“I’m waiting for the day when I can win a game of Scrabble against my partner”

Describe yourself in three words.

Impatient, motivated, positive.

What’s your biggest professional achievement?

Getting the Queen’s Award for Excellence in Innovation for Recycling.

How did you get to where you are today?

Hard work and determination.

What does a typical day look like for you?

Early start with optimism and saying good morning to everybody in UPM. Starting in the factory then planning my day based on current enquiries. Ending the day sometimes tired, but always looking forward to the next day.

What have been the highlights of your company’s history, in your opinion?

Moving from our start-up in a bedroom house to a multifaceted organisation with the infrastructure to operate worldwide; our changing focus from initially offering a one stop shop for all ancillary equipment used in the plastics industry, to becoming a system integrator to the global food processing and packaging sector.

What is your pet hate?

Indecision and rudeness.

Give us a positive prediction for the food industry over the next 12 months.

Growth based on the increase in population worldwide demanding convenience food and packaging.

What do you consider to be the most important attributes for a leader?

Fairness in decision making and willingness to adapt to change.

Who do you most admire?

Queen Elizabeth II due to her stoicism.

Which people/organisations or companies are the ones to watch right now?

RPC, Procter & Gamble and Unilever for their continued investment and growth in a world market as we enter Brexit.

Which words do you most overuse?

Probably, “I need the quote NOW”.

If you weren’t in your current position, what else might you be doing?

Running a garden centre.

Tell us something about yourself that few people know.

I love going for walks in the woods with my working cocker spaniel, plus I’m waiting for the day when I can win a game of Scrabble against my partner.

Any vices?

Too many to mention.

What single thing would most improve the quality of your life?

To improve my work/life balance and also to improve my golf skills.

How do you relax?

Walking my dog and playing golf.

How would you like to be remembered?

With the sentiment that I gave as much as I could give.

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