By the time you read this, I hope to be up to my backside in a river where the fish are big, plentiful and stupid. It's not been an easy decision. Entek means a lot to me – I was in the MBO team in 2007 and one of only two who stayed when we sold the business in 2011. I wouldn't go now without seeing a good future for the plant. But sales are at record levels and it's in safe hands.
I feel, however, I've done the big things. I've seen this site through a turnaround from a brownfield with cultural issues to one that won Best Process Factory. I've been through the anxiety and adrenalin of the buyout. There are still things to do, but, for me, it would be more of the same. I would never take more holiday than my workforce – I lead by example. I don't have enough for yachts – and I don't even want them. But I do want the challenge of chasing golden dorado in Bolivia and taimen in Outer Mongolia. And I can't do that and still be the person who unlocks in the morning and often closes up at night.
There is no reason why anyone entering manufacturing today can't do as well or better than me. There will always be opportunities and they don't always go to the smartest people. They do, however, go to those who make a positive difference, who do their best every single day. I actually failed my 11-plus. Although I got good A-levels in maths, physics and geography, I was actually much stronger at art. I was selling paintings to local pubs and bookies for £30 a time – very good money. The fish focus was evident even then – I drew a pretty mean bream and my pike was superb.
Between university – Sheffield – and Entek, I worked for the Mars Group, back to the family business and then Nichols Foods. The great thing about Mars is it trains on both the commercial and technical sides. It's not about creating specialists; it's about creating good managers. I knocked on sweet shop doors before they gave me production, HR and IT projects. But Nichols was the real watershed. MD Gary Unsworth not only backed me fully in introducing lean, but also – through his insistence on seeing the best customer service way beyond manufacturing companies – let me develop ideas about creating strong workplace cultures. It produced Nichols' first Best Factory win which also put me on Entek's radar.
Maybe I'm bored by calm seas, but I don't flit around. I've done 8-10 year stints with each of the companies I've worked for. Coming here after Nichols was a shock – we were starting on our lean journey much further behind. But we are well on the road now and I'm proud of the whole team.
Retirement means paying more attention to my creative side. I've bought a grand piano and plan to learn to play it. I aim to be able to play in public in a couple of years. I don't think I'll sell out the Gateshead Sage, but maybe I can torture my mates after a few beers and a curry. Like Eric Morecambe, I think I'll manage all the right notes, but not necessarily in the right order. But I like being good at things. When I started to fly fish, I took casting lessons and practiced a lot and now I do it really well. It's not so different to running a factory; teach people well, reinforce the learning and keep practicing … I hope!
Heroes? Gary Unsworth [now retired MD of BFA winner Aimia through a buy-back from Nichols Foods]. He knew bugger-all about manufacturing, but everything about encouraging people to reach for the best.
Biggest mistake? Trusting my IT manager and borrowing his laptop for an industry presentation. I talked so much, the screen saver came on. When I turned around, a naked Lara Croft was lounging in front of a 100-strong audience.
Worst time? After the MBO. 20 million invested in new production lines just as the recession hit. And I'm on my own in Newcastle while the others are in the US. Leadership is lonely. But we went ahead and now we are working flat out.
Miss most? The banter.
Best advice? You are only as good as the people who work for you. So always surround yourselves with people who are better than you are.
