CV Issue 2 2018
CORPORATE VISION / Issue 2 2018 7 Transforming Cancer Care g build my own senior management team and then put the capital to work. In 2016, we raised a further £60m equity to build two additional oncology centres.” Being a founder of Proton Partners International is something Mike is extremely proud of, which is clear in the way he talks about the business and its staff. Essentially, Mike sets the targets which the team strives to reach, in the short, medium and long-term. Identifying strategies and working with the Board of Directors are all important aspects of Mike’s role, as he looks for opportunities and opens up avenues which will help the team achieve their targets. “In terms of my leadership style, I would say that I am somebody who likes to lead from the front while allowing others to thrive in their roles. I would say that key facets of my leadership style are; clear vision, clarity of thought, the ability to define the strategy and develop the goals and objectives, collaborative in nature and assertive. Also, I am a great believer in ensuring that all staff can develop their own leadership skills and have the space to exercise them. Most of all, I like to inspire people to step outside of their comfort zone, maybe do something that they wouldn’t normally do, or just do something different. “At Proton Partners International, we have developed a ‘Dare to Do’ scheme which challenges the staff to do something different. It can be anything from belly dancing to parachute jumping and much more in-between. We give them a day off to do the event and pay up to £100 towards the cost of the dare. The only thing I ask is that they photograph the event and do a write up for the company intranet.” Furthermore, having spoken about the integration of staff and how this is a key part of his leadership style, Mike goes into a bit more detail about how he manages his staff, and what key principles he expects both himself and his staff to adhere to. “Importantly, I would not say that I manage staff, I do like to think that I lead them though and, I ensure that they are well led and well managed. Managing staff well requires a good recruitment strategy, a sustainable management system and a senior management team with a range of experience and skill-mix. As CEO, I like to focus on growing the business, which is why I rely so heavily on the team around me to operate the business and manage the staff. We are doing something that nobody has ever done before; building a network of five proton beam therapy centres, concurrently, in the UK and in the UAE. This requires a motivated team, willing and able to work tirelessly to achieve the goals and objectives required of them. I believe in telling people what to achieve, not how to achieve it, allowing them to work it out and deliver the desired outcome. “Working alongside the team, I believe in functional management, not hierarchical management. I like to ensure that the most appropriate people have the authority and responsibility to manage their sphere within the business.” After discussing his staff and his feelings on his leadership, Mike then tells us how it feels to have been selected in the Corporate Excellence Awards 2017 as the 2017 CEO of the Year in the United Kingdom, and how it is a recognition of his excellent work, reflecting on an exciting year for Proton Partners. “From a personal perspective it is an honour, and extremely humbling, to be nominated the 2017 CEO of the Year for the United Kingdom. From the company’s perspective, it is a great way to mark the end of another successful year which has seen us open the first Rutherford Cancer Centre in South Wales and win an award for M&A growth. “Additionally, we have been working incredibly hard to secure the backing and support of investors to ensure that our vision of making high energy proton beam therapy becomes a reality in the UK. This sort of recognition also rewards the trust and faith placed in me by the investors, Board, stakeholders and my staff. “What is particularly pleasing about the award is that it is the Corporate Excellence Awards. We have worked tirelessly to promote Excellence within all that we do in the company, this award speaks well to that. We are still a young company, punching well above our weight, this award will allow us to stand toe to toe with our industry peers and not look out of place.” Being a business leader in this increasingly dominated technology generation can be quite challenging as there are always new developments and legislations which the team and company have to keep on top of. With an explosion in social media, CEOs and other business leaders also come under more
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