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Management Team of the Year


sponsored by NatWest


With the charity collection completed and coffee on all tables, Sally Taylor brought diners’ attention back to the final three Awards, inviting Dan Salanson, NatWest regional director, Solent, and Lord Digby Jones to the stage once again.


The category judges were looking for a standout management team that had driven its business forward using knowledge and creative ideas and shown strong leadership and teambuilding skills.


Once again six finalists were in the frame: CLC Group, CV-Library, Eric Robinson Solicitors, The Mary Rose Museum, Onecom and R&M Electrical Group.


To a growing background music crescendo, Salanson announced Onecom as the 2015 SBA Management Team of the Year.


Whiteley-headquartered Onecom’s primary activity is the supply of mobile phones and resale of mobile phone connections and associated products. Employing 300 staff, it is now the largest independent mobile phone provider in the UK, and consistently appears in the UK Tech Track 100.


The judges had commented: “We were impressed with their management team’s ability to continue to drive the business forward whilst successfully embedding significant change within the business. Management have had to cope with the merger of two businesses, two cultures and two different customer bases while ensuring the smooth integration of the businesses


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systems, processes and culture. Not only did they successfully achieve this, but also continued to grow the business at the same time.”


Onecom’s MD Richard Schafer received the award and shared some breaking news: “We have signed a large deal with Vodafone, a key strategic partner of ours, extending our relationship for another five years, which is a significant achievement for us all at Onecom.” (The £500 million deal will enable Onecom to sell total communication solutions as Vodafone’s key UK partner.)


As head of a winning management team what was his advice for achieving business success, asked Taylor.


“For me, it is first of all about people, and then instilling belief in those people. Once you have instilled that belief you take them with you on your journey, and that’s what enables you to deliver on success.”


And a vital management team attribute?


“It is all about attitude, the click between each other. Everybody brings something to the team but there is an underlying thread of getting on and understanding one another, so you don’t have to dig too deep to see where somebody is at, what their pressures are, and what they need. You see and respond by giving them your support.”


So, a ‘management team’ needs to focus on the ‘team’ aspect rather than ‘management’? “Very much so.”


Left: Dan Salanson of sponsor NatWest (far left); Richard Schafer and Darren Ridge (second and third from left) of Onecom and Lord Digby Jones


Top: William Crook of R&M Electrical Group which came in second place


Above: Catherine Maxfield of Eric Robinson Solicitors collects third prize


Second-placed in this category was R&M Electrical Group. The judges noted the company’s “loyal and committed workforce as reflecting an open and values-driven management style.” Management team commitment to training and development needs of employees was also praised, along with an important ‘family feel’ maintained by workforce involvement throughout.


Placed third, Eric Robinson Solicitors had completely re-organised its management structure, appointing a managing partner and managing the firm through its departments rather than offices, while successfully adopting cutting-edge technology, increasing profitability, and tackling company issues.


Highly Commended were: Southampton- based painting and decorating contractors CLC Group; Fleet-based CV-Library, one of the UK’s largest online job sites; and The Mary Rose Museum at Portsmouth built around Henry VIII’s 16th century flagship lifted from the Solent in 1982.


THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE – SOLENT & SOUTH CENTRAL – NOVEMBER 2015


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