Five Minutes With... William Grace

As we start a brand new month, we take some time out to talk to our Business Development Director, William Grace, as part of our ‘Five Minutes With...’ interview series.

Bill, as he is more widely known, has been with Serendipity2 for almost a year having previously started off his career in the fast-paced motorsports industry.

Why not grab a cup of coffee and spend #5minutes getting to know him more.

Q: Hi Bill, firstly please give us a brief snapshot of your career history;

A: "As the “youngster” here at S2, my career history is a little shorter than my colleagues! After graduating from the University of Leeds in June 2014, I joined Nissan GB as Product Marketing Co-ordinator. Nissan was a company I knew well after spending my university year in industry placement working for them at their global headquarters in Yokohama, Japan, which was an amazing experience.

After two years at Nissan, I was contacted by a former colleague about joining him at McLaren Automotive – as a self-confessed petrolhead I didn’t think twice! I started at McLaren in October 2016 as product specialist working in the department that was responsible for the product and strategy of its global supercar line-up.

I then moved to the global events team and was responsible for the sales of customer events all across the world, from ice driving in Finland to a weekend at the Monaco Grand Prix and track days at F1 circuits to weeklong holidays in South Africa.

After six and a half years at McLaren, I was ready for a new challenge, and what better place to find that but at Serendipty2."

Q: What does your role entail at S2?

A: "As Business Development Director, the principle function of my role is to ensure that the business continues to grow and thrive. This means ensuring that the expectations of our existing clients are surpassed on the projects that we are carrying out, to grow our relationships with our existing fantastic client base, and to bring in new businesses and brands to work with Serendipty2. I love this part of the role as it involves working closely with existing and prospective clients as well as with all the team members here."

Q: What does a ‘typical’ day look like for you?

A: "There is no such thing as a ‘typical’ day; my day can include client meetings at our offices here in Oxford Circus, at client offices or online; working closely with the rest of the team to deliver ongoing projects; approving and discussing our internal marketing material, newsletters and case studies; or creating pitches, presentations and contracts for future client work."

Q: What is an essential ingredient to making your day feel rewarding or accomplished?

A: "Getting stuff done! Looking back at a busy day and being able to see a long ‘to do’ list with lots of items crossed off really makes a day feel worthwhile. And obviously any day that we hear from a client or prospect that they would like to proceed with a new project is extremely rewarding!"

Q: Who or what inspires you in your working life?

A: "My Dad is a big inspiration for me at work. In his career, he was a great manager of people; he treated those that worked for him with a great deal of respect and was very good at making people laugh. A lot of people I have spoken to enjoyed working for him as they had fun and felt valued. They are principals that I wish to emulate in my own career. Team work is really important and when you enjoy the people around you, especially in a small, busy team, I believe it certainly increases your productivity and makes working easier."

Q: What is your most memorable work moment, or something that you are proud of?

A: "A few months before I left McLaren, we had a track driving event at Portimao racetrack on the south coast of Portugal. As a “thank you” for the hard work I had done leading up to the event, my manager arranged for Bruno Senna – professional racing driver and nephew of the legendary Ayrton Senna – to take me on a hot lap of the track in a McLaren 720S supercar! The speed was absolutely mind blowing… an incredible experience that I will never forget."

Q: What do you enjoy the most about your role?

A: "I really enjoy meeting our clients and presenting to them. Whether it be a proposal for the work that we will be carrying out or feeding back the outcome of a project; I love engaging with customers and working closely alongside them."

Q: In your opinion, why should retailers or brands talk to Serendipity2?

A: "It is our range of expertise combined with our depth of experience that makes us unique. The business has been going for over 20 years, working with some of the largest and most recognisable brands in the world; something we are very proud of. Combine that history with our RISE approach (Research, Insight, Strategy, Execution) and Serendipty2 provides a comprehensive solution to any challenge a brand or retailer may be facing."

Q: Outside of work, how do you enjoy spending your time?

A: "I am a massive car fanatic so in the racing season I spend quite a few weekends commentating at motorsport events; the highlight of which was commentating at the Goodwood Revival a few years ago.

Outside of motorsport, I enjoy live music and comedy, spending time with my friends and family (especially if a trip to the pub is included) and taking my beautiful golden retriever Ted on walks."

Q: Tell us something we may not already know about you:

A: "Back in 2014, just after I graduated, I was in a comedy play called Rats! at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival – a truly unforgettable month."?

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