What initially attracted you to join the fire industry?

Like many people, I fell into the fire industry by accident.  At age 20 I walked out of a very tedious office job.  My girlfriend’s father managed a very small extinguisher company in Central Scotland.  He taught me a few rudimentary sales techniques, gave me a price list, a brochure, an order pad and a box of business cards.   After a week I was out on my own driving from town to town; stopping to knock on doors everywhere which needed extinguishers and service contracts.  I did well.

My first interaction with a Trade Association was when FETA invited me to its Kingston office in 1999 to have an input to splitting extinguisher installation away from the servicing standard.  25 years ago – wow!  Since then, of course, FETA merged with BFPSA to form the FIA.

Reflecting on your life so far, what achievement or milestone are you most proud of, and why?

There have been several but, on reflection, I shall say Fatherhood.  I waited until I was ready to be a father, my mid-30s – I got career-leaps, partying, powerful sports cars and intense-hobbying out of my system first and woke up one day ready to be a Dad.  My two sons round me off as an individual and certainly make me better able to deal with the challenges work, people and general life throws in my direction.

How can the fire industry be improved and what does it need for this to happen?

Good question.  The distance between regulation/standards and innovation should be closer.  Innovators, by nature, push boundaries; without them we wouldn’t move forward and improve.  Too often though, innovation breaks convention, regulation and standards.  Doing so does two things: (a) confuses customers whose only objective is compliance; and (b) causes conflict within our industry.  Neither are particularly palatable or productive for any of the parties involved and takes up far more energy and focus than it should.

In the next five years, what are your career goals within the fire industry, and what steps are you taking to reach them?

Maybe not the answer the FIA seeks here; but I’m hoping to retire in the next five years.  I mentioned fatherhood above… my own father is not a man of many words, but he did say to me at the start of my working life that the number which equals one’s age should be more or less the % of income one should endeavour to have going into a pension pot.  I took his advice; realised personal debt to be folly very early and have been OK.  I might consult after I retire but would be choosy if I did – only because I have too much else planned.

What's the most valuable piece of advice you’d give to someone just starting out their career, in the industry?

My career took a huge up tick very early on.  I was on a Senior Leadership Team before the age of 30.  I did so by absorbing information, accepting all guidance from senior peers, doing the hours, doing the miles, doing the hotel-nights, learning from mistakes, moving to take up new opportunities and not being afraid to take the next step.  So, my advice to someone just starting would be to do all that and roll the dice when opportunity knocks.

What is the most important area of work that the FIA are involved with (for you and the overall industry - if different)?

I’ve been very involved with the creation of the new practical training area at Northwich most recently.  Teenagers no longer tinker with bikes and cars and may struggle to even drill a hole in a wall... but would know how to find an online video explaining how to in an instant.  Being able to learn how to physically fit, test and maintain things is so very important for this generation – we are blessed to have Northwich providing that for the fire industry.

I’ve worked for small, medium, large organisations as well as global corporations.  I find that the FIA takes in the opinions of all and provides for all at the same time.  Whatever the topic, it’s the two-way relationship the FIA has with its members that is very important.

What is your favourite hobby or personal interest outside of work?

Three if I may.  Railways & diesel locomotives.  I am a member of a group which own’s three powerful 1960s Deltic diesel locomotives.  Since I have helped a seven-year overhaul one of them; organised many excursion trains hauled by them and, most recently, written a coffee-table book covering the type’s history since six were saved from the scrapman in 1982.  Yes, Francis Bourgeois has me in his contacts…

Music.  It’s never too long until my next live gig – all are such incredible emotional experiences, more so with age I’m finding.  My first were Rainbow and Michael Schenker Group in 1983.  My last few were Marillion, a Pink Floyd tribute and Thomas Dolby.

Mrs M and I started walking canal towpaths during COVID; and we haven’t stopped since.  In legs of between five and ten miles we have now completed most of the canals in the north of England.  We’ll keep going ...

What superpower would you have and why?

Ooh.  Great question.  I’d love to clean up planet earth’s environment from humankind’s past ignorance.  To start with though, I’d need to stop the warmongers trashing more innocent lives.  Someone needs to be in charge!

If you could go anywhere in the world for a holiday for three months all expenses paid, where would you go and why?

Kefalonia.  It’s unspoilt, has the best olives, the clearest waters and is baking hot.

Name 3 characters you would have to dinner for the perfect evening. One dead, one alive and one fictitious.

Dead: Alan Turing – Bletchley codebreaker and philosopher

Alive: Professor Alice Roberts – Academic and Humanist

Fictitious: Princess Leia – Diplomat and Skywalker