Farm boy hits the fairways

What will be the "next big thing" in the industry?

Convergence is the key word but this means different things to different people. The IT industry is central to convergence in the whole consumer electronics business. For us, it will be the home entertainment and digital lifestyle elements which will play the major part. There has been a lot of emphasis on making the home computer the central feature. But it has proven exceptionally difficult to take consumers down this path for a number of reasons: complexity, lack of industry training and lack of consumer education. Too much importance is being placed on the wrong medium. The IT sector needs to work at being heavily involved while at the same time becoming invisible in the home so the central platform of all living rooms [the TV] is maintained. The television is already accepted by the consumer and IT has to work towards making buttons on the remote control more meaningful.

What is the main focus of your company this year?

It is divided into two divisions: consumer and professional video. Consumer is most aligned with IT and its clear focus will be Web cameras, digital TV and storage. We have been working hard on introducing new storage into the market and will make some announcements in the near future.

What do you do when you are not at work?

Outside work my major passion is golf and playing on the best courses Australia can provide. I follow most sports and have always been interested in national and international politics. Eating out with family and friends is also a special pleasure made more enjoyable when accompanied by good wine.

Do you like gadgets?

Not especially - I find as a generalisation that I do not need to create a space for such objects unless they add value to my life. In many cases I find them over-complex and over-featured for general use.

What did you want to be when you were younger?

I once thought it would be good to stay on the land as a dairy farmer - the fact I did not proved to be a good decision. Later in life, I even looked at diverse options such as civil engineering and becoming a patrol officer in New Guinea.

What is your biggest ambition?

I have done a lot of overseas travelling. My ambition is to go back to some of my favourite countries and live in them, for a period of six months, immersing myself in the local culture.