19th December 2025
Written by Holly Richardson
What first brought you to Robinsons and then what's kept you here all that time?
Previously I spent 20 years at Marston’s, starting there as a Brewery Personnel Manager and ending up as their Group HR Director. I left to do consultancy, and I was quite happy doing that, but was asked by Stephen Oliver, who was a Non-Exec Director at Robinsons at the time, to help cover the HR role for two or three months whilst they recruited for a permanent head for the HR team.
As soon as I walked into the place it felt like “home”, I was back in an environment which I loved and felt comfortable working. And so, a few discussions with Oliver and the rest is history. I love the business. I love the values of the business and the Robinsons are great people to work for. If they weren't, I wouldn't have endured the 75-mile one way trip up and down the M6 for best part of eight years.
What’s the biggest lesson that you've learned about people?
Try to say yes. When a manager or an employee says, “I want to do this”, try and find a way to say yes; even if you're not wholly comfortable with it. It's very easy in in our profession to turn around and go “No, that's not the policy, that's not how we do things”. But if you always say “no”, all that happens is people stop asking you and do it anyway. If you say yes, most of the time, when you do say no, they will usually listen to you.
If you could give your younger self a bit of advice, what would it be?
I think the advice I would give myself is to try and let go of the detail a little more than I have.
A lot of people in my profession are either utter control freaks or have no interest in detail at all. I fall squarely into the former group and want to know exactly what's going on all the time. I have realised that sometimes, when I think I'm “helping” members of my team, I'm actually “interfering” and subconsciously giving out the message that I'm not trusting them. And if I was my younger self being treated that way, I would be saying “back off a bit” on occasions. Let people show you what they can do; don't try and do it for them.
You've helped shape a lot of careers. Is there a moment where you’ve thought “This is why I do the job?”
There are individuals who have developed their careers with me, particularly those taking their first managerial roles and started their leadership journey that stand out for me. That first management job is by far the hardest one job you ever do, because you're not just one of the team anymore. I have been blessed at Robinsons with first reports who are both incredibly committed professionally and happen to be brilliant people. I am so proud of the team that I am handing over to Beth Anderson, and the way they've risen to that role. So, I'm really proud, not of what I've done, but of what the team has achieved.
A huge thank you to Steve for his hard work, dedication, and commitment during his time at Robinsons Brewery, and we wish him a very happy and well-deserved retirement.
