In this episode of You, Me and I.T., Karlton Gray sits down with Dr. Colin Williams, Business CTO for Security at Computacenter, for a powerful and deeply personal conversation about resilience, identity, leadership, and what it means to build a legacy in the IT channel.

Colin reflects on growing up in North London, the challenges of standing out as both gifted and different at school, and the personal loss and hardship that shaped his outlook from a young age. He shares how those early experiences influenced the person and leader he became, from walking away from home as a teenager to finding his path in the earliest days of the IT industry.

The conversation also explores Colin’s remarkable journey through the evolution of technology, from mainframes and punch cards to the rise of PCs, networking, cybersecurity, and AI. Alongside that career story is a bigger message about fairness, opportunity, mentorship, and why opening doors for others matters just as much as personal success.

In the first episode of the new season, Karlton Gray sits down with James Hardy, Chief Commercial Officer at Advania UK, for an honest conversation about leadership, resilience, growth, and building teams that actually make a difference.

James reflects on his upbringing in Yorkshire, the early loss of his father, and the life lessons that shaped his outlook on work, ambition, and responsibility. From falling into the IT channel in his early career to helping build and scale high-performing teams at CCS Media, he shares the experiences, mentors, and defining moments that helped shape his leadership style.

The conversation also explores what it really takes to grow a business organically, why culture is built through action rather than slogans, and how James approached major transformation projects across his career. He also talks through the move into Advania UK, the strategic fit behind the business, and why people, purpose, and progress still sit at the heart of everything he does.

In the final episode of Season 1, Karlton welcomes someone he describes as a "maverick" in the IT Channel - Andrew Dickens, Director of Product Management at Misco.

Andrew takes Karlton through his upbringing and education, and how that shaped his first steps when looking for a career - including undertaking three degrees at university - and how he ultimately ended up working in the Channel (with his current role being down to Karlton's advocacy... according to Karlton!)

Karlton recalls the first time he met Andrew, and how their work and personal relationships grew over time. The pair discuss some of the influential figures they've both crossed paths within their time, and how they see certain attributes rub off on others around them.

Andrew reflects on what's motivated him in his career, and how his family and competitive nature keep driving him forward at each step, before being put on the spot to come up with words he would use to describe himself personally and professionally, as well as the words colleagues would use to describe him.

Karlton talks Andrew through the reaction from those around him when he got his cancer diagnosis, and how the closeness of the sector shone through during his toughest challenge to date. The pair then ponder what legacy they each might leave behind, and how ultimately family is at the heart of everything they do.