You know the name, now get to know the person. Duncan Jefferies, head of marketing at Hybrid Services, discusses his ‘Trigger’s Broom’ of a bike, wanting to be a postman, and being ‘suckered into the Apple ecosystem’
How and when did you start your career in the industry?
My first job in marketing after graduating with an advertising degree inadvertently took me into the print industry, working for a software company that specialises in the décor and surface pattern design sector. We shared mutual customers with Hybrid, and I started here way back in 2002, wearing several hats: looking after textile hardware sales as well as the marketing.
What’s the best thing that’s ever happened to you at work?
Celebrating our customers’ use of Mimaki technology is always an enjoyable part of the job, and there have been many memorable ones over the years. Seeing prints crop up in unexpected places brings a smile to my face: the deckchairs featuring local artists’ work that adorned the prom in my childhood home of Weymouth during the 2012 Olympics sailing regatta, the trailer for the Emmerdale special that featured the cast replicated in full-colour 3D models, and the children’s pyjamas that Jodie Comer escaped the hospital in the TV programme Killing Eve in were all real highlights.
Which three words would your friends use to describe you?
I hope they’d say something like “genuine, resilient and creative”, but suspect it would be more like “Will do anything for a biscuit” (but in three words).
What’s your favourite word or phrase?
“What could possibly go wrong?”
Ketchup or brown sauce?
May I have both? Ketchup on chips, brown sauce on a cooked breakfast.
Duncan’s beloved bike
Weymouth – Duncan’s childhood home
What’s the best gig you’ve ever been to?
St Etienne at the Leadmill in Sheffield.
What’s your hidden talent?
Whatever it is, it’s clearly still hidden!
What’s your most prized possession?
I’m not really that sentimental, but I have a beautiful bicycle that I treated myself to for my 40th (which is scarily well over a decade ago). Whilst it’s a bit of Trigger’s Broom, it’s been with me on something like 16,000 miles of adventures, and though my motorbikes get more of my spare time these days, I’d find it very difficult to part with.
What’s your favourite takeaway?
Tough one… probably curry. Or pizza. Or maybe the Greek fish and chip shop we have near us. Or…
Nantwich is the place to be for homebird Duncan
Duncan riding his Triumph Tiger motorbike
Is there another job that you’ve always wanted to do?
I’m a frustrated journalist. I love the writing part of my job and am grateful to still be able to do that, even with the onset of AI. I also still like the idea of being a postman, but that’s probably just so I could legitimately wear shorts to work.
Where is the best place you’ve visited?
I’ve been fortunate to travel to some amazing places, but I’m a homebird at heart. We moved to Nantwich during lockdown, and for lots of different reasons, I’m very grateful to live in such a lovely part of the world.
Which gadget couldn’t you live without?
Over the years, I’ve been suckered into the Apple ecosystem, so my Apple Watch Ultra is on my wrist for about 98% of the day. It’s a shame as I’m fascinated by ‘traditional’ watches, and feel I’m missing out on them, but I just can’t not wear the thing!
If you could ask one person (living or dead) one question, what would you ask?
I’d love to know if Shakespeare ever imagined people would still be quoting (and misquoting) him 400 years later.
