IPTV & Digital Media
In some ways I couldn’t actually tell you what fascinates me most about digital media. When I was designing web applications I also deviated to streaming video and running video servers. It’s a wonderful mixture of creative art and technology that makes it more accessible and versatile than traditional media. The possibilities are endless and extraordinarily exciting. On a global scale or even just with wires running across a carpet, and it definitely raises my nerd levels and blood pressure. Imagine the undeniable power of TV with the infinite flexibility of internet technology. Now that is sexy as hell.

Filmmaking and storytelling
Stories, adventures, questions and philosophy are my lifeblood. Being a visual person who naturally sees concepts and ideas in my mind, the idea of expressing them on film for emotional effect has always fascinated me. I see the world as a collection of millions of stories that interconnect and are intertwined with every day experience and history. The films I love are the ones that pose the simple question “What If?” and taking people on a rollercoaster ride to investigate is a joy for me. I just get a thrill. Setting imagery to music is something I do as soon as I turn on the stereo.

Educational Technology
Technology is an enabler rather than a replacement for conventional teaching, and children understand it intuitively. My own view is teaching is still antiquated and ineffective. Technology gives us the ability to exponentially increase our own capacity for learning and efficiency of teaching. The Internet means people from countries all over the world can collaborate together for the first time and personalise learning to a new level we couldn’t before. Play is more important than anything else, as its nature’s way of teaching us. The combination of gaming and education is irresistible to me.

Africa
You can take the man of it, but never take it out of the man. I always wanted to spend time in Africa since I was a child – primarily for the animals (big cats particularly), but for the beauty and wonder it represented. I lived in Eastern Africa for a few years and it’s a part of me now. It’s the most beautiful place in the world but ironically corrupted by power, tribalism, war over its natural resources and all the blood that has been shed on its soil. Everyone should go, not just for nature, but to understand humanity itself.

Animal rescue
I’ve always lived with animals since I was tiny. There’s no quicker way to make me murderous than to mistreat an animal of any kind – I can’t ignore their suffering and feel like incredibly painfully. I regularly visit the Big Cat Foundation Sanctuary and try and help rescue centres in any way I can, whether that be through offering them IT expertise or simply writing a cheque every so often. I want to set up a number of sanctuaries in the coming years.

Music
I’m a musician, and my whole family are musical. My music collection is simply enormous and highly eclectic, although it does tend to centre around guitar-driven US/Canada bands because the pop crap churned out in the UK turns my stomach. When my family wanted me to study medicine, I was more interested in being a rock star, like a lot of people. But I was actually rather good at it. Music just fascinates me – it’s the universal language of the soul and heart and knows no borders, boundaries, barriers or limitations. All humans understand it from birth, and its our most natural activity.

Magic & Romance
Ask anyone I know to name a hopeless romantic, and I’ll be their first suggestion. I’m obsessed with the wonder of the unknown, chivalry and romance in all its forms. I’m constantly searching for and creating situations where real life seems to disappear in favour of a more mystical atmosphere or higher purpose (just things that are cool and out of the ordinary). I’m also fascinated with stage magic, and how tricks are put together and work. I’ve often designed whole days and experiences for people I love based on the whole idea of them being a giant magic trick that they won’t be able to figure out for years.

Debating and conversation
Oh how I love to debate. I was brought up in a household where arguing was the lingua franca. I’ve argued my way though 30 years, personally and professionally. I’m renowned for being remarkably persuasive and passionate, and have a knack for finding my way around people’s arguments and their weak spots. Occasionally when I lose my temper I can be unduly horrid which can be misuse of my abilities. I’m also one of the last proponents of the lost art of conversation – I hate small talk. Have something to say and give me insights into new things. Fast-flowing, witty, stimulating and intelligent conversation is like crack cocaine to me.

Blowing things up
Yeah, I’m a boy. I spent days on end making rockets, missiles and explosives when I was younger. I still love it now, and the only reason I didn’t take pyrotechnics further was that so much physics is involved and the apprenticeship is more than a decade long. I happen to hate physics as it’s so unbelievably boring. Something about making a rocket and seeing it take off is just very cool and exciting. If you want to keep me happy, give me chemicals, a field lab and an afternoon of watching things go boom.