CEO DIARIES THE GROUND UP FROM
For our ongoing CEO diaries series, Simon Luke, group managing director of Reid Lifting, discusses his role as an industry leader, his experience in the sector and his hopes for the future.
Can you tell us a bit about yourself and your role as an industry leader? I am 55, married with two boys who now live and work in London. I live in Poole in Dorset where I enjoy spending time on the water, playing golf, walking and cycling. I have been working in the lifting industry as group managing director of Reid Lifting since 2019. Over the past six years, I have concentrated on creating a vision and providing strong leadership across all areas of the business, enabling the management team and the wider team to achieve their potential and grow Reid’s domestic market. This includes expanding its export markets – including setting up a US entity in 2020 – enhancing product quality and production efficiency, and achieving outstanding levels of customer satisfaction, alongside robust financial growth. My strategic vision, ability to articulate
it and to get things done in a dedicated and disciplined way, combined with my commitment to excellence, have been pivotal in inspiring the Reid team and driving our many accomplishments. In addition, as a medium- sized and growing business, I have always been happy to roll up my sleeves and get stuck in to ensure that the team benefits from my experience and passion, and ultimately succeed in their endeavours. I especially enjoy getting involved in product development, marketing initiatives and spending time with our customers, visiting trade shows and exploring new markets, but overall, I just love the business of overcoming challenges, pushing for growth and success. I am fortunate that I have a great team that share my passion.
Simon Luke, group managing director at Reid Lifting.
Can you tell us how you got into this industry and why? My involvement in the industry was somewhat accidental and I had not set out to be a part of the lifting industry. I had previously run my
38 | August 2025 |
www.hoistmagazine.com
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