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This month we celebrate ten years at the IQPC Group for the Managing Director of our Defence business, Pete Andersen. Pete originally joined as a conference producer back in 2010, he subsequently left us to work in a similar field, but obviously realised he had unfinished business within our Defence business and returned on 27th February 2013. 10 years, on and Pete is now running our Defence businesses on a Global scale.
Pete is extremely hard working and one of the most determined people you will ever met. These traits, combined with incredible business acumen, have resulted in him being the perfect example of how our career paths deliver success. Pete has been instrumental in the transformation of our global Defence business and someone that we are all extremely proud to work with. Therefore, we couldn’t let his ten years’ service pass by without asking him to share some pearls of wisdom.
What do you enjoy about working for IQPC and running the Defence business globally?
The fact that all products and opportunities start with the customer and then hit our ‘whiteboards’ where the vision is then driven by the skill and energy of the person or people bringing it to the table. The ability to shape a value proposition and understand a market opportunity anywhere in the world and then deploy that concept within 12 months remains genuinely exciting and keeps our business ‘young’ and cutting edge.
And what is most challenging?
Meeting all the demand in the marketplace. There are always more markets, more technologies, and more capability areas!
Your career at IQPC has been very successful – any key learnings to share?
Celebrate your trainees and reports taking what you have taught them and improving it! The next generation doing it better is the sign of a strong and growing business.
Have you had a strong mentor at IQPC? What have you learnt from them? (Please confirm who they are)
Ed Gumm, our HR Director- has been a font of knowledge for me and has helped me to build and subsequently look after some of the highest-performing and focused teams in the industry.
And finally, what made you choose this company and what has made you stay for so long?
There is a genuine entrepreneurial spirit here and there is no limit to the success or reward for high-performing teams and individuals. The Group is designed to support achievement and ‘wins’ are very much shared.