Wrapping Up 2024 and Embracing New Horizons

As we close the chapter on 2024, I find myself at a pivotal moment in my career. Marked by reflection, pride, and anticipation for what lies ahead. This year has brought significant change, culminating in my planned succession at PenCarrie and the passing of the baton to my successor, Mark. Knowing for the last two years that 2024 would be my final year in a full-time executive role allowed me to approach this transition with confidence, clarity, and a genuine excitement about the future.

Executing a successful succession Handing over the reins at PenCarrie was both a culmination of years of careful planning and a demonstration of what planning for the future can achieve. We committed early on to openness and honest dialogue, setting clear milestones and ensuring everyone understood their role. This approach minimised uncertainty, kept our stakeholders - shareholders, customers, suppliers, colleagues, and friends of PenCarrie, fully engaged; and allowed our team to remain focused on running the business. If you’re facing a similar transition, I highly recommend starting earlier than you think necessary, communicating openly, and never losing sight of the business’s priorities.

Reflections and lessons learned Looking back on my 17 years running PenCarrie, I’m incredibly proud of the consistent growth in both top-line revenue and profitability. But more important than any metric is the cultural legacy we’ve upheld, doing the right thing and treating others as we would want to be treated ourselves. These values underpinned every decision and helped guide the company through complex changes and challenges, while grabbing opportunity.

As I consider the next chapter of my career, it’s clear that my experiences, be they in distribution, manufacturing, services, or navigating uncertain economic climates, do equip me with a unique perspective. I’ve learned that success stems from a combination of strong governance, robust strategy, embracing technology, and, most importantly, nurturing a committed and skilled team. These lessons are not only valuable to the next generation of leaders I mentor; but also to the new ventures and opportunities I’m exploring.

A fresh chapter: expanding horizons Stepping into 2025, I’m excited about the opportunities that await. Beyond my Non-Executive Director and board advisory roles, I’m looking forward to mentoring at initiatives like the NatWest Accelerator programme and engaging with angel investor networks. It’s a privelege to witness the creativity, resilience, and ambition of entrepreneurs exploring new technologies, including AI, to solve pressing challenges.

I’m also making time for personal growth, whether cycling, sailing, traveling, or walking. These activities challenge me in different ways and often spark insights that I can bring back to the business world. At the same time, reconnecting with an extensive and diverse network of professionals, spanning industries as varied as food production, data analytics, engineering, retail, and energy, reinforces the universality of certain business fundamentals: prioritisation, customer focus, resource allocation, cash generation, and a willingness to adapt.

Focusing on the Why One critical insight I’ve gained, and continue to emphasise, is the importance of understanding your “why.” A clearly defined purpose informs how, when, and what decisions are made. It sets the tempo for growth, market positioning, and investment horizons. Too often, businesses neglect to articulate their purpose, leading to misaligned objectives or underutilised opportunities.

In the current economic climate, where growth may be modest and uncertainty high, having a clear “why” can guide how you deploy technology, train your people, and pursue improvement. It ensures everyone is pulling in the same direction, and that day-to-day actions align with long-term ambitions. By investing in your team’s development, encouraging cross-functional learning, and celebrating small wins, you create a foundation for sustainable progress, even when external factors are unpredictable.

Learning from the best in high performance

As Zak Brown CEO of McClaren F1 said earlier this month “It's all down to our people it's the team who put in the hours, who are driven, focused at being the best we can that made our technology work! Without them we wouldn't have won the constructors’ World Championships”.

If ever the importance of people could be highlighted as key to the success in business, it's Formula One. Whilst budgets are substantial for investment in some of the best engineering and data analytics available, F1 teams are constantly under pressure to perform, better today than yesterday. Which business doesn’t want to achieve that level of continuous improvement.

Looking ahead to 2025 As I embark on this new phase, I’m excited to combine my experience with a fresh perspective, helping organisations unlock their potential. Whether it’s clarifying their purpose, streamlining operations, strengthening governance, or embracing technology, my aim is to support leaders and teams in turning ambitions into achievements.

In 2025, I plan to continue mentoring, advising, and facilitating growth, both commercially and culturally. My hope is that more businesses will embrace purpose-driven leadership, invest in their people, and place collaboration at the heart of strategy. With a clear “why” and the courage to act swiftly and thoughtfully, leaders can navigate complexity, seize opportunities, and build lasting value.

A call to action As we welcome 2025, consider what you want to unlock in your business. Is there an initiative you’ve postponed or an opportunity you haven’t fully explored? Perhaps you need clarity on your purpose, or you’re ready to refine your strategy and take that next bold step.

I invite you to connect if you believe that unlocking your team’s potential and clarifying your “why” will set you up for success in the coming year. Let’s ensure 2025 starts with real focus, a year of positive results, meaningful progress, and transformation that stands the test of time.

Here’s to new beginnings, continued growth, and the promise of what we can achieve together in 2025 and beyond.