Q&A: Simon Hogg, Oxford Brookes University

Describe your role in three words.

Juggling with fire.

Who is your tech hero? And why?

Linus Torvalds, because he broke a business model and opened up computing to people who were excluded due to cost, thus increased innovation, competition and creativity.

What does your current role involve?

I manage a diverse portfolio of projects with limited budgets and resources. Coupled with a slow change in HE, primarily brought about by the introduction of tuition fees, students expect and deserve better services and facilities, thus [there's been] a step change in IT service provision in the HE sector in the UK.

How did you arrive at your current role?

Through an internal restructuring of the IT department. The vacancy arose, I applied, was interviewed and was appointed.

Did you always want to work in IT?

No. It happened by chance many years ago. It seemed to be an interesting area, there was a vacancy and I go the job.

What do you enjoy most about your role/working in IT?

Solving problems and getting bound up in the detail far too often.

And what is your least favourite aspect about your role/working in IT?

Not meeting as many students and academic staff as I used to.