In our new series of interviews, we speak to the founder of TeleAdapt that has grown to become one of the largest suppliers of connectivity products particularly to the hospitality industry. Today you may well travel with one of TeleAdapt's products.

Founded in 1992 by Managing Director Gordon Brown, TeleAdapt is the leading global designer, manufacturer and supplier of connectivity products to the hospitality industry. The first step in our mission made international dial-up connections possible with the introduction of the modem adapter to business travellers. Our focus has evolved to anticipating consumer technology trends and their influence on "today's traveller." As a result, our connectivity solutions for Internet, power and multimedia can be found in over two million hotel rooms worldwide.

My first career following University was a British Army officer. - 3rd Battalion Royal Anglian Regiment - "The Pompadours". After 10 years I followed my interest in communications by working for Racal. I spent five enjoyable years travelling the world selling a then-revolutionary field telephone system, known as MATEL.

Having become an early "road warrior" with one of the first modem-equipped laptops, I joined Case Communications to become their international data communications marketing manager. After two years I spotted the opportunity to start TeleAdapt - TELEphone ADAPTer - to support the growing need for business travellers to connect to dial-up networks.

TeleAdapt has now evolved to a multi-national company, HQ in UK, with offices in USA, Hong Kong, Dubai, Singapore and China. We now specialise providing connectivity products to the hospitality market and OEMs. TeleAdapt has now largely evolved into TeleVision Adapter!

[Q] What trends are you seeing in the use of technology within the business travel community?

[A] The biggest trend I have seen is the rapid adoption of mobile email, as more and more devices are becoming genuinely "email friendly" – not simply text, but "rich" emails, attachments, etc. Phones, also, particularly need to be "Facebook friendly" for the younger generation, and the impact of "BBM" – the free messaging service for Blackberry users should not be underestimated. All these applications ensure that users are becoming more and more reliant upon keeping these devices with them at all times – never further than an arms reach.

[Q] In the early days of TeleAdapt I think your products were mostly modifying a lack of connectivity that hotels and other venues had. Has this changed in your view? Are hotels for instance now set-up to help business travellers with their data needs?

[A] A hotel today cannot ignore the connectivity needs of its guests – the power of TripAdvisor and other rating websites means that poor attention to its connectivity will mean empty rooms! Guests expect today to have good connectivity as much as they expect to have soap in the bathroom.

[Q] Of all the devices that TeleAdapt has developed or sold over the years, which one do you think has had the most impact on the business traveller and why?

[A] For the last 10 years we have focused primarily at the hotels serving travelers, not the business traveler themselves. Over one million hotel rooms have one of our most simple, but useful products – the pull-through cable holder. While hardly our most technically advanced, it has saved millions the frustration of finding the ever-elusive cable hidden behind the desk.

[Q] Clearly the rise of the smart phone and now tablet computers as embodied by the iPad has changed how business people travel with technology. How will TeleAdapt be helping these travellers make the most of these technologies on their future business trips?

[A] With the plethora of new devices, each provides both an opportunity and a connectivity challenge for allowing the guest to make best use of it. So our focus continues to be useful connectivity to ensure that these devices are not "islands" when the traveler arrives in the hotel room.

[Q] What advice would you give to business travellers about the technology they should travel with, but also which technology they can now leave at home?

[A] Take: A laptop, a smartphone and an e-book reader – reduces your weight considerably! Don't take: old technology, non-3G phones.

[Q] When you travel on a business trip, what's in your briefcase?

[A] Generally my MacBook and now an iPad – the latter particularly useful for day trips, or in situations where bringing out a laptop would be too intrusive to a meeting. Its battery life for a long flight is also a must to watch your own movies.

[Q] With our current digitally enhanced world, what technology is missing that could truly transform the life of a business traveller?

[A] "Truly transform" ? – How about teleportation! Today, in our world where security is paramount, I would say that technology advancements that can help the genuine business traveler move from A to B more efficiently, speedily and securely is the highest priority.