Chris Bayne: How I went from intern to boss

Chris Bayne knew he wanted to start up his own software business the moment he completed his internship with Access. So, how did he come to be at the head of his former employer?

Rejection by Hewlett-Packard in 1991 came as quite a shock to Chris Bayne. But it would also prove to be a huge blessing. He had applied for a year's work placement with the US computer giant as part of his computer science degree. "I assumed they would accept me and hadn't looked into a placement anywhere else."

Bayne, now 48, found a place instead with Access UK, "a tiny accounting software company, operating out of a converted lounge". Despite being "paid peanuts" Bayne loved the experience. "I was writing code for Windows and Macs it was very cutting edge at the time." Being at a small company also meant Bayne was involved in everything from making software to sales. Eventually he returned to Aston to complete his degree, but his time at Access left him determined to start his own company. Three of his friends Mike Audis, Ket Chauhan and Rob Parkinson felt the same and, in 1993, following their graduation, they decided to set up Armstrong Consultants.

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James McKeigue

James graduated from Keele University with a BA (Hons) in English literature and history, and has a certificate in journalism from the NCTJ. James has worked as a freelance journalist in various Latin American countries.He also had a spell at ITV, as welll as wring for Television Business International and covering the European equity markets for the Forbes.com London bureau. James has travelled extensively in emerging markets, reporting for international energy magazines such as Oil and Gas Investor, and institutional publications such as the Commonwealth Business Environment Report. He is currently the managing editor of LatAm INVESTOR, the UK's only Latin American finance magazine.