Andrew Madden – Partner, Banking & Finance, at Gateley PLC
• Stay calm: with all the noise about Brexit, political uncertainties and wider global headwinds, it would be easy to panic and make the wrong move. There’s no doubt that changing the way we interact with our largest trading partners in the EU will have an impact on how all of us do business, but it’s important to stay calm and remember that there is lot to be positive about.
• Be confident: for all the focus on international issues, we believe that an increasing devolution in the UK regions, such as the Midlands Engine and the Northern Powerhouse, will help our clients to thrive. Gateley’s regional, relationship-based service continues to thrive as UK businesses seek the support they need to grow safely.
• Collaborate: competition is good, but collaboration is better. Working with colleagues and partner organisations across the UK will help us to develop a business for all of the challenges coming our way and enable us to provide better, more relevant support for our clients and their businesses.
• Diversify: as the first law firm in the UK to seek a market flotation, Gateley is building a stable of complementary business lines to support our core legal service and enable us to deliver a broader and better service to our clients. Looking for new ways in which we can support our clients will help us to grow our business even more.
• Innovate: the pace of change in our working life continues to accelerate. Technology has transformed the speed with which we deliver our service, but increasingly it is also changing the way in which we provide advice. Looking for ways in which we can harness technology to deliver better, more cost-effective service is a key challenge.
• Be safe: the flip side of technology is that it has opened up a whole new range of risks. Cyber-security is a major danger faced by every business and needs to be at the forefront of our minds. Constant vigilance is required, alongside investment in safe technologies to protect our data and that of our clients.
• Communicate: changes in regulation occur constantly in all areas of industry, but few sectors have seen as much change in recent years as the financial services sector. We need to make sure that we are sighted on changes, such as GDPR which comes into force in May 2018, and work with our clients to ensure that they are fully prepared for implementation of any appropriate changes in time.
• Empower: we employ a fantastically talented group of people. We need to make sure that we empower them to make the most of their talents and give them space to develop into the best they can be.
• Be active: stay healthy and active. The “Tour de Gateley” in 2017 was a brilliant experience as many of our staff, clients and contacts joined together for a cycle ride from our office in London to Leeds, taking in Reading, Birmingham, Leicester, Nottingham and Manchester en route. A wonderful experience that raised funds for charity, but also introduced many new people to the joys of cycling and a focus on the need to make time to be active in and around work.
• Get out more: make the most of the benefits of a regionally based practice. Enjoy the wonderful outdoors on our doorstep and some of the best arts and culture the UK can offer, such as in my case Birmingham Royal Ballet and the Birmingham Hippodrome.
www.gateleyplc.com
