100 Days In!

Joining H&H seven months ago and then stepping into the role of Managing Director of their Farmstock division four months later, I realised I was becoming part of a firmly established business with deep roots, strong traditions, and an integral role within the local community. Indeed, it is a great honour to follow in the footsteps of some of the greatest auction leaders such as Dick Harrison, Jimmy Heslop, and David Thomlinson to name but a few. It is people like them who developed and established the H&H business into what it is today – the largest livestock auction business within the UK. Now, 100 days in, I have experienced the business and am beginning to chart a way forward, balancing respect for the past with a vision for the future.

 

One of the most important things I have done to date is to listen! I have spent time with staff, customers, and members of the local community, getting to know what they expect from the business and what matters most to them. Their views are all broadly similar in that a business such as ours succeeds as a result of trust, relationships, and reliability.

 

My respect for both my team and our customers has grown during these 100 days as I witness their dedication and support for the business and the wider industry. Similarly, I have visited numerous key partners, getting to understand the broader supply chain and how, by closer collaboration, we can build an even greater business.

 

My initial observations have been as follows:

 

Our people are our business – from the yard staff and auctioneers to the admin staff and senior executives, it is the resilience and dedication of our people that underpins our business.

 

The business is sound but cannot stand still – whilst we may feel that we are efficient, and that the old ways are the best, there are major opportunities to continue refining our systems. Simply put, we need to work smarter, not harder.

 

Technology must serve the process, and we must embrace it – online auctions, smarter software, the introduction of AI: all these must make life easier for both customers and staff and help to improve the experience.

 

Our role in the rural community is vital – we must be more than just a market; we need to be a centre of excellence, providing a wide range of services that offers both social and business support.

 

Some of the early wins so far include making both the business and our infrastructure fit for the future. We continue to strengthen the internal communications and team culture through leadership training and engagement. Tighter operational procedures - such as the reduction of debtor days and our exposure to large scale debt - will improve efficiency and accountability whilst also increasing our ability to fund other opportunities as they arise.

 

As I now progress into the next phase I aim to build more good business into our solid values and foundations. I look to modernise systems and processes whilst retaining the personal touch. I aim to enhance our current service offering to ensure we retain existing business whilst attracting new business from an ever-increasing client base. We will grow and develop our people through training and experience, thereby ensuring future succession from within the organisation. Finally, we must ensure sustainability and the highest standards of animal welfare, which are aligned with best practice and future industry expectations.

 

To summarise, I am honoured to have been given the opportunity to lead the Farmstock business at Carlisle and throughout our other six centres. The warm welcome received from staff and customers has been humbling. The livestock industry is built on resilience, hard work, and relationships that have spanned generations. I am committed to leading with integrity, compassion, and a steady focus on long term value for all those associated with us.