always doing stuff together: him, me and my two sisters. Whether it was taking us to the seaside to go swimming or diving; or camping or fishing he was always teaching us new things and helping us to be as self-sufficient as possible. I always admired that in him, and it seemed that most of my friends didn’t have that kind of relationship with either of their parents, as most of my mates were drawn to our house to hang out. Being hands-on is something that I’ve always tried to ensure that I replicate where possible with our kids because I admired it so in my dad, but that said, he was a terrible cook, so I’ve improved on him there as I learned to cook from my mum.
What was your big career break?
That was escaping from Somerset on a train to Bracknell. When I finished university, I applied for over 100 jobs in Somerset but never even got an interview. Then I went to Bracknell and had an interview with an agency on a Monday lunchtime and started work for a catalogue IT reseller the following day. So, I escaped on the Monday and started work on the Tuesday on 50% more money than I would have got from the jobs I was applying for in Somerset! That was really the big career change as it allowed me to get into IT.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given?
Respect your elders. To be honest, I know this is probably a bit boring, but from school I was always encouraged to have meaningful conversations with adults, even as a kid, and to show them respect (but not in the way that kids consider to be respect these days) and it’s always served me very well.
If you had to work in a different industry, which one would you choose?
I’m sure you hear this all the time, but I would choose to work with animals in a rescue centre or a wildlife park. Not sure I’d be much good at healing them if they were hurt because I’m not awfully good at blood, but animals just bring so much joy and they don’t ask for anything in return.
What would you do with £1m?
If I had a million pounds, I would buy somewhere in the Alps, so that I could enjoy skiing with my kids. The mountains have always been my happy place, having been a skier since my early youth and I’d really like to enjoy the snow with my kids before it disappears for good. It would need to be the Alps because then we could hop there, which is what I’d like to do as often as possible.
Where would you live if money was no object?
Bit off-the-wall, this one, but I would love to live in Chile, which is probably not an answer that you’ve had before. Chile has some lovely beaches for my wife, and you can get to the mountains in less than an hour and a half for skiing in the Andes, which is fantastic. This means we could both have the holiday that we always wanted without having to argue too much, and we could still meet up for dinner in the evenings. I’ve got a basic smattering of Spanish, so that would also help.
The Beatles or the Rolling Stones?
Beatles, for sure. The Rolling Stones were a little bit too rock-n-roll for my family, so as a youngster I’d listen to The Beatles because they were much more family friendly. Also, for the last 15 years or so, I’ve been told loads of times that I look like a fat Paul McCartney! And I’m still not sure whether that’s something to be proud of or not – you can make your own mind up as to if you agree or not.
Which law would you most like to change?
I don’t really have a law that I’d like to see changed. What I would like to see is some attempt for the law to keep up with changes in technology because we seem to have loads of laws governing our lives that really aren’t fit for purpose in the age of computing, advanced connectivity, AI and other technology. It seems that most of the people involved in making laws and assigning punishments are far too out of touch with tech. So, a wholesale review of law for the modern age would be great to bring it into the 21st century.
If you could dine with any famous person, past or present, who would you choose?
It would be David Attenborough, who you probably hear as an answer all the time. He’s just had such an amazing life and career and he’s changed the way that so many people think around the world about nature and the planet. I’d just be happy to sit there and listen to him while I eat loads of food. That would be perfect for me.
