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“In April this year Maria Thomas, Relationship Manager at Barclays Bank was named FirstPro 2015.”
What did it feel like to win FirstPro2015?
“It never occurred to me I would win so when my name was read out for my category it took me a moment to register. I was completely stunned when I was named the overall winner!
“The support from my colleagues at Barclays was incredible and completely unexpected. By 3am the morning after the Regional Director had emailed me saying how proud he was. His boss rang with congratulations the next day and I even received emails of congratulations from members of the Executive.
“Emails came in from people across the bank and one was from someone I had worked with 20 years ago saying ‘is it you’!”
Which attributes do you think are important in your job?
“You have to be honest and straightforward. I’m open with people and always explain the rationale for decisions. Empathy’s important too. I always aim to walk in my customer’s shoes; seeing things from their perspective can change the approach I take.”
What motives you in your work?
“I love fixing problems and getting it right for customers. I remember a particular customer who never agreed to a meeting, which worried me. One day I said I was passing and dropped in. I asked a few pertinent questions and then listened. He was soon telling me all his niggles and gripes about the bank. I left with a list of problems to fix then produced a plan of action with realistic deadlines. Crucially we then delivered and the relationship’s now great.”
Tell us about you career path.
“I started as an apprentice at Barclays 25 years ago. My first permanent job was in the machine room, tearing statements and putting them in envelopes. The advent of electronic banking means no one does anything like that any more but it really gave me a great understanding of the processes.
“After about a year I was allowed to issue account numbers from an account number book and shortly afterwards was trained to work on the counter. I did spend some time in head office but I missed the customers.
“I joined the corporate banking team about four years ago.”
What do you do outside work?
“I’m always up to something.
“I live in a village and am on the village hall committee. I’m involved in our local panto and raise money for a number of charities.
“As a result of Coventry & Warwickshire First event I’m now working with a number of other Coventry based charities to support with profile and fundraising.
“I’m also on the board of Coventry BID (Business Improvement District). We’re immersed in our plans for Christmas at the moment but we’re also working hard to re-generate the night-time economy in the city and give a voice to retailers.”
Role: Relationship Director, Corporate & Commercial Banking.
Business: Santander Corporate & Commercial Banking. Santander is one of the largest banking groups in the world by most measures, including the largest bank in the world by number of branches and offices. In the UK, it operates through 70 Corporate & Commercial Banking Centres.
What do you like about working at Santander?
It is great to be a part of our UK growth; our Corporate & Commercial Banking business started in the UK only in 2009. I joined the business soon after, and now we are a major and still growing presence in the UK.
What’s your specialism?
I work mainly with small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), typically with a turnover between £2 million and £30 million. They are across a range of sectors although as you would expect, here in Coventry & Warwickshire, manufacturers and businesses trading internationally tend to dominate.
What do you do day-to-day?
I manage a portfolio of the Bank’s SME customers, and look to bring on other ambitious local businesses as customers. I help directors and shareholders achieve their goals by taking full advantage of the expertise and services a major international bank can offer.
What do you love about your job?
Every business is unique, with different goals, cultures, and specialisms. I love the variety and engaging with owners & directors to help them achieve their goals.
It is especially rewarding to work with a business over a longer period of time to support its international growth. Santander’s international Trade Missions, Masterclasses, and unique Trade Portal (www.santanderbreakthrough.co.uk) enable businesses to identify potential new markets and customers. To successfully work with a business to help them achieve a ‘Breakthrough goal’ (new products/premises/contracts and create new jobs etc.) is very satisfying.
What are your career highlights?
In a career of nearly 30 years, I am very lucky to have done a wide variety of roles supporting businesses of all sizes from some of the largest multi-national corporations through to start-ups and sole traders.
Working for many years in the City and Canary Wharf was a great experience, and now, working with SMEs in the West Midlands and Warwickshire is equally rewarding.
A few years ago, I was sponsored through an MBA course at Warwick Business School. This changed my outlook and I met some great people and made many good friends.
What’s great about doing business in Coventry and Warwickshire?
It’s a fantastic place to do business. The sub-region has strong growth prospects, driven by our excellent manufacturing base and heritage, two leading universities, first class transport links, an entrepreneurial ‘can-do’ business culture, and, not least, a great community of excellent professional advisors.
What would you say to someone setting out on their career?
Be yourself and show your personality, do not be frightened to ask, do not fear failure (we all learn from it), and have belief!
Explaining why she became a mentor in the spring this year, Debbie Harper, Area Director of HSBC Bank plc, talked of the way in which she had benefitted from mentoring relationships in her own career.
“I have been a mentee and still am! A really good mentor can provide an excellent sounding board. Benefitting from this myself I think it’s important to offer the same support to others.
“I’m currently a mentor within my own organisation and grabbed the opportunity to support others when Coventry & Warwickshire First launched the scheme.
“My mentee and I have met regularly and I hope I’ve been able to add some value. I think she appreciates talking to someone outside her organisation who has a different perspective.
“The mentoring relationship has also helped me. It’s made me think critically about my skills as a leader. To anyone thinking of becoming a mentor I would say it’s definitely worth making the commitment!”
Cheryll Rawbone, Chair of Arthur J Gallagher in Coventry, began mentoring a young PR professional in April. Speaking about our mentoring scheme she said: “Looking back I would have really appreciated the opportunity to have a sounding board in the early part of my career so it’s a pleasure to be able to do that for a young professional.
“This process empowers the young professionals involved. It helps them develop a structured career plan against which they can make progress.
“My mentee has benefitted from getting the perspective of an employer and seeing a reflection of the way they portray themselves but I’ve also learnt from hearing her perspective and giving her the space to try out her ideas.
“It’s an incredibly rewarding and interesting process.”
Andrew Smith is the new Chair of Coventry & Warwickshire First. We put him in the spotlight – read on to find out why he was on the radio when at school!
Role: Partner in the Stratford office of Shakespeare Martineau.
Formed in June 2015 through the merger of Shakespeares and SGH Martineau, Shakespeare Martineau is driven by a shared ambition. Combining exceptional legal expertise with deep industry knowledge the firm works alongside its clients to achieve their goals.
Who has inspired you and why?
Good question! In a work context it would be the first corporate partner I worked with when I was a trainee in London. We worked incredibly hard and he gave me plenty of responsibility; I learned a lot. And we could play pretty hard too!
What’s your role at Shakespeare Martineau?
I’m a corporate lawyer, so I deal with everything from company start-ups and fundraisings to mergers and acquisitions.
What do you love about your work?
The variety, the work itself and more importantly the wide variety of businesses and people I have met. I’ve worked with some big FTSE companies but I get a bigger buzz dealing with SMEs and family businesses where I know my advice can really make a difference.
Why did you get involved with Coventry & Warwickshire First?
I started working in Stratford about six years ago. I’d lived in the area but not worked here so didn’t know the business community. Through Coventry & Warwickshire First I’ve built a strong professional network and found at first hand the calibre of the region’s professionals. We don’t shout about this enough and in my year as Chair I want to make sure the quality of our sector is fully understood by the public and private sectors.
Can you tell us a little about your family?
I am married to fellow-Scot Judith and we have two boys, Angus (15) and Finlay (13). Judith juggles part time work at Warwick Hospital and a local GP practice with providing what seems like a full time taxi service for the boys. They are both keen rugby players; I was too at their age but unlike me they are both quite good.
Where’s your favourite holiday destination?
Can I cheat and have two? Spain for the sunshine, food and laid-back lifestyle. The Scottish Highlands to get away from it all – it’s peaceful and the scenery is stunning. But I don’t go for the weather!
What would surprise us about you?
I used to play the bassoon, which is quite unusual. When I was at school we had a bassoon trio, which is even more unusual. We were good enough to get on the radio though! The other members of the trio went on to become a professional cricketer and a professional snooker referee respectively!
“I joined the mentoring programme for two reasons; to improve my networking skills and get an independent perspective on how I can develop in my current role and build my career.
“I wanted a mentor I could discuss particular issues with, confident in their discretion and experience. I got exactly that and have found the whole process incredibly valuable; I’m already better at managing my workload and my networking has improved.
“A really good mentor is incredibly helpful; having someone who’s independent but understands what you’re talking about can really help you to progress!”
Michael Brook, Trainee Solicitor, Lodders
“Being a mentor, helping a young professional develop their skills, is very rewarding. As well as sharing my own insights and experience I’m also listening. This means I can really see things from my mentee’s perspective and am seeing things anew myself. Amongst other things I now have a far deeper understanding of life in a law firm, which will help me in my role as a relationship manager.
“My mentee is very fully engaged in the process and we’ve met regularly. This commitment means we have approached the process professionally and are both benefitting!”
James Oliver: Relationship Manager – Commercial, Yorkshire Bank
Andrew Smith, partner at Shakespeare Martineau and the incoming Chair of Coventry & Warwickshire First, has set out four principle objectives for his year in office.
– Talent development
– Building the voice of the professional
– Keeping members informed
– Growing the membership
Talent development
As the economy returns to healthy and sustainable growth so the professional services sector is also returning to growth. Attracting good talent in this competitive market is challenging, particularly in the face of the high salaries offered by Birmingham and London firms. Retaining our own talent is also a challenge in this context.
The mentoring programme has already proved successful in addressing this skills challenge. Paired with a leading professional, the region’s talented young individuals are able to accelerate their development.
My ambition is to build on this excellent platform and continue to develop the talent within our region, helping them achieve their career and life goals. This approach will support the growth of our own members and enable local business to access an increasingly broad range of capabilities on their doorstep.
Voice of the Professional
Earlier this year Coventry & Warwickshire First kicked off a consultation process designed to develop a detailed understanding of the issues facing members and their clients: Driving Economic Growth in Coventry & Warwickshire.
The consultation deepened our understanding of the issues and challenges in the local economy and the role and contribution of our members. We now need to project our voice and engage with key stakeholders in the region to advocate on behalf of our members and their clients. This will also involve boosting our profile in the local media.
Keeping members informed
Through a comprehensive programme of events Coventry & Warwickshire First members are kept informed of key initiatives within the region and given behind the scenes access to new developments and some of the region’s most high profile organisations and venues.
This programme will be sustained during my year, with a number of key events already planned. These include a quarterly breakfast titled ‘Leadership for Today and the Future’, a debate on the forthcoming EU referendum and First Friday events at Coventry Cathedral, the Council House in Coventry and the Royal Shakespeare Company.
Growing the membership
Under Martin Gibbs’ stewardship Coventry & Warwickshire First has been reinvigorated. The organization is clearly the voice of the professional, gives members valuable insights, and supports the development of relationships that grow business.
With the Coventry & Warwickshire First board as advocates, I intend to spread the word to professional services firms throughout the region and encourage them to join so they too can reap the rewards of membership.
I am delighted to be taking up the reins of Coventry & Warwickshire First and looking forward to building on the strong platform established by Martin Gibbs.
Talent development and a clear voice for the region’s professionals: Coventry & Warwickshire First’s agenda for 2015 / 16
“One of the real challenges facing professional services firms in Coventry and Warwickshire is attracting, retaining and developing great talent,” said Andrew Smith, speaking at an event to mark his appointment as Chair of Coventry & Warwickshire First for 2015/16. “I intend to work with our Young Professionals to build on the success of our mentoring programme and develop our young talent further.”
Andrew Smith, a partner in law firm Shakespeare Martineau, is taking over from Martin Gibbs, Managing Partner of Dafferns Chartered Accountants. Andrew joined Shakespeare Martineau, which employs 120 people in its Stratford on Avon office, in 2009 and has been a board member of Coventry & Warwickshire First, the leading networking group for business services professionals in Coventry & Warwickshire, since 2011.
During his year in post Martin Gibbs kicked off a consultation process designed to develop a detailed understanding of the issues facing members and their clients: Driving Economic Growth in Coventry & Warwickshire. A key issue highlighted by the consultation is the challenge of attracting and retaining talent in a bouyant recruitment market.
The mentoring programme, also launched under Martin Gibbs’ stewardship, has already proved successful in addressing this skills challenge. Paired with a senior professional the region’s talented young individuals are able to accelerate their development.
“My ambition is to build on this excellent platform and continue the process of developing the talent within our region so local businesses can access an increasingly broad range of capabilities on their doorstep.
“The consultation process also deepened our understanding of the issues and challenges in the local economy and the role and contribution of our members. We are now taking our findings forward, projecting the voice of the region’s professionals to key stakeholders and showcasing the skills we can deploy to support businesses in the area.”
During his year in office as Chair of Coventry & Warwickshire First (2014-2015) Martin Gibbs, Managing Partner at Dafferns Chartered Accountants has “worked closely with the new Secretariat and reinvigorated the organisation.
Under his stewardship Coventry & Warwickshire First has truly:
– Become the voice of the professionals,
– Helped members develop relationships that grow business, and
– Provided valuable insights into the region, its economy and the challenges facing local businesses.
Reflecting on his year in office he cited his key achievements as reinvigorating the events programme, leading a valuable consultation with members and supporting the launch of the mentoring programme.
“High quality, interesting and informative events are the lifeblood of Coventry & Warwickshire First. They bring our members together whilst informing and engaging them with key issues and influencers within the region.
“Our programme of quarterly events adds substantial value to members and this year included a lively debate amongst business leaders about the challenges to growth being faced by the region. They cited an acute skills shortage and confusion surrounding funding and grant support as the key issues. As the voice of professionals we are now taking these issues forward and advocating on behalf of our members amongst those with influence in the region.
“The final quarterly breakfast of my term is one on procurement. In direct response to requests from our members we brought together procurement professionals from the public and private sector to give members the inside track so they can make sure they are well placed to win important tenders.
“First Friday is a relaxed, monthly gathering of our members, giving them the chance to connect with colleagues while getting behind the scenes access to one of the region’s key organisations or venues.
“This year we kicked off a consultation process designed to develop a detailed understanding of the issues facing members and their clients: Driving Economic Growth in Coventry & Warwickshire. We held four private dinners, each one themed around one of our sectors – finance, legal, property and business services professionals. Each was very different, with the members engaging in lively informed debates.
“Abiding by the Chatham House Rule we gathered the opinions expressed at the dinners into a series of reports and are now in the process of defining the key elements and establishing proactive campaigns to take them forward.
“Our members loved the format of the dinners so we intend to develop it and there are plans for cross-sector dinners to be held in the forthcoming year.
“The skills shortage has repeatedly been cited as one of the biggest challenges facing both our members and their clients. Launched during my year the mentoring programme is already having a positive impact on this issue. Paired with a leading professional the region’s talented young individuals are able to accelerate their development. Their feedback, as well as that of the mentors themselves is incredibly positive.
“We have achieved a great deal during 2014 / 15 and I am delighted to be handing on a vibrant organization delivering real value to its members to my successor.”