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Karl Breeze, CEO at Matrix Booking, developed an early passion for entrepreneurship and innovation, inspired by his father’s experience running an electronics business in the Northeast of England during the 1980s. In this interview, we find out what’s inspiring him today.
First, a little more about Karl. After starting his career in a small software business, he quickly moved on to larger firms, including roles in London’s financial sector. By the early 2000s, his entrepreneurial drive led him to co-found a SaaS business, which was eventually acquired by a large American firm.
While the acquisition marked a significant milestone, it also gave Karl a firsthand understanding of the limitations of corporate culture, prompting him to pursue ventures in renewable energy, home automation and Hi-Fi equipment.
In August 2020, Karl joined Matrix Booking as CEO, stepping in during a pivotal moment as the company transitioned to independence following its separation from Keytree, all while navigating the complexities of the Covid-19 pandemic. Under Karl’s leadership, Matrix Booking has grown into a leading SaaS platform for hybrid workplace management, driven by his commitment to innovation and customer-focused solutions.
Most of the conversation around IT and the future of work is about how technology enables remote collaboration. Video calls, messaging platforms and document sharing all play an important role. But the bigger opportunity is in how technology actually helps bring people together in person.
Companies are still figuring out what the office is for, and the answer is increasingly about face-to-face collaboration. The challenge is making sure the right people are in the right place at the right time without forcing them back into a rigid 9-to-5 routine. IT has a real impact here by helping businesses coordinate hybrid schedules, manage meeting spaces and create workplaces that adapt to how people actually work rather than how they used to.
Beyond the practicalities, IT has a bigger role in shaping company culture. The systems a business puts in place affect how people interact, how they communicate and how easy it is to access the tools they need. The best technology works with the company culture instead of creating unnecessary barriers. If a business values flexibility but makes it difficult for teams to collaborate, that sends the wrong message. The companies that get this right will have a real advantage. Not because they have the latest tools, but because they have used IT to create an environment where people can do their best work.
AI, quantum computing and blockchain are all being talked about as the next big thing in IT, but if we’re looking at impact over the next decade, AI is miles ahead. We’re already seeing how it can automate repetitive tasks, improve decision-making and enhance customer experiences. The real question isn’t whether AI will change things, because it already has, but how businesses use it. The ones that figure out how to make AI work alongside people, rather than just automating for the sake of it, will see the biggest benefits.
Quantum computing is further off but has huge potential. If it delivers on the promise, it could solve problems that are impossible for today’s computers, from cracking encryption to designing new materials and advancing medical research. It’s exciting, but for most businesses, it’s not something they need to think about just yet.
Lastly, blockchain which has its uses, particularly for securing transactions and improving transparency in finance and supply chains, but I don’t see it reshaping the world in the way some people claim.
What’s really interesting is how AI and quantum computing could end up feeding into each other. More advanced quantum computing will lead to more powerful AI, and AI will likely help us get better at understanding and using quantum computing. It might become a chicken-and-egg situation, with each driving the other forward in ways we cannot fully predict yet. That’s when things start to get a lot more unpredictable and a lot more useful.
IT professionals have plenty to navigate over the next decade, but the biggest challenge will be managing hybrid work in a way that actually works for everyone. A lot of companies are still figuring it out, and IT teams are the ones caught in the middle. They need to make sure distributed teams can collaborate properly, keep systems secure and stop company networks from turning into a patchwork of different tools and workarounds. Security, in particular, is a big one. The more flexible workplaces become, the more entry points there are for cyber threats, so businesses need to stay ahead of that.
Then there’s the issue of talent. Junior IT professionals aren’t coming into the same world previous generations did. They won’t have the benefit of sitting next to more experienced colleagues five days a week, picking things up by osmosis. That makes it harder to develop the problem-solving skills that come from working through challenges in real time. And with AI becoming more embedded in workflows, there’s a risk that they become too reliant on it, losing the ability to think critically when AI can’t give them a straight answer.
AI itself presents another challenge. Businesses need to adopt it in ways that are actually useful, rather than just chasing trends. That means IT professionals will need to find ways to keep a balance between automation and human judgment, stay ahead of ethical concerns and make sure AI-driven systems remain transparent and trustworthy. The role of IT has always been about solving problems, but the next decade will test how well they can do that when the problems and the tools to solve them are evolving faster than ever.
The most valuable skills for IT professionals in the future won’t just be technical. The ability to think differently and creatively will be key. In many ways, AI is a threat to IT roles, but it struggles with nuance, originality and solving problems in unpredictable ways. The people who can think outside the box, solve complex problems and understand the bigger picture will be the hardest to replace.
That said, the people who can communicate effectively will always be the most valued, not just in IT, but in most professions. Knowing how to explain complex technical issues in a way that makes sense to non-technical teams is a huge advantage. As businesses become more reliant on technology, IT professionals who can bridge that gap will stand out.
Collaboration is also becoming more important, especially in hybrid environments where teams aren’t always in the same place. It’s not enough to just be good at solving problems alone. The best IT professionals will be the ones who can work across different teams, share knowledge and adapt to new ways of working.
Ultimately, hiring managers will continue looking for people with the right mindset over those who just tick every technical box. Technologies change, but the ability to learn, adapt and work well with others will always be in demand.
IT innovations have the potential to make work more inclusive, but only when they actually solve real problems. Cloud-based tools and SaaS solutions mean people can work from anywhere, which should, in theory, level the playing field. But access to technology isn’t the only issue. If the tools aren’t designed to be easy to use, adaptable and genuinely helpful, they just become another barrier.
One of the biggest shifts we’re seeing is how IT is reshaping shared workspaces and hybrid collaboration. Smart booking systems, AI-driven resource management and better connectivity tools make it easier for teams to work together, regardless of location. This is where IT can make a real impact by giving people the flexibility to access what they need when they need it, without jumping through hoops.
The tricky part is, technology alone isn’t a magic fix. We’ve all seen businesses roll out new systems with great intentions, only for them to be clunky, ignored or even make things harder. IT only bridges gaps when it actually works for the people using it.
The real test for IT isn’t just about rolling out new systems, it’s about making sure they actually work for people. The best innovations aren’t just the most advanced, they’re the ones that make work easier, more accessible and more connected for everyone.
Cloud computing is here to stay because it is simply the most efficient and reliable way to manage and deliver computing and storage services. Everything from AI to quantum computing and blockchain will primarily operate in the cloud, and as we rely on more connected devices to make life easier, the cloud will only become more essential.
Over the next decade, cloud computing will get faster, more secure and more tightly connected with AI and IoT. Businesses are already using cloud data to power smarter systems, but the next wave of innovation will take this further. More companies will be able to shift towards decentralised operations, giving people access to the tools they need from anywhere, without being tied to a physical office or a single device. For businesses that get it right, this will mean more flexibility, better access to talent and the ability to move faster than ever.
The challenge will be what happens when something goes wrong. As more of our daily lives depend on cloud-based systems, IT outages will have a much wider impact. A single failure could disrupt not just our daily lives but entire industries. That means businesses will need stronger contingency plans and providers will have to prove they can manage risk at an even greater scale.
It will be interesting to see how cloud providers adapt to that risk while continuing to push for greater consolidation. The cloud is not going anywhere, but the way it evolves will depend on how it handles these growing pressures.
Edge computing and IoT are changing how IT infrastructure works by moving data processing closer to where it’s needed. Businesses are becoming more flexible and decentralised, and not everything needs to be sent back and forth to the cloud. Processing data locally means lower latency, reduced bandwidth costs and systems that keep running smoothly even if there’s a network issue. That’s a big deal for companies that rely on real-time insights to make decisions fast.
Take workplace management as an example. IoT sensors track occupancy and energy use, but if all that data has to be sent to the cloud before anything happens, it is less efficient. Edge computing makes it possible to adjust heating and cooling on the fly, automate lighting based on usage, or make desk booking systems more responsive. The same logic applies to many other areas. Faster, local processing makes everything run more efficiently.
For IT teams, the real challenge will be keeping things simple. A mix of cloud and edge computing is great in theory, but if it adds unnecessary complexity, it defeats the point. The key is seamless integration, so businesses can take advantage of both without turning infrastructure into a headache. Edge computing isn’t going to replace the cloud, but as IoT adoption grows, it’s going to play a much bigger role in making IT infrastructure more responsive and scalable.
