Job Title: Director and Business Development Manager
Company: Delta Fire
What is your background and how did you come to be in your present role?
At the University of Nottingham, I studied business management and was engaged in extracurricular activities such as treasurer of the Rutland Hall (Student Society) and the university’s business society. I knew business was something I wanted to get into once I finished university.
After my degree I spent some time in Australia where I worked in finance and began to train as a chartered accountant. However, due to COVID I had to move back home after only a year and half. At that time, the accountant at my grandfather’s company, Delta Fire, had retired, so it was fate that the role became available and I could take on that position.
I started at Delta Fire in finance, but as my time in business progressed, I wanted more exposure to other areas of the business. I moved into purchasing, production, understanding operations, before I moved into sales and business development.
I’m now Chief Operating Officer and take the lead in production and operations with the aim that I will be taking over the business in the next few years.
What has been your greatest challenge so far in your career?
I’m currently completing an MBA and I’ve struggled to balance my time between my role at Delta Fire and studying. The day job obviously can’t wait but sometimes I also have deadlines for my course, resulting in a few late nights and early starts. It has been quite a challenge.
What’s been your greatest achievement so far in your career?
Delta Fire was recently awarded two His Majesty the King’s Awards for Enterprise for innovation and sustainable development. I have been leading on the project for these awards over the last four years and it was great to see the company gain the recognition it deserves.
A personal achievement has been receiving a scholarship for my MBA. This was because I was voted to add the most value to the cohort due to my involvement in local politics, as Chairman of Greater Norwich Manufacturing Group, and as a member of the Regional Advisory Board for Make UK.
What advice would you give to your younger self?
Try not to worry and enjoy the journey. I’m ambitious and I put a lot of pressure on myself to try to look for the next thing, feeling like I am not doing enough. My advice would be to learn to trust the process.
How do you think we can raise the profile of careers in STEM?
When I was at school, manufacturing was never suggested as an industry to go into. You were pushed towards university and if you didn’t do that, other options weren’t offered.
Businesses must also take an active role in creating partnerships between academia and industry to ensure we are encouraging people into the sector.
Some schools are excellent in promoting manufacturing and some businesses are proactive in reaching out – but they need to be sharing what’s worked and why.
What is your favourite engineered/manufactured product?
I may be biased but it’s the Delta Fire Attack 100 Pro Fire Nozzle. I’m very passionate about what we make, we sell them across the world to professional firefighters every day to help save lives and protect communities and themselves from danger.
Can you give one interesting fact about yourself that not many people know?
My A levels are biology, chemistry and physics. I was keen to have a career in science but as things progressed, I decided that business and manufacturing were the route for me.
What advice would you give to someone considering a career in manufacturing?
Manufacturing covers a whole range of areas and the industry has a lot to offer.
There are many ways to get into the sector from apprenticeships, internships and university routes. Alternatively, you could reach out to manufacturing businesses yourself. Many of them are proud of what they do and would be pleased to show you around so you can get first-hand insight.
