CM December DECEMBER 2018
THE CICM MAGAZINE FOR CONSUMER AND COMMERCIAL CREDIT PROFESSIONALS
THE CICM MAGAZINE FOR CONSUMER AND COMMERCIAL CREDIT PROFESSIONALS
Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
BRANCH NEWS<br />
A Successful Re-Launch<br />
North West Branch<br />
EMIRATES Old Trafford was<br />
the iconic venue for a highly<br />
successful re-launch event<br />
for the North West Branch.<br />
Almost 60 delegates<br />
were present to hear<br />
presentations from Philip King, Chief<br />
Executive, and Claire Bishop, Head of<br />
Member Administration, who talked<br />
about the CI<strong>CM</strong>, its history, its work, its<br />
future plans and the various study and<br />
membership options available.<br />
Executive Board member Victoria<br />
Herd followed explaining why credit<br />
management is vital to any business,<br />
along with real-life examples of what can<br />
go wrong when a company neglects best<br />
practice. Victoria went on to describe<br />
the characteristics that go into making<br />
a good credit professional. Christopher<br />
Hardman from Bureau Veritas gave an<br />
amusing and well-received account of his<br />
journey as a CI<strong>CM</strong> Apprentice, drawing<br />
on comparisons with ‘The most famous<br />
apprentice of them all’, Luke Skywalker.<br />
The presentations were rounded off<br />
with a summary from Karen Young,<br />
Director of Hays Credit Management, of<br />
salary and recruitment trends in the credit<br />
profession, with particular emphasis on<br />
the North West Region.<br />
After a round up from Branch Chair<br />
Peter Gent, there was an opportunity<br />
for a lively networking session, over an<br />
excellent buffet provided by the staff at<br />
Old Trafford.<br />
The branch committee would like to<br />
express its thanks to all who attended,<br />
along with Hays for their support; our<br />
presenters for their time and effort; and<br />
the staff at Lancashire County Cricket Club<br />
for their hospitality.<br />
The committee are keen to maintain<br />
the momentum the event has provided<br />
and would like to receive feedback from<br />
members in order to compile a calendar<br />
of future events which will hopefully be as<br />
strongly supported.<br />
Author: David R Thornley FCI<strong>CM</strong> MAAT<br />
Full name:<br />
Mark Clowes.<br />
Current job title:<br />
Credit Control Team Leader.<br />
Current company name:<br />
Hays Specialist Recruitment.<br />
Number of years in credit management:<br />
One and a half.<br />
Number of years in current role: My current<br />
role is my first in credit management.<br />
How did you get into credit management?<br />
I previously worked in payroll and really<br />
enjoyed chasing overpayments we had made<br />
to temporary workers. When a job in credit<br />
control came up I applied and was successful<br />
in getting the role.<br />
What is the best thing about where you work?<br />
I really enjoy the people I work with on a daily<br />
basis. We are all like a little family.<br />
What motivates you?<br />
Career progression, doing my job to the best of<br />
my ability and supporting my team.<br />
What skill do you think has helped you most in<br />
your credit career so far?<br />
I would say my firm but fair approach. You<br />
need to be able to empathise with clients but<br />
at the same time ensure you get the result you<br />
require.<br />
Name three people you would invite to a dinner<br />
party and why?<br />
Donald Trump, Kim Jong-Un and Vladimir<br />
Putin. Being involved in a private conversation<br />
with the most powerful leaders in the world<br />
would be interesting to say the least.<br />
What is your favourite pastime/relaxation<br />
activity?<br />
I like to spend time with my children and<br />
family, socialising with friends and going to<br />
watch the football or boxing.<br />
What is the best/worst quality in a leader?<br />
The best quality is taking responsibility and<br />
ownership for yours and your team’s actions.<br />
The worst quality is to be disengaged and<br />
unaware in what your team are doing<br />
Who is your business or personal hero?<br />
My personal hero is Aleksandar Mitrovic for<br />
pretty much single handily getting Fulham FC<br />
back into the Premier League.<br />
What can't you live without?<br />
I’d say food as I have to have at least three<br />
meals a day.<br />
60SECONDS<br />
WITH<br />
WE WANT<br />
YOUR NEWS!<br />
Get in touch with Andrew Morris by emailing<br />
andrew.morris@cicm.com with your branch<br />
news and event reports. Please only send up<br />
to 400 words and any images need to be high<br />
resolution to be printable, so 1MB plus.<br />
What’s been your most rewarding moment in<br />
your credit career?<br />
When I have worked with a client by agreeing<br />
a repayment plan and the client sticks to that<br />
plan and pays off all of their outstanding debt.<br />
On a personal level, it was being recognised by<br />
my team in our circle of excellence reward and<br />
recognition scheme.<br />
What has surprised you the most about<br />
working in credit?<br />
How difficult it is to get invoices paid.<br />
If you weren’t working in credit management,<br />
what would you be doing?<br />
When I was younger I aspired to be a TV<br />
presenter so probably the next Ant or Dec.<br />
The Recognised Standard / www.cicm.com / <strong>December</strong> <strong>2018</strong> / PAGE 59
Change language