INTERVIEW
make the right decisions. As MD, there isn’t really anyone above you telling you what you should do. Yes, there’s reporting back to Germany, but you’re essentially in charge. I needed to learn to delegate, trust my team and give them the tools to succeed. Believing in yourself and trusting your judgement is so important. I think I’ve done ok over the last 39 years.
When you were President of the IOR, what values or principles guided the way you approached the role? I joined the IOR early in my career, encouraged by Alan Moore. Becoming a trustee and later President gave me the chance to give back. I’ve been lucky to get a lot from the industry and from the people in it. It was my turn to do the same. It’s incredibly rewarding when someone younger in the industry comes to you with a question and you’re able to help them. That’s the kind of legacy I want to leave.
Looking ahead, what gives you hope and excitement for the future of the refriger- ation industry? The industry’s ability to adapt. We’re a very close community and very resilient. Whether it’s refrigerant changes, regulatory pressure or AI, we seem to handle it all. Predictive maintenance, data analysis, AI-driven diagnostics is all exciting. But you’ll always need skilled people to physically do the work.
What are the moments that stand out most, and what will you miss? It’s hard to pinpoint one thing. My whole journey stands out. From internal sales to MD, nothing stayed the same for long. That kept it interesting. The people I’ve worked with, the opportunities I’ve had. I’ve been lucky.
What I’ll miss most is the people. I’ve built friendships
across the global Bitzer network – in the UK, China, Japan, the Middle East, the US. It’s a friendly industry, even competitors get on. People move around a lot, but you always bump into familiar faces. That camaraderie is hard to fi nd elsewhere.
Do you have any plans for retirement? I expect I’ll stay involved in the industry in some capacity. I won’t be working fi ve days a week, but I want to support the industry where I can. Perhaps I’ll get involved with some project work, mentoring or maybe the odd lecture. Mostly, I want to enjoy time with my wife. She’s given up a
lot over the years while I’ve been fl ying to meetings or dealing with out-of-hours emergencies. Now it’s time we get to enjoy life together.
Finally, what advice would you give to your younger self if you could? Without doubt, I’d tell myself to believe you can do it. I hesitated a few times early on, not sure if I was capable. But every decision, right or wrong, is part of the journey. You don’t need to know everything. Just be honest, be willing to learn and get stuck in.
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"Technology – not only refrigeration equipment and predictive maintenance systems, but the software we now use on a daily basis – has made the
industry more effi cient."
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