Congratulations on the new role David. This is not your first position within the group though is it? Can you tell us a bit about your background?

This year will be my 20th year in the group. I have been lucky to work in different business areas and different countries during this time which has meant a lot of variety and that time has certainly flown by. I have worked in PC & CC environments for 9 years, 4 in Group/corporate and 7 years in divisions.  I started with my first role here, in Hemel Hempstead. The role was called Finance and projects team leader and was based in the department called ASAP, which was the support function for the businesses.  After this I became the business controller for, what was then, Atlas Copco CMT UK. Which is the same entity I am now GM for so in some ways I’ve gone full circle! After this I worked overseas for 12 years, working in the construction and mining business in Eastern Europe, for Group in Stockholm running a market and business intelligence project, Compressor Technique in US for Quincy Compressors which was an acquisition with both a customer centre and product company. I then moved into a divisional role for Power Technique based in Antwerp, before moving to Vacuum Technique where my last role was setting up a new division called Semi chamber Solutions, made up of several carve out Acquisitions.

Do you think your previous role has helped with the General Manager role?

I think they help a lot. I have always worked closely with General managers and with if not in customer centres, and have seen a lot of different scenarios, cultures, and business climates. As I have worked in both operations and in the divisions, I see the role from the different perspectives of the business which helps a lot to understand the pressures and needs of all our stakeholders. During this time moving and developing my experience I have also met and worked with a lot of colleagues, so this helps when you already have some good relationships and networks in place. 

What are you most looking forward to in your new role?

I am really looking forward to continuing the work done by Kevin Prince. I have inherited a very well-run business with an excellent and experienced team, and I look forward to developing the teams further as well as looking to the future for our organization and product offerings to the market. Its exciting times in our industry with battery, electric and the continued drive for cleaner products and more environmentally sustainable ways of working. This is a great opportunity for us.

How will you approach these first few months?

My aim is to meet as many people associated with the business as soon as I can. Of course, that means all the people in our company (at writing I have 1 person left to meet) but also key customers, support teams and divisional/PC teams. I am also having a refresher on our product portfolio as I have been outside this business area for a while and there are some exciting new products that have arrived since then. I will be asking a lot of questions, so I get an understanding of the business and what our challenges and opportunities are. As the picture builds, along with my team, we’ll look to the future and work to ensure our strategy, plans and organization is structured to make the most of our portfolio and achieve our future goals & ambitions. 

And finally David, what do you like doing outside of work in your spare time?

I’m lucky enough to live in the South Downs national park and one of my favourite things to do is take our dogs out for walks and hikes. I always look for an excuse to be outside. I love sport and while these days, its more biking and gym rather than football and squash, I love to be active. I really enjoy watching professional sport, especially football and cricket. I love music. My dad was a singer and trumpeter in a band and all of that side of the family were musical so I have grown up with music. I used to play the drums and Piano when I was younger but sadly I rarely play anymore. I have an eclectic mix of playlists and CD’s that I listen to and I get a lot of joy when I find something that I haven’t heard before that I like. Otherwise I like to socialize and spend time with friends and family and I love cooking on the BBQ - I cooked the Christmas Day Turkey in it for the first time last year, which was more stressful than I anticipated but everyone ate it so I think it came out ok.