An Interview With Martita Mestey
Rethink what you really need in laptops. We need to move away from replacing devices based on arbitrary refresh cycles. If a laptop still performs well and can support upcoming Windows updates, keep using it. If need be, replace the battery, not the laptop. And if a company does have to purchase new devices, look for the ones that can support workloads with the lowest emission output. If a lighter PC with less battery usage can do the job, choose that one.
As we face an unprecedented environmental crisis, the need for sustainable solutions has never been more urgent. This series seeks to spotlight the innovative minds and passionate advocates who are leading the charge in environmental conservation and sustainable practices. We aim to explore the most effective strategies, breakthrough technologies, and transformative policies that are shaping a more sustainable future for our planet. As a part of this series, I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Simon Towsend.
Simon Townsend is a prominent end-user computing (EUC) technology evangelist, marketer, and thought leader. As Senior Vice President of Marketing and Head of the Office of the CTO at ControlUp, he leads the company’s marketing strategy and team of digital, field, channel, and product marketers and technical experts worldwide. With more than 20 years of experience in the EUC market, Townsend has held leadership positions in marketing, product marketing, product management, and global systems engineering for several enterprise software companies, including IGEL, Ivanti, AppSense, Servo, and Westcon UK.
Thank you so much for joining us! Before we dive in, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your ‘backstory’?
I’ve spent my career at the intersection of technology and human experience. I started in the end-user computing (EUC) space back when IT was heavily focused on infrastructure and devices and have seen firsthand how the shift to digital workspaces has reshaped the way people interact with technology. I held leadership roles at companies like IGEL, where I worked on transforming traditional thin client hardware into sustainable repurposed devices, and now at ControlUp, where we focus on using real-time data to power better decisions about IT performance, user experience, and sustainability. Along the way, I’ve developed a passion for building solutions that not only improve experience but also reduce waste and environmental impact.
Can you share with us the most interesting story from your career? What lessons did you learn from it?
One of the most pivotal moments for me was being introduced to Nathaniel Comer, CEO and founder at Sun Screen IT. Nathaniel’s mission is ethical, sustainable disposal of IT devices and through the Sun Screen IT Foundation enabling students to have access to carbon footprint technology. He showed me the devastating impact that improperly discarded IT equipment was having on communities in parts of West Africa. Seeing images of children crawling over mountains of toxic e-waste opened my eyes to the darker side of our industry. It changed the way I think about IT sustainability and made me realize we need to be far more responsible with what we manufacture, how we use it, and how we dispose of it. The big takeaway: just because something is “out of sight” doesn’t mean it should be out of mind. Sustainability starts with awareness.
Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success?
- Curiosity: I’ve always been obsessed with how things work and why. This trait has helped me dig into modern technologies, understand emerging trends, and see opportunities others might overlook. At IGEL, that curiosity helped push the transformation from traditional legacy hardware devices to OS-based device repurposing. It supported sustainability by enabling us to extend the life of hardware.
- Empathy: Understanding what users and IT teams go through daily helps us build better tools. Empathy shapes my approach at ControlUp, where we focus on enabling IT teams to see and solve problems before they disrupt someone’s day.
- Resilience: The tech industry moves fast. Products change, strategies shift, and feedback can be brutal. Sticking with a vision, learning from missteps, and adapting quickly have been critical to getting where I am today.
Are you working on any exciting new projects now?
Yes, I’m incredibly excited about the work we’re doing at ControlUp around real-time carbon tracking and sustainability metrics. Our recent collaboration with PX3 is a game-changer. We’re enabling organizations to understand the carbon footprint of their employee devices and IT operations in real time. This data helps them make more sustainable decisions about hardware lifecycle management, procurement, and energy efficiency without interrupting the flow of IT operations. It’s about embedding sustainability into everyday IT decisions, which is where I think the real impact happens.
What pivotal moment led you to dedicate your career to sustainability?
The turning point for me was seeing the e-waste crisis up close in West Africa. Learning from Sun Screen IT that well-meaning companies were sending equipment abroad only for it to end up as toxic waste in developing countries was shocking. As a father of three, the image of kids picking through discarded laptops hit me hard. That moment made sustainability personal. It shaped my mission to find ways we can extend device life, reduce waste, and create IT environments that are both high-performing and environmentally responsible.
Could you describe a groundbreaking project you’ve been involved in that contributed to sustainability?
Our partnership with PX3 stands out. We combined ControlUp’s real-time endpoint telemetry with PX3’s carbon modeling tools to give organizations a dashboard view of their IT emissions. For the first time, companies can see the carbon impact of their hardware fleet by device, department, or location. That visibility unlocks smarter decision-making — whether it’s replacing a battery instead of a whole laptop or selecting new devices based on energy performance. This project empowers IT leaders to align sustainability with business strategy.
How do you balance economic growth with environmental preservation in your sustainability strategies?
The key is to show that sustainability and cost-efficiency are not mutually exclusive. In fact, they often go hand in hand. For example, by using digital employee experience (DEX) data to extend device life or shift to more energy-efficient platforms like Windows 365, companies reduce both emissions and hardware costs. By repurposing instead of replacing, you save money and avoid creating waste. Sustainability becomes a value driver when you can demonstrate long-term cost savings alongside environmental benefits.
What emerging technologies hold the most promise for advancing sustainability?
Several emerging technologies are paving the way for more sustainable IT practices. Real-time telemetry and automation tools, like those from ControlUp, provide instant insights into system performance and energy use, enabling IT to make adjustments to conserve energy and costs. AI and machine learning are helping organizations analyze usage patterns and predict inefficiencies, while carbon accounting platforms automate environmental reporting and compliance. Meanwhile, IoT sensors and cloud-based monitoring solutions make it easier to track energy use across infrastructure. Lastly, remote work technologies such as AVD and Windows 365 not only support flexible work but also reduce hardware demands and emissions by enabling use of lower-power devices.
What are your 5 top strategies for a cleaner planet?
- Rethink what you really need in laptops. We need to move away from replacing devices based on arbitrary refresh cycles. If a laptop still performs well and can support upcoming Windows updates, keep using it. If need be, replace the battery, not the laptop. And if a company does have to purchase new devices, look for the ones that can support workloads with the lowest emission output. If a lighter PC with less battery usage can do the job, choose that one.
- Know your devices better. Use DEX data telemetry to understand what your devices are doing, in energy consumption and performance. While being mindful of your sustainability goals, assess which devices are cleaner and more efficient. Use this knowledge to make better informed decisions about future purchases.
- Repurpose devices with a lightweight, secure operating system (OS). A thin, efficient OS can turn older hardware into high-performing endpoints.
- Support remote work with cloud-first solutions. Technologies like AVD and Windows 365 give employees access to virtual workspaces, allowing them to work from anywhere on less powerful devices, reducing energy consumption and emissions.
- Promote a culture of sustainability. IT energy consumption may not be top of mind as many employees now toggle back and forth between devices, virtual workspaces, and physical locations. Companies need to encourage all employees to understand sustainability is not just IT’s issue. It’s everybody’s. To make any impact, it must involve all, from HR and Engineering to those who buy reams of paper for presentations. Incentives, awards, and campaigns need to occur on a regular basis. IT can be a role model here by putting sustainability into action by working with ethical recyclers like Sun Screen IT and making thoughtful decisions on future purchases with a view toward reducing emissions.
In your view, what are the key steps individuals, communities, and governments need to take to achieve a more sustainable future?
Regulations like Europe’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) are a good start. They put sustainability on the radar at a corporate level. But more needs to be done to make sustainability a universal standard. Individuals can make better purchasing decisions. Communities can invest in infrastructure that supports reuse and recycling. Governments should incentivize sustainability initiatives and enforce stricter e-waste and carbon reporting regulations. Most of all, we need education — people can only act on what they understand.
If you could start a movement that would bring the most good to the most people, what would it be?
I believe everyone should start life with the same opportunity. So, if I could spark a movement, it would be about bridging the digital divide. That includes getting refurbished and repurposed IT equipment into underserved schools and communities and giving students the training to use digital tools. To succeed in this digital age students anywhere on the globe need to be digitally proficient. They can use digital tools to support sustainability but first they need education and access.
What is the best way for our readers to continue to follow your work online?
I can be followed on LinkedIn or readers can read my blogs at https://www.controlup.com/resources/blog.
This was very inspiring. Thank you so much for the time you spent on this. We wish you only continued success.
The Future Is Green: Simon Townsend Of ControlUp On Their Top Strategies for a Cleaner Planet was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.