How have you been affected by Covid-19?  

Covid-19 impacted the way I do business in many respects.  There was frustration about not seeing some of my clients face-to-face for an extended period. On the positive side I fine-tuned my use of online meetings in new productive ways. As it turns out, this suits the software-as-a-service business here at FireMate.

Personal Questions 

Do you have any pets?   

Yes, two dogs. Both mongrels, both crazy in their own weird way. Everyone should have a dog or two though, they’re great!

What’s your favourite movie of all time? 

I don’t tend to have favourites, but if I had to pick a stand-out movie, it would be Pulp Fiction.

Describe yourself as a teenager in 3 words? 

Sporty, Cheeky & Curios… and I’m still the same today.

What is your biggest pet peeve/hate?  

People putting the loo roll the wrong way around. It baffles me.

If you could be from any other decade (or era), which would it be and why?

The Neanderthal era…Get a true primal experience! why not!?

What is your favourite quote and why?  

“Happiness is real when shared” from the movie Into the Wild. Also a great movie!

If you weren’t in the fire industry – what would you be doing and why? 

Something outdoors. I worked in the outdoor industry for a few years and loved it, just didn’t love the pay.                                                    

What’s on your Spotify or iTunes? 

I have one playlist that slowly gets added to. It’s a complete mixture of genres. The top of the list is currently Rival Sons – Pressure and time

If you could have any three people (dead or alive) over for dinner – who would they be? 

Liver King, Joe Rogan and Ricky Gervais – The Liver Kings lifestyle is fascinating and I think Joe Rogan would ask all the right questions leaving Ricky to bring the humour, whilst I sit back and enjoy the show.

What two things would you take to a Desert Island?  

A helicopter and pilot

If you were an animal, what animal would you be and why? 

An eagle, what else? You can go where you like, King of the skies and mostly left alone by humans.

What is the best gift you’ve ever received? 

Good health and half a brain, you can't ask for much more than that. A few more inches wouldn’t go a miss—height wise of course.

What's your favourite thing in your closet right now? 

My FireMate jumper of course!

If you could have one superpower, what would it be? 

Easy, teleportation. No more traffic, no delayed flights and late night trains home from London. Bliss!

Professional Questions 

Where’s the most interesting place that you have ever been with the Fire Industry? 

There are so many! Being backstage at the live BGT show to investigate a pre-alarm was fun! But I’ve surveyed and been to some iconic buildings in the UK over the years most recently Windsor Castle.

What's the best piece of advice you've received? 

Seek first to understand then be understood.

What time did you get to work this morning? 

6am

What does your usual day look like? 

Internal meetings with Australia and the UK, product demonstrations to the Fire Industry of Nimbus and the occasional catch-up with the FIA/ paddle tennis with Adam Richardson. A rematch is needed now we know the rules!

How does your work and family life come together? 

Very well, my partner also works from home and she has a similar work ethic to myself. We’ve got a pretty good balance of both.

What makes you excited about the future of this industry? 

IoT. I believe we are in a very exciting new era in the industry and technology is the key to opening it up. I’m proud to be a part of that and it's very motivating to know that you’re a part of something that will make a difference to fire safety worldwide.

What does the fire industry need? 

More enforcement and compliance to help drive the standards of safety up.

What do you like about the fire industry? 

We’re a niche industry and the people are what make it! I really enjoy catching up with people within it.

What matters most to you? 

Good health, friends and family.

What would you tell yourself at the age of 21? 

Invest, travel and bet everything you’ve got on Leicester winning the Premier League.  

What motivates you? 

Progress

Where do you want to be in 5 years? 

Overseeing international growth of Nimbus and FireMate.

Why is the FIA important to you and the industry? 

Its values in progression and supporting progress in the many different areas it influences. They have been a great association to work with in supporting IoT to date.