AROUND THE CLOCK


AROUND THE CLOCK 1


What are your main


responsibilities?


I am responsible for Dräger’s fixed gas detection system products in the UK, which involves launching new products, training the team, devising marketing strategy and so on – it’s varied.


I also have overall responsibility for two other key areas of the business and work with colleagues who lead these areas: portable gas detection and Dräger’s drug and alcohol testing product division in the UK.


2


How did you get into the industry? I’ve spent the last 15 years of my career in the safety


industry and prior to that I worked in the machine tools sector. It was an active decision to move into safety and it was a great move for me – I get a lot of job satisfaction from helping to bring people home safe to their families each night.


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What did you do before this job? I specialised in technical sales for machine tools –


capital equipment. It was a role that took me all over the UK, and it taught me a lot.


What do you do in a typical day? I might be in planning meetings with the UK


marketing team, or preparing for a specific product launch, or working with sales colleagues on a specific customer requirement. I also spend time supporting my team where needed and exchanging knowledge so that we’re all up to speed on new developments and innovation across the business.


What’s your most memorable or proudest work moment?


There is a moment early on in my career when I worked in sales which I’ll never forget. I’d spent years developing a relationship with a large, important prospect, working very hard to try to win the business.


As I was driving home one evening, I got a call from the decision maker and at the end of the conversation it seemed we’d lost the business – I was devastated.


A moment later my boss called and announced we’d won the contract. I went from despair to absolute elation and pride in the space of about 10 minutes.


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What career would you like if you weren’t doing this?


I think it’d be something to do with coaching or mentoring young people. As well as supporting young people facing mental health challenges, I’d also like to mentor on practical life skills such as money management.


www.draeger.com/en_uk/Home www.draeger.com www.tomorrowshs.com 6 7


In each issue we catch up with a health & safety professional to find out about their varied work/life balance. This month, we caught up with David Head, Senior Marketing Manager, Draeger Safety UK.


What’s the best part of your job? I love the collaboration element of my role and


supporting my team. When I see my them secure their own successes, I feel so proud. I’ll never tire of that feeling.


What’s the worst part of your job? In the last few years, it’s been the restrictions


brought about by Covid. I found it so hard not to be able to interact with people face to face.


But overall – and in retrospect – it’s been a positive; we now have so much more hybrid working and the whole company is far more flexible in how we deliver.


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Do you have any advice for anyone starting out in the industry?


That is really simple, I think. Work with people and companies with integrity. Your personal integrity is so valuable, and who you work for is a reflection of you and your choices. Do your research and work with an established, reliable, innovative brand that is focused on quality and has a true mission.


How do you like to unwind? I am a man of four wheels. I have a Lotus Series 1


Elise and through my passion for cars my family, I go along to some really nice events – hill climbs and car show picnics in the summer.


I’m also a keen fitness fan – I find it really helps me keep life in balance and things in perspective.


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