Going backwards to going forwards...
Marks Sattin opened the Reading office in 2008 and made good strides into the Thames Valley region. Headcount grew and things were going well. My predecessor was the driving force in the office for a number of years, holding the majority of relationships and contributing the lion's share of the revenue. When he moved into a new business, the Reading office was left exposed and fortunes started to decline. In 2014, 6 months after he left, I took the plunge and went about rebuilding the office. As I walked up to the large glass fronted building through a grassy courtyard, it was clear that the setting was rather grandiose. In the office itself, I was surprised to see with space for 16 heads, only 4 of the stations were occupied! Morale was low, something which is a killer to any sales focused business and there was a considerable lack of belief.
The first priority was to restore confidence in the team, office and market – along with adding a few new faces. We had our ups and downs, however finishing H2 14 in the green and I made the decision to downscale the office. The reason behind this, to ensure costs were lowered and pressure lifted from the team. Targets and KPIs are rife in the industry and pressure is part and parcel of the trade. With 80% lower rent costs, we were able to invest in a TV, XBOX, putting machine, remote controlled car and enjoy more team activities as a result. 2015 was a fantastic year, with revenues far exceeding expectations. At the end of 2015, the option was given to extend for another year – I gladly took this to ensure we continued building the team and culture of the office. This was a fortuitous decision as Brexit hit the region hard, far harder than I anticipated/ budgeted and revenues in the Reading office were well below all of our expectations in H1. Thankfully 2016 finished with a solid yet unspectacular number thanks to a very strong H2, momentum was good going into the current year.
Now in 2017, we have recorded our best half, quarter and month since the office’s inception. After 2.5 years, we finally have an office to be proud of with free meeting rooms to host interviews (sorry Costa), a roof terrace to hold networking events and a raft of perks to entice new recruits.
We are looking forward to celebrating 10 years in the region as of next year, please pop in and say hi, as we’d welcome a chance to (re)connect.
You can find us in The White Building, 33 King's Road, Reading, RG1 3AR.
Signup to receive the latest discipline specific articles
Related articles
Teaser
TechnologyContent Type
General
19/03/24
Summary
The year 2024 emphasises the crucial role of RegTech — a beacon guiding firms through the evolving global regulatory landscape, enabling them to connect the dots between short-term challenges and
by
Paul Roche
Teaser
TechnologyContent Type
General
19/03/24
Summary
The UK tech sector retains the number 1 spot in Europe and number 3 in the world as sector resilience brings continued growth. With this demand comes stiff competition. London offers a wide range
by
Ghazal Mayahi
Teaser
GeneralContent Type
Career Advice
19/03/24
Summary
Are you considering a change of scenery? Just look at London - an incredibly diverse city, with over 1,600 languages spoken and 300 nationalities represented. At the centre of the UK's 4.2 milli
by
Kelvin Murphy
Related jobs
Salary:
£27,000 - £28,500 per annum
Location:
Leeds, West Yorkshire
Industry
Professional Services
Qualification
None specified
Market
Commerce & Industry
Salary
£25,000 - £30,000
Job Discipline
Part Qualified & Transactional Finance
Contract Type:
Permanent
Description
Marks Sattin are currently recruiting a Credit Controller on behalf of a Global law firm in Leeds City Centre.
Reference
BBBH179286
Expiry Date
01/01/01
Author
Yasmin CloughAuthor
Yasmin CloughSalary:
£400 - £425 per day
Location:
City of London, London
Industry
Technology
Qualification
Fully qualified
Market
Commerce & Industry
Salary
£350 - £450
Job Discipline
Qualified Finance
Contract Type:
Contract
Description
FP&A Lead - Immediate Start - Global SaaS Business - Hybrid Working - Initial 6 month contract
Reference
BBBH179674
Expiry Date
01/01/01
Author
Kelvin MurphyAuthor
Kelvin MurphySalary:
£45,000 - £53,000 per annum
Location:
Dorking, Surrey
Industry
Consumer & Retail
Qualification
Part qualified
Market
Commerce & Industry
Salary
£50,000 - £60,000
Job Discipline
Part Qualified & Transactional Finance
Contract Type:
Contract
Description
12 month temp contract - Management Accountant
Reference
BBBH179668
Expiry Date
01/01/01
Author
Chelsea MillsAuthor
Chelsea MillsSalary:
£450 - £550 per annum
Location:
London
Industry
Technology
Qualification
None specified
Market
Commerce & Industry
Salary
£0 - £25,000
Job Discipline
Business Intelligence & Analytics
Contract Type:
Contract
Description
Senior Data Analyst - Qliksense - Contract role
Reference
BBBH178701
Expiry Date
01/01/01
Author
Amine ZekriAuthor
Amine ZekriSalary:
£450 - £500 per annum
Location:
London
Industry
Technology
Qualification
None specified
Market
Commerce & Industry
Salary
£0 - £25,000
Job Discipline
Business Intelligence & Analytics
Contract Type:
Contract
Description
Business Intelligence Analyst - Dashboard Developer
Reference
BBBH179664
Expiry Date
01/01/01
Author
Amine ZekriAuthor
Amine ZekriSalary:
£45,000 - £55,000 per annum
Location:
North Yorkshire
Industry
Business Services
Qualification
None specified
Market
Financial Services
Salary
£50,000 - £60,000
Job Discipline
Tax
Contract Type:
Contract
Description
.
Reference
BBBH179666
Expiry Date
01/01/01
Author
Aleksandra TaranovskajaAuthor
Aleksandra TaranovskajaSalary:
£55,000 - £65,000 per annum + + Bonus + Benefits + Hybrid Working
Location:
London
Industry
Energy, Resources and Industrial
Qualification
None specified
Market
Financial Services
Salary
£60,000 - £70,000
Job Discipline
Risk
Contract Type:
Permanent
Description
We are recruiting for a Market Risk Analyst with experience working in the Commodities market, to join one of the biggest players within the trading and shipping industry worldwide.
Reference
BBBH179663
Expiry Date
01/01/01
Author
Deem NaPattaloongAuthor
Deem NaPattaloongSalary:
£70,000 - £80,000 per annum + + Bonus + Benefits + Hybrid Working
Location:
London
Industry
Energy, Resources and Industrial
Qualification
None specified
Market
Financial Services
Salary
£80,000 - £100,000
Job Discipline
Risk
Contract Type:
Permanent
Description
We are recruiting for a Senior Market Risk Analyst with experience in working with refined products (e.g. blending, storage, biofuels etc).
Reference
BBBH179661
Expiry Date
01/01/01
Author
Deem NaPattaloongAuthor
Deem NaPattaloongSalary:
£110,000 - £120,000 per annum + + Bonus + Benefits + Hybrid Working
Location:
London
Industry
Energy, Resources and Industrial
Qualification
None specified
Market
Financial Services
Salary
£100,000 - £125,000
Job Discipline
Risk
Contract Type:
Permanent
Description
We are recruiting for a Market Risk Manager with experience working with Crude Oil (Physical & Derivatives) to join one of the biggest players within the trading and shipping industry worldwide.
Reference
BBBH179660
Expiry Date
01/01/01
Author
Deem NaPattaloongAuthor
Deem NaPattaloongSalary:
Up to £23,500 per annum
Location:
Doncaster, South Yorkshire
Industry
Consumer & Retail
Qualification
None specified
Market
Commerce & Industry
Salary
£0 - £25,000
Job Discipline
Part Qualified & Transactional Finance
Contract Type:
Contract
Description
Marks Sattin are currently recruiting a Payroll Administrator on a 12 month fixed term contract, working for a very well-established and known retailer based in Doncaster.
Reference
BBBH179572
Expiry Date
01/01/01
Author
Yasmin CloughAuthor
Yasmin Clough