LDC Top 50 2021

Neil Muller is a tech industry figurehead with 27 years’ experience of growing successful IT businesses. In 2018, he joined Digital Space, a network connectivity and transformation specialist that works with the likes of St John Ambulance: “We provide digital solutions to help them to save lives,” says Neil.

He previously led Computacenter UK as Managing Director before becoming CEO of Daisy Group, the telecoms giant. He puts his success down to delivering results by enabling people. “I like talking and listening to everyone, from partners to investors, to employees and customers, helping them to address their challenges.”

Q&A

What are your ambitions for Digital Space?

I want us to have a great standing in this marketplace. I’d love this to be a quarter-of-a-billion-pound business, creating thousands of job opportunities. At the moment we are UK focused but I’d like to start following some of our international customers across the globe.

What is your greatest strength as a leader?

By finding out people’s individual stories and discovering answers to problems, you have the right grounding for leadership. In 2003, I took an officer’s course with Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, and that was pivotal for me. The training was all about maintaining morale and focus. At the end, I was given a card that said, “Officers don’t run because it only scares the troops.” I still keep that card in my wallet.

Who has taught you the most throughout your career?

Mike Norris, the CEO of Computacenter, stands head and shoulders above anyone else in my career. He’s the longest-standing FTSE 250 CEO and there’s a reason for that. He is my mentor and when I face tough decisions, I often think, “What would Mike do?’ One of the best things he likes to say is, “God protect me from tidier-uppers.” There’s no such thing as perfection so get 80pc of the job done and the rest will sort itself out. Aim for progressive improvement not postponed perfection.