Tell us a little bit about you and your company
I am a Director at UK Business Advisors, where I provide business advice, coaching and mentoring to varying businesses in the BID area.
Can you give us some background to your working career?
I started my career at 16 as an apprentice technician with the GPO (now BT), where I worked for over 30 years. During that time, I taught part-time at a local college, earned a degree in computing, engineering and telecommunications, and became a Chartered Engineer. I progressed to managing teams of up to 500 people before moving into consultancy and interim management roles internationally.
After running my own SME business in Indonesia, I returned to the UK and began supporting small businesses through organisations such as The Prince’s Trust and various Chambers of Commerce. Since relocating to Bracknell to be closer to family, I’ve continued to support businesses locally, both professionally and voluntarily.
Why are you a BID board director and why do you volunteer your time for the local business community?
I was President of Bracknell Chamber when the BID was being set up, and I was involved in the organising team in those early stages. When the BID was formally established, I was invited to take on a director’s role and chair the Admin and Finance team.
Why are you passionate about the Bracknell BID area?
Bracknell Forest is a fantastic place to live and work. There are so many opportunities here for businesses, both large and small. But we needed to improve the environment around the business areas to match the excellent uplift of the town centre. The first five years of the BID have shown just how much of a difference a modest investment of time, money and energy can make to an area.
What skills and experience do you bring to the BID board?
I bring an in-depth knowledge of large corporate businesses as well as small and medium-sized enterprises, both here in the UK and internationally.
What projects or initiatives that the BID has delivered are you most proud of?
I’m particularly proud of how we were able to pivot at the onset of Covid to keep operating successfully. I’m also very pleased with the improved surveillance in the area to keep the area safe, such as the BID’s CCTV and ANPR project, and the way the look and feel of the environment has been transformed.
What difference do you hope the BID will have made in the next five years?
I hope to see continued improvements to the environment, the attraction of new businesses into the BID area, and ongoing enhancements to safety and security.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
I am an author and write books on the subject of change. As much as possible, I spend time with my seven grandchildren, although two of them live in California. I also enjoy meeting business colleagues for coffee or lunch and walking through the wooded areas and parks.
What’s the best piece of business advice you’ve been given?
I’ve read many books on business and I’m still learning, especially now with the developments in AI.
To stay successful, all businesses, large and small, need to keep looking at how society and technology are changing, and adapt accordingly.