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Footdown sings the praises of the satellite guru
January 11 2010
Matt Perkins CEO of Surrey Satellite Technology Limited (SSTL) and member of the Esher Footdown fifteen has led his company to secure a contract to deliver construction of 14 satellites for the Galileo navigation system.
The contract, which is worth approximately £500 million Euros, will be delivered by Matt and his team in Guilford in conjunction with their German bid partner OHB System.
SSTL will provide Galileo’s navigation equipment and transmission system. The contract will also provide 100 new jobs at the already 300 strong organisation for engineering graduates and PHD students.
James Dubois, leader of the Esher Group, said of Matt’s success:
“We are delighted that Matt’s company has won this contract which will be executed over the new few years and we hope there will be more to follow as the company goes from strength to strength.”
Matt has been a member of Footdown for the past X of years as part of the Esher group who meet X times a year. He says of his achievement: “I am privileged to have a great team who secured this project for SSTL and I am hugely proud of their achievement. I'm also really lucky to have friends in the Footdown organisation who care and support me so much.”
Mike Roe, Chief Executive of Footdown, said: “Whenever we hear about the great successes of our members we are extremely proud. The Footdown groups concentrate on inspiring leaders to be the best they can be and we are delighted for Matt, SSTL and the Esher group.”
More information about the contract can be found via the links below:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8447402.stm
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/industry/engineering/6946960/UK-to-build-500m-EU-sat-nav-system-to-rival-GPS.html
Free online management training for Footdown employees
December 2009
Creative training consultancy Leaps & Bounds, run by Esher Fifteen member Caroline Esterson, has launched a free 12 week management development course available to all associates and employees of Footdown members. The email-based course is perfect for those new to management or who are seeking additional tactics for day to day management. It takes as little as five minutes a day to work through and has already supported the development of many thousands of managers in companies like O2, Orange and eon.
Those signing up to the course will need 15 minutes a week to read and ponder an email and 15 minutes to record some thoughts at the end of a task. The course covers topics in three different categories – the individual, others and ‘the job’ – including what motivates people, time management, dilemmas and what others want.
For more information or to sign up, visit http://tinyurl.com/ygq7rfc
Esher Fifteen celebrates launch of new business collaboration
December 2009
Two members of the Esher Fifteen have joined forces to harness the full power of their combined expertise to launch a new company offering the best in property project management services to a new private client base. Murrin & Murrin will operate under the umbrella of parent company MBH Partnership, run by Footdown member Andy Murrin, with support from fellow Esher member Paul Cash.
Andy comments: “The commercial and retail side of the business, covered by MBH Partnership, has weathered the economic storm better than we anticipated, due in no small part to the support and advice from the Esher Footdown Fifteen, run by James Dubois. However, I’ve long-since identified the potential of our private client sector, which is rich with possibilities and something for which I have a personal passion.
“When Paul joined the group, I immediately saw him as someone who could help fulfil my dream of setting up Murrin & Murrin,” continues Andy. “Previously I had never been encouraged to actively work together within such a mentoring group - it was effectively discouraged due to potential conflict of interests and possible fear of failure. This seemed an incredible waste to me – we have built up an unparalleled level of trust and respect for each other and the combined power of the individuals in my Fifteen is phenomenal, so why not harness that? I’m thrilled that the Footdown ethos encourages this kind of partnership, and our initial success with Murrin & Murrin proves it’s the right attitude to have.”
Andy’s years of experience working with a private client portfolio of international celebrities, entrepreneurs and media stars makes him ideally placed to offer his expertise to a wider group of individuals who are looking for something a bit different and more tailored towards their personal property management and development needs, whether in the UK or abroad.
Andy concludes: “The new division is a natural progression for us. While we’ll be based in the UK, we’re also looking to set up an office in the South of France where we’ve already built up a strong team of experts in this arena, and after that who knows? However, what I do know is that Paul’s unrivalled marketing experience, enthusiasm and passion combined with my industry knowledge means Murrin & Murrin will continue to lead the way in this unchartered area.”
Footdown helps launch the first World Peace Festival through Entrepreneurs with Conscience
November 2009
“Peace comes from being able to contribute the best that we have, and all that we are, toward creating a world that supports everyone. But it is also securing the space for others to contribute the best that they have and all that they are.” -
Hafsat Abiola, Nigerian human rights activist
At Footdown, we are lucky enough to regularly be in the company of the UK’s top leaders and entrepreneurs. However, it’s not often that we are given the opportunity to rub shoulders with celebrated musicians and international peacekeepers, as was the case at the latest Entrepreneurs with Conscience event, hosted on 12th November by Footdown and supported by the Royal Bank of Scotland.
Acclaimed German musician Tom Oliver joined a panel of experts including Dr Scilla Elworthy, founder of Peace Direct and chief advisor to The Elders, Jez Frampton, global CEO of branding network Interbrand, and Shaun Whatling, head of brand relationship consultancy Redmandarin, to showcase the opportunities available to forward-thinking UK companies at the inaugural World Peace Festival.
With names like Bono, Bruce Springsteen, Desmond Tutu and the Dalai Lama all being linked with the festival, to be held in August 2010. Tom and his team passionately expressed their views to the elite audience of around 40 business leaders on how a peace and commerce can – and must – co-exist to guarantee the future of a civilised world. The two-hour event was barely long enough to touch the surface of the ideas and ideologies the team have for creating a global movement towards peace, starting with commitment from individuals right through to corporate obligation and government action.
The three-day event will include art and photography exhibitions, live music concerts and a film festival, concluding on the third day with a conference on peace-building for the 21st Century, chaired by Desmond Tutu. It will be attended by delegates from around the world including Nobel Peace Prize winners, military leaders, celebrities and corporate entities, at which Footdown members and associates are invited to be involved.
While Dr Scilla Elworthy gave examples of how the awareness and funds raised will be used and actioned following the event in areas of the world that need it most, Jez Frampton focused on what peace actually means to the modern corporate world. He alluded to the misrepresentation of the peace ‘brand’ and how our views as a society have moved on from a vision of flower power to something more confused and perhaps even cynical. One of the aims of the World Peace Festival, he commented, is to bring the idea of peace up to date – to demonstrate to a modern world that it has a brand value of its own that needs not only to be respected, but supported by other internationally recognised brands.
One of the key messages of the event was that both individuals and businesses cannot afford to ignore the need for world peace. From supporting the event through corporate sponsorship and alignment, as outlined by Shaun Whatling in his address, through to committing to positive change which can be filtered down through an organisation, what is needed is a pledge to make a difference.
Footdown’s involvement with the World Peace Festival in these planning stages will enable members and associates to be involved in something truly inspiring. Whether in a sponsorship capacity, or by supporting the organisers in an advisory capacity in the spirit of the individual Fifteens, the relationship provides a one-off opportunity to make a real difference.
For more information on the World Peace Festival itself, please visit www.worldpeacefestival.org or to be put in contact with the organisers or any of the speakers at the Entrepreneurs With Conscience event please call Debbie Richardson on 01225 858884 or email debbie@footdown.com
Footdown National Event a success
October 2009
The Big Question: How do you influence others to do that which you believe to be right and needs to be done?
At Footdown, members and leaders are constantly asking how they can be better, more effective, more successful. But, as we all know, this success doesn’t solely lie in the hands of the individual’s actions, but more in their ability to be inspiring leaders, and to get the best out of others.
But what does this mean in practice? At Footdown’s national event, held at The Royal Society, Pall Mall, on 13th October, the Olivier Mythodrama Company led members, leaders and speakers through a day of Shakespeare-inspired leadership techniques, following the story of one of the world’s most famous – and infamous – leaders, Julius Caesar.
Through a series of theories and practical exercises, the 80-strong Footdown team combined to discover the importance of identifying different character traits and learning how to communicate effectively with these different types. In a similar way to the Colour Works theory, the Olivier Mythodrama Company established four key personalities – the Cunning Fox, the Wise owl, the Innocent Lamb, and the Inept Donkey – each with its own set of key attributes.
The afternoon involved a practical session of ‘Senate Debates’, with individuals joining to form coalitions and practicing the art of convincing those from other groups that their views are right – essentially trying to ‘influence others to do that which they believe to be right and needs to be done’. The overwhelming majority of coalitions focussed on issues addressing the global environmental and social crises affecting society today, demonstrating yet again the strength of feeling amongst those elite commercial minds towards the greater good.
While the day was given over to the Olivier Mythodrama Company, there were plenty of networking opportunities and frequent breaks to allow members of different Fifteens to interact, resulting in the formation of new relationships and interests.
Following the event, with time to reflect, members were extremely articulate in response to The Big Question. Minnie Russnak of Go Partnership and member of the Thames Valley Fifteen replied: “I’m going to read more Shakespeare! I’m also going to encourage my staff to use their listening and observation skills to understand and read situations and listen to people better. With this, their ability to gather relevant information will improve and in turn help them to gauge the pitch they use according to the need of the situation to get the desired outcome or can help them to network more effectively.”
Simon Fulford, member of the Surrey Hills Fifteen, responded: “In future I’m going to pay more attention to the emotional state of groups I'm addressing and alter my delivery accordingly, even having to adopt different styles for different people in the same room. I’m also going to use this technique to build my team to be more effective.”
Footdown speaker Chris Keeble answered the question with more of his own: "Begin by convincing YOURSELF about the rationale which makes it 'right'. What are the ethical criteria you are using to sustain your 'belief'? What criteria are the folk you are trying to influence using to come to their judgment about the 'rightness' of the proposed action? What reasons do you hold about 'why it needs to be done'? Would they be 'reasonable' to your folk?
“If you are convinced, present the reasoning to those you lead, involving discussion, clarity of thinking and dealing truthfully with all the objections, so that each individual can come to make a good choice. My experience in combat is that the demands of the moment preclude 'discussion' and decisions are taken on trust; the reasoning being done ruthlessly post-hoc by those you lead and those who wish to take a view on the decisions; authority, media; public, historians, etc
“It seems to me that leaders do not 'motivate'; rather they enable people to make the best choice for their good, their vocation, their relationships, the task in hand, the community to which they belong and, in the end, their flourishing. I like the metaphor with regard to people of being a gardener bringing something to life; rather than a mechanic constructing a product.”
These few observations of the many that were made characterise the feeling of the event – a day of learning, practicing and inspiring, not only from the actors from the Olivier Mythodrama Company, but also from one another in the true spirit of Footdown.
Manchester Fifteen launches with resounding success
May 2009
Footdown’s latest group, the Manchester Fifteen, led by highly experienced industry leader Malcolm Farrar, launched on May 21st at an event held at the city’s Marriott Worsley Park Hotel.
A select group of leaders attended the private dinner, together with Footdown’s motivational speaker Nigel Risner, who provided a challenging and inspiring interactive presentation.
Malcolm was delighted by the attendance and the enthusiasm and desire to immediately establish a Footdown group in Manchester.
Mike Roe, Chief Executive of Footdown, said: “It was fantastic yet again to see so much interest and enthusiasm from the business community in Manchester. I always get a buzz from having so many great leaders and so much potential in one room – the power of the Manchester Fifteen will be truly formidable. Both Malcolm and I are keen to see this newest group form as soon as possible, and with so much interest it won’t be long.
Manchester takes our portfolio of Footdown Fifteens up to 12 groups across the country, each inspiring leaders to be the best they can be.”
For more information about any of the Footdown Fifteens please contact Debbie Richardson on 01225 465640 or email debbie@footdown.com.
Second Entrepreneurs with Conscience event
Green is the colour of money
March 2009
Monday 16 March saw the second Entrepreneurs with Conscience event held at The Royal Society, London, co-hosted by Footdown and The Prince’s Trust. With a guest list boasting UK business leaders from a huge range of industries and sectors, including Eurostar, Greenpeace and The Soil Association, the group came together to discuss and debate issues critical to both the environmental and economic future.
An impromptu address from surprise guest Vince Cable, deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats, started an evening set to inspire and ignite environmental action within the crowd. He commented on the distraction that the credit crunch has caused and argued that green issues cannot be ignored even in these difficult economic times. Cable also commented that change must not be dictated by government but must be the product of a determined business community, something that caused a running debate throughout the evening.
Lord Ron Oxburgh, former Chairman of Shell and current Chairman of renewable energy company 2OC, welcomed guests to the event by pointing out that the future will consist of business that are ‘doing well by doing good.’ He went on to say that future generations will look back on us with a degree of astonishment – we have finite resources and the science available to overcome this, but we are effectively doing nothing. He urged his audience to work together, in a similar spirit to that of the Footdown Fifteen, to use the power of the collective to make substantial changes within the UK business community.
Jonathan Porritt, founder of Forum for the Future and chair of the Government’s Sustainable Development Commission, then took the floor for what was set to be a rousing commentary on what must be done. He challenged Vince Cable’s view that government is powerless to implement change, arguing that when it sees fit, government has consistently legislated for the common good against the wishes of some, using the smoking ban or seat belt laws to illustrate his point. He accused the government of being full of rhetoric, using empty words that will never be fulfilled.
Despite the bleak picture he painted of our future, Jonathan proposed that there is a solution to the worsening environmental crisis: that both the government and entrepreneurs must adopt a programme of fit for purpose policy making. The suggestion of an imposed carbon tax with a guaranteed floor price for a tonne of CO2 would certainly help focus the minds of those who have used resources freely and perhaps thoughtlessly.
The idea of energy efficiency was also one that plays a huge part in Jonathan’s vision for a sustainable future, but is often something that is overlooked. Both businesses and government need to recognise it as a priority instead of a supplementary process. According to Jonathan, the only future we can realistically live in is one that is 100% renewable and we need to act now to make that future achievable.
Bringing the message home to the entrepreneurs and business leaders in the room, Jonathan’s final statement was one based in economic reasoning – current capitalism is based on carbon-rich wealth; the future must be founded on carbon-neutral prosperity.
In the following hour over dinner the room was abuzz with business minds expanding on what they had just heard, all of which was sharply pulled into focus by Footdown founder Andrew Mercer’s account of the origins of green energy businesses 2OC and Blue NG. Those familiar with Andrew will know that his words never fail to inspire, and he held the audience captive, putting emphasis on personal responsibility saying ‘when your children ask you what you did, you need to be able to tell them’. He left the audience in no doubt that there is plenty of money in renewable energy – around $800m in the US alone – but that it is up to entrepreneurs to drive the industry forward with new ideas.
The end of the evening saw John Sauven, Chief Executive of Greenpeace, join Lord Oxburgh, Jonathan Porritt and Andrew Mercer to answer questions from the audience. When asked about the forthcoming environmental conference in Copenhagen there was an expected amount of pessimism, but as Lord Oxburgh pointed out, ‘we need to have something to take the place of Kyoto’. The same companies that are destroying the planet are the ones who could save it, according to John Sauven – all that is needed is a critical mass between businesses to make it happen.
The idea of individuals as well as businesses making a difference was addressed, as was the need to engage young people, as they hold the key to our future. Jonathan proposed that the choices available to consumers needs to be edited, as unpopular as that may be in the beginning, combined with incentivising people to choose an environmentally-sound lifestyle.
Mike Roe, Chief Executive of Footdown, comments: “What the event has reiterated once again is that sustainability and profitability are in no way mutually exclusive – in fact they rely on each other totally. Businesses need to come together to not only generate realistic plans for the future but also to capitalise on the huge opportunities that we have before us. A greener future is the only future we can look forward to, and there will be money to be made on the journey.
“Andrew Mercer’s ingenunity in launching 2OC is a prime example, but he didn’t do it alone. Through Footdown, he met like-minded, determined leaders who worked together to create a true success, both environmentally and economically. How many more opportunities could there be if we share not only our ideas, but our passion for making these ideas a reality?”
Second Entrepreneurs with Conscience event set
for
16th March 2009
Feb 2009
Inspiring entrepreneurs to be the change they want to see…
Entrepreneurs with Conscience aims to inspire socially responsible entrepreneurs to maximise their contribution to addressing the dangerous challenges – including climate change, peak oil and a rapidly growing population – that we face as a society today. The event will do this by providing a forum for sharing ideas and experiences and seeing how we can use the power of the group to make a real difference.
Without a vital contribution from entrepreneurs, it is unlikely that we will be able to meet the requirements of a growing and increasingly energy hungry world population. This in turn will have devastating consequences for the world’s future climate, health and wellbeing.
“The kind of innovation we need [to tackle climate change] is 10,000 innovators in 10,000 garages trying 10,000 things.” - Thomas Friedman
The energy industry is valued at $6 trillion annually and has 4 billion customers worldwide. John Doerr, a partner at Silicon Valley venture capital giant Kleiner Perkins, recently described energy as “the mother of all markets – perhaps the largest economic opportunity of the 21st century.”The joint venture between renewable energy company 2OC and National Grid, that created Blue-NG, is just the kind of innovative climate change and peak oil tackling venture that John Doerr and Thomas Friedman have in mind.
In April 2007 Footdown hosted the inaugural Entrepreneurs with Conscience forum, at which renowned environmental business campaigner Jonathon Porritt, together with fellow environmental leaders Tony Juniper (Friends of the Earth), John Sauven (Greenpeace) and Steve Howard (The Climate Group), urged a select group of entrepreneurs to make sustainability and tackling climate change a core part of their daily lives. The positive effects of this event are impressive, far-reaching and, more importantly, still continuing.
For more information about the event, to be held at The Royal Society, London, on 16th march, please contact Debbie Richardson on 01225 465640 or email debbie@footdown.com
Footdown takes Manchester by storm
February 9th 2009
Footdown founder and super-entrepreneur Andrew Mercer was joined by motivational speaker Nigel Risner at a leadership event described as ‘the best two hours you’ve ever spent’ in Manchester last week.
Addressing an audience of Manchester’s top leaders, entrepreneurs and business brains at the exclusive Dukes 92 in castle Street, Andrew gave a dramatic presentation demonstrating how strong leadership is the key to surviving the current economic demise. As a co-founder of green energy company 2OC, he also touched on environmental issues close to his heart, including the threat of global warming on businesses as well as the planet.
Nigel followed by giving a masterclass in how to make the right impact, something every great leader should know.
The event was hosted by Manchester communications expert Mike Perls, Managing Director of MC2 and a member of the North West Footdown Fifteen. The following day, both Andrew and Nigel joined Mike as keynote speakers at an event for the North West Managing Partners Forum, of which Mike is the Chair.
Commenting on the two events, Mike Roe, Chief Executive of Footdown, commented: “We were delighted that both events were such a success and extend our thanks to Mike and his team at MC2 for inviting us to be a part of them. Great leadership is arguably more important than ever in these tough times, and to see such enthusiasm and determination in response to our ethos of being the best you can be was extremely rewarding.”
For more information about forthcoming events please contact Debbie Richardson on 01225 465640 or email debbie@footdown.com
Cotswold Fifteen launches in style
February 2009
The Old Bell in Malmesbury is the oldest pub in England, steeped in history and tradition, so where better to launch a brand new Footdown Fifteen led by inspirational leader Josie Payne.
Joined by former England Ruby coach Andy Robinson, who talked about the impact being a member of the Bath Fifteen has had on his life, the group debated issues of leadership style, personal accomplishment and the experiences necessary to be a great leader.
Commenting on the event, Josie said: “The evening was a fantastic success. We were lucky enough to be joined not only by Andy Robinson, but also by a lively and articulate group of people all there to help support the launch of the Cotswold Fifteen. We are now looking forward to our inaugural meeting on 19th March, where we already have members from a variety of industry sectors including education, IT, the police force and healthcare.”
For more information about the Cotswold Fifteen or any other Fifteens across the country, please contact Debbie Richardson on 01225 465640 or email debbie@footdown.com
Andrew Mercer and Nigel Risner to front leadership event in the North West
January 2009
Andrew Mercer and Nigel Risner are set to share their secrets of success with an exclusive audience in Manchester next month as they front a leadership event with a difference.
Thursday 5th February will see CEOs, MDs and entrepreneurs from across the North West meet to network and share ideas about successful leadership in ‘what could be the best two hours you’ve ever spent’ according to organisers MC2.
Mike Perls, MD of MC2 and member of the Cheshire Footdown Fifteen led by Donald Bone, hopes the event will challenge the region’s leaders to be the best they can be, something he himself is learning through his membership of Footdown. The questions “If not us, then who? If not now, then when?” will resonate through the event, inspiring guests to take another look at their leadership styles and become even more successful.
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