Having worked in the IT channel since leaving the Army in 1983, Derek is an industry veteran. His channel experience ranges from being a successful entrepreneurial solutions dealer and retailer, through to being an importer and trade distributor as well as a production line PC builder for trade customers.  Derek founded Computer Office Group (COG) - the UK’s first commercial dealer group - in the early 90’s before moving on to Integra Office Solutions as their IT channel director.  After leaving Integra in 2008, Derek set up Synaxon UK, now the UK’s largest and most successful dealer group. Derek also spent five years as a volunteer director of our UK channel trade association - The Professional Computing Association (PCA) – he was chairman of the PCA for three of his six years in office.