Every day during the Christmas holidays we profile winners of the recent IoD Director of the Year Awards. Today it’s Gareth Loye, CEO of M&M Contractors, who won the Family Business Director award
‘Treat other people as you would like to be treated’ – Gareth Loye, CEO, M&M Contractors
Infrastructure project management, maintenance work for utility suppliers and civil engineering for the construction industry are just some of the services provided by the company that Gareth Loye joined 15 years ago as a project supervisor. Since becoming CEO of Belfast-based M&M Contractors in 2011, he has turned a regional operator into an international concern that counts BT, Virgin Media and Vodafone among its blue-chip clients. How does Loye, the leader of a company that now turns over £29m a year and employs 200 people, go about his work?
What’s the best piece of business advice you’ve ever taken? Treat other people as you would like to be treated.
What has been your biggest challenge? Recruitment. This is a two-way street: to find the right people, you need to show them your business, what you have to offer and how you can help their careers.
What’s the secret of great leadership? Clear strategy and communication. For a business to run well, its people must understand where they are going and what’s happening in the organisation.
Where do you get your best ideas? I like reading articles on business to help spark inspiration. I also take time out of the business to see it from the outside.
What media do you prefer? I like podcasts. I’m currently into [health guru] Andy Frisella. He’s not everyone’s first choice, but I enjoy his straight talking.
What are your plans for the company in 2018? Our top five priorities are to: implement new commercial software; develop our senior team; improve profitability through efficiency; increase exports; and develop our bid team.
What’s the biggest leadership lesson you’ve learnt? That you need to understand all of the factors that can affect your business’s performance.
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