Doing business with Rich Chetwynd of ThisData: Startups, security and skiing

‘Be an early adopter, talk to people, read and listen’ – Rich Chetwynd

Name: Rich Chetwynd

Title: Founder/CEO

Twitter: @richchetwynd

How long have you been in your current role?

Almost two years. We started life as Revert in April 2014 and pivoted to ThisData in October 2015.

What business technology issue is your organisation focusing on?

We help companies with governance and security for their data as they move to using cloud-based services like Google for Work or Salesforce.

Set lofty goals, hire awesome people, and give them rope to solve problems.Rich Chetwynd, ThisData

What are your interests away from work?

If you’re up early you will catch me swimming at the Auckland Tepid baths a few mornings a week. I also surf or mountain bike in the weekends and make a point of getting up to Whistler, Canada each year for skiing.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?

Listen.

‘Sometimes I actually wonder if Elon Musk is a machine.’

Professionally, who do you admire most?

I bet i’m joining the club on this one but Elon Muskis a machine. Sometimes I actually wonder if he might be. Richard Branson is also cool, I like how he is actively involved in going back to various environmental initiatives.

How long have you been working in IT? How did you get into IT?

15 years.. damn that’s a while. I started life as a junior trader on the NZSX but threw in the towel after six months when an opportunity came up to join Direct Payment Solutions. I was employee #3 and my job was to install PC-Eftpos which was revolutionary at the time. In fact most retailers didn’t even have internet access so part of the job was fitting their point of sale computers with dial-up network cards. It was the wild west, my first exposure to startups, long hours, hard work and super fun. I’ve never looked back and for the most part been in startups ever since.

‘I like how Richard Branson is actively involved in going back to various environmental initiatives.’

If you weren’t working in IT, what would you be doing?

Skiing… or surfing. Both.

Can you share one key pointer for keeping abreast of business technology trends?

Be an early adopter, talk to people, read and listen.

…a key pointer for fostering an innovative culture in the organisation?

Set lofty goals, hire awesome people, and give them rope to solve problems.

Send news tips and comments to divina_paredes@idg.co.nz

Follow Divina Paredes on Twitter: @divinap

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