18th August 2025
Written by Holly Richardson
25 years – that’s incredible! How did your journey with Robinsons begin?
At the time, I was working for Baker Tilly, an accountancy firm. They held the contract to manage Robinsons’ finance function and, well, I never really left! What started as an outsourced role quickly became something so much bigger.
Did Robinsons not have an internal finance team back then?
Not exactly. We had an accounts team in place, but no internal finance team. Out of the blue, I was asked to do a bit of a review of the outsourced finance team setup – see what they were doing, how they were doing it, that sort of thing. I was happy to help, so spent a few days with the team, wrote a report, and handed it over.
A few weeks later, I was approached internally at Baker Tilly about taking over the team. My whole career has pretty much been a case of, “Do you fancy giving this a go?” and me saying, “sure, why not!” So, I said yes. The accountancy partner and I met with William [Robinson] at the Red Bull up the road and chatted through my ideas… and, as they say, the rest is history.
Have you noticed many changes since becoming a Robinsons employee or were you able to prevent them before they happened?
I’ve always seen myself, and my team, as advisors to the business. We work with so many different areas, and while we’re not the subject experts in those fields, we can still offer guidance, support, and an extra pair of hands. If we can help make something easier or more compliant, that’s when you know you’re adding real value.
When I first started, for example, I discovered we were writing up transactions in a bound ledger, then entering them all into a spreadsheet… and then uploading them into the software. I remember asking, “Why are we doing this?” Sometimes change starts with simply questioning why we are doing what we are doing.
Were those changes easy to implement?
It depends. Some changes, like cutting out unnecessary steps, were quick wins. But others took a lot longer. I remember David Bremner [Director of Marketing] once coming to me asking for a hierarchy of product margins. At the time, we just didn’t have that information. It took quite a few years before we were in a position to provide it. Sometimes, you’ve got to lay a lot of foundations to build it on top.
I find it fascinating that 10 years ago we didn’t even have that information – that’s a massive transformation.
It really is. Sometimes it all comes down to the sheer volume and the changeability of the data. Data’s a funny old thing – what you expect to be really hard to get hold of can turn out to be surprisingly simple… and the things you think will be easy can be difficult. It’s all about how it’s stored, where it’s stored, and how you can extract and shape it into something that makes sense to the end user.
What’s the best project you’ve ever worked on?
There have been so many – though I’ll admit, I have a terrible memory for these things! [laughs]. One that really stands out is the SoftCo project, where we introduced purchase orders into the business. Before that, we’d joke that the “Robinsons way” was that anyone could just ring up and order a tonne of malt to turn up. But that also meant piles of paper in folders moving around the business, and weekly trips up to Cumbria just to get a signature. It was a bit daft!
Introducing purchase orders brought real controls and processes into place. For some people who’d been here a long time, it was the first time they’d even heard of one. It was a big culture shift, but it laid the groundwork for everything we’re doing now. As we move from SoftCo to Business Central, the fact that people already understand the purchase order process makes it a much smoother transition. That was one of my first business-wide projects – catering to so many different needs and seeing everyone work together made it incredibly rewarding.
What’s your biggest frustration or the biggest misconception?
I think it’s that very few teams truly understand what other teams do. Even when departments work closely together, they don’t always see the day-to-day challenges or frustrations the other side faces. Sometimes you have to break down those barriers and really step into someone else’s shoes. Understanding the next link in the chain – and how your work impacts theirs – can make a huge difference, but it’s not always easy to do.
How do you do that?
It’s all about bringing people together and walking through processes side by side, so they can see things from the other perspective. One step naturally leads to the next, and it helps when everyone understands not just their own role, but what happens before their part and after it. It’s about breaking down those invisible walls between teams. It can be just as rewarding as it is frustrating – but when it works, it’s worth it.
What’s kept you here for 25 years?
I think it’s because there’s never a “typical” day. Robinsons is a funny size – big enough to have plenty going on, but not so big that every area has a dedicated team. You really have to be a bit of a jack-of-all-trades, turning your hand to whatever comes up and thinking things through logically. I’ve always found that really interesting. Over the years, it’s been about spotting what needs to be done and just getting on with it. You never get bored, and that’s a huge part of why I’ve stayed.
On the back of that, what are your key roles here?
Primarily, I head up the two accounts teams, payables and receivables, together with the finance and IT teams. I’m lucky to work with really talented people, and I like to be hands-on wherever I can. A lot of my time is spent on project work – for example, Business Central and all the data that feeds into it – supporting those workstreams and helping teams think through what they need and how to achieve it.
Of course, I’ll never know these areas as deeply as the specialists do, but I aim to guide and support them in planning and problem-solving. Outside of that, I focus on compliance, controls, and processes – covering tax, VAT, duty, employment taxes, and so on. Last week, I organised a duty training session for the UPC team, starting with the basics: what is excise duty and what do we need to watch out for. It’s all about making sure we’re doing what we need to do and doing it well.
Now let’s talk a little less business… what’s your favourite beer?
It really depends on my mood! On a night out, I’d go for a Helles, but on a quiet Sunday in front of the TV, it’s a Dizzy Blonde – I tend to stick to the favourites. That being said, my all-time favourite has to be Mojo – a really lovely tropical beer.
Which is your favourite Robinsons pub?
I’d probably have to go with the Tempest Arms in Skipton. It’s close to where I’m from – my parents live just over the hill – and I have memories of going there as a child. I still remember the best lamb I’ve ever tasted was served there, long before I even worked at Robinsons. The food’s always been excellent.
A huge thank you to Martin for taking the time to talk to us – here’s to many more years at Robinsons!
