About me:

Long in the tooth, experienced (very), sales professional in the contract hire and leasing industry and in later years experienced in advising on, and implementing car salary sacrifice schemes for employees. 

Worked my way up from a stock clerk in the warehouse to National Contracts Manager with my first employer, Dunlop Industrial Hose, and then entered the Fleet Industry as Fleet Sales Executive with Kwik-Fit Fleet. I was made redundant 7 years later which was when my contract hire and leasing career began and I worked for Arval for 7 years before a couple of other short term roles with other companies before joining TCH Leasing nearly 11 years ago!  

 

On a personal level, I like to keep fit and have completed every Great North Run Half Marathon (bar 1 or 2 in the 80’s) and entered this year as usual. Recently gone back to playing football since I retired from the game when I was 45 in 2003 – albeit now of the ‘Walking Football’ variety, and recently I was part of a winning team at a tournament run by Newcastle United Foundation charity.

 

What is your business motto?

Pretty much one for life really – ‘Never give up’.

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What is the best quality of TCH Leasing, and how is it different to other Leasing companies?

Although I have seen many changes to the business over the 10+ years I have been with TCH, it still retains its customer-focussed way of doing business. Because we are smaller than many of our better-known competitors, all our staff are accountable and accessible unlike many larger contract hire companies where you may not be dealt with by the same person whenever you contact them.

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What is your approach to work/life balance?

As long as the job gets done it doesn’t matter how or when you do it – after that, family and personal time is there to be enjoyed to the full!

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What is your approach to networking?

It has become an ever more important part of business life, especially with regards to social networking and I am proud to say I am approaching 1000 business contacts on LinkedIn!

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Who has inspired you most in your business life, and why?

On a personal level I would have to say my Head of Sales, Ken Buckley, who I have now worked for at 3 different companies so he (and I) must be doing something right!)

On a global level – Sir Alex Ferguson and Sir Bobby Robson – although hugely successful in the sporting arena, a lot of their qualities of how to deal with people are so important when trying to forge a successful business career.  

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What is your proudest achievement in business?

Lasting as long as I have!!!

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What motivates you?

Contributing to the overall success of our sales team and as with any salesperson, trying my best to achieve the results which I am targeted to provide.

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If you hadn’t got into the leasing business, what would you be doing instead?

Probably sports coaching in either football or fitness. I would love to have been a professional footballer or a racing driver though!

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What time of day are you at your best, and why?

I used to be a night owl but with age and experience I'm definitely a morning person now! 

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If you could have a coffee with anyone at all, who would you pick and any?

I have got two, again, Sir Alex Ferguson or Sir Bobby Robson – two of the greatest leaders of men and inspirational not just in the sporting arena but in life itself. Sir Bobby, not just for his achievements in football, but also for his contribution to cancer research with the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation.

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How do you wind down after work?

Taking our 6 year old Chocolate Labrador, Bentley (….only Bentley I’ll ever have!), for a long walk on the beach followed by a tub of ice cream (for Bentley not me!) and a meal and a bottle of wine in a nice restaurant in our beautiful coastal village of Tynemouth, shared with my wife, Gail.