Alan Brown

Name: Alan Brown.

Employer and official job title: Director of IM&T, West London Mental Health NHS Trust.

What do most people call you? Alan (insert obvious quip like "at least to my face anyway").

Who do you report to? The director of finance and information.

Nature of organisation and total headcount: Helping people with mental health problems. The trust has a large variety of services ranging from local community based clinics to national services. The trust employs 4,000 people across 30 sites.

IT headcount: 20 including helpdesk, PC support and networks.

IT budget: 1.4 per cent of turnover.

Biggest career success? Taking £1m off the bottom line, deploying a system across six countries or running a marketing roadshow at Tescos.

Greatest flop (that you can tell us about)? Running a marketing roadshow at Tescos (it's a long story!).

Greatest influence on career: A previous manager showing how to be tenacious to the MD.

Greatest strength: Logical and analytical.

Area where you most want to improve yourself: Leading and motivating my teams.

What single thing would make your job easier? Fewer KPIs [key performance indicators] - just to be controversial.

If you could only pass on one piece of advice to your successor, what would it be? It's too late now! Alternatively, stay objective and professional.

Which business issue/technology excites you the most? Voice recognition followed by brain wave recognition.

What keeps you awake at night? Caffeine.

Home life: Married, two girls, juggler.

Hobbies: Cooking.

Last book read: His Dark Materials (I missed it as a teenager).

Last CD bought/downloaded: Robbie Williams.

Favourite holiday destination: Cruising.

What would your personal motto be? Communicate, communicate, communicate.

Greatest fear: Fear.

My idea of perfect happiness is... A family walk in the forest followed by lunch with an ice cold Guinness.