Interview with the new CEO
I can tell you, the past few days have been busy. Not only am I reaching the end of my diploma project, I also had to get upto speed on the newest developments here at DTM. Yes, I am talking about Nigel Bridges, the new CEO who was announced a week ago. And being eager to bring you more information from the inside I managed to organise an interview with Nigel for Friday evening last week. Here's the outcome:
Tobias: Hello Nigel! I am glad you could spare a few minutes for a short interview. Everybody seems very busy... Anyway, before we go into questions I have been itching to ask about Direct Traffic Media for quite a while, could you - as a kind of introduction - just tell us a litte about what you did before joining DTM?
Nigel: Yes, we are busy at the moment. Business is strong and there are a lot of exciting things going on.
Tobias: And about yourself?
Nigel: I graduated at the City University Business School in London. I then worked for an international boutique IT/Management consultancy where I gained experience in consultancy, business development and management - both in the UK and in Hong Kong where I ran the local operations. I then moved to a global systems integrator where I was again involved in both the client-side and in business management, running and growing a number of their businesses in the UK and Europe. Prior to coming to Direct Traffic Media I was with the Brains Group, a provider of offshore software development and other IT services. Working there as a CEO I helped them develop from start-up into a more substantial business that was later merged with Concise to become what is known today as Endava.
Tobias: Ok, that'll do for references. When you were announced to be the new CEO for DTM on the 8th of this month, you said that you were looking forward to, I quote, "working with the existing team who have worked very hard to establish the current leading position, and build upon it in the future." Can you give a brief overview on the history of Direct Traffic Media?
Nigel: Sure. Direct Traffic Media was founded three years ago in London when a gap in the market was discovered that allowed us to give our customers real results and visibility on Search Engines. We developed the system for two years and slowly grew a loyal customer base while we developed and fine tuned the software. We successfully proved the system and went forward from there...
Tobias: ...and how many people were involved back then?
Nigel: At that time just two founders, but not for very long. In the following year or so ten more joined the team, and as we are rapidly growing new people are joining us on a regular basis.
Tobias: Really? What sort of people are you looking to hire?
Nigel: Well, for instance in the UK we are looking to fill positions in Sales, Customer Services and IT Development. Internationally we are also looking to recruit as we move into new geographies as we have just hired our first country manager to look after our business in Benelux and the Nordics.
Tobias: I say, sounds like some serious ambitions here. Maybe I should get my CV brushed up. What are Direct Media's plans for the future then?
Nigel: Well, in many ways it’s quite simple. We intend to grow by being the best at what we do and by delivering on our promises to our customers. Our software solution behind our market leading product is not only excellent but world-beating. Thus, our plans for the future include international expansion plan, which I mentioned earlier, as well as growth in our home market in the UK. We plan on expanding in Europe and we are also looking further afield – we have the opportunity to become a global player if we grasp it properly. The way that we tend to operate is by setting up a core team at a new locations consisting of sales, client delivery and a publisher manager, and take it from there as the business grows.
Tobias: Sounds to me like a company that is convinced of its potential. I am sure that is reflected in your financial figures as well. Can you give us the heads up on annual turnover and net profit?
Nigel: Yes, it does reflect through to the numbers. I can’t tell you any specifics but I can say that we are a growing in terms of both revenue and headcount, and we are profitable. I’m afraid that further details need to remain confidential – for obvious reasons!
Tobias: Too bad. What's the secret? In that case, lets hear with what kind of philosophy DTM intends to pursue those ambitious plans?
Nigel: The philosophy of not just the leadership team but the whole company is driven by three core values: 1 - to work with the utmost professionalism at all times, 2 - to treat our stakeholders as well as we would expect to be treated ourselves and 3 - not to work with clients in certain business sectors such as pornography. I believe that if we commit to do our best for our customers and other stakeholders at all times then we will succeed in what we aim to achieve. Our stated mission is to empower businesses to position themselves in front of their target audience on the internet. This is not always easy, so we need to use a range of skills, capabilities, techniques, partners and software engines to help drive the right traffic to the right web sites so that our clients can increase both their brand awareness and their direct traffic. We don’t know of any other organisation positioned as we are in this area of digital media outsourcing.
Tobias: Since I am not a customer: what do your clients value the most about you?
Nigel: They value our ability to deliver on what we say we will deliver. We are proud to say that our customers perceive us as good people to do business with. Something, that may sound a lot more matter of fact than it actually is these days. We don’t get it right all the time, but we do get it right most of the time and when we fall short we will try to go the extra mile to recover.
Tobias: Righty ho - Nigel, once again: Thank you for having taken the time for this interview...
Nigel: Anytime. Thank you.
Tobias: ... and all the best for your future as the new CEO of Direct Traffic Media!
Nigel: Thank you, and very best wishes for your thesis on Corporate Blogs.
***
That's that. Any more questions from you readers? Be sure to post them in the comment section and I'll be happy to not only pass them along but to follow up as well... For more information on Nigels announcement to becoming the new CEO visit our news section.
Tobias: Hello Nigel! I am glad you could spare a few minutes for a short interview. Everybody seems very busy... Anyway, before we go into questions I have been itching to ask about Direct Traffic Media for quite a while, could you - as a kind of introduction - just tell us a litte about what you did before joining DTM? Nigel: Yes, we are busy at the moment. Business is strong and there are a lot of exciting things going on.
Tobias: And about yourself?
Nigel: I graduated at the City University Business School in London. I then worked for an international boutique IT/Management consultancy where I gained experience in consultancy, business development and management - both in the UK and in Hong Kong where I ran the local operations. I then moved to a global systems integrator where I was again involved in both the client-side and in business management, running and growing a number of their businesses in the UK and Europe. Prior to coming to Direct Traffic Media I was with the Brains Group, a provider of offshore software development and other IT services. Working there as a CEO I helped them develop from start-up into a more substantial business that was later merged with Concise to become what is known today as Endava.
Tobias: Ok, that'll do for references. When you were announced to be the new CEO for DTM on the 8th of this month, you said that you were looking forward to, I quote, "working with the existing team who have worked very hard to establish the current leading position, and build upon it in the future." Can you give a brief overview on the history of Direct Traffic Media?
Nigel: Sure. Direct Traffic Media was founded three years ago in London when a gap in the market was discovered that allowed us to give our customers real results and visibility on Search Engines. We developed the system for two years and slowly grew a loyal customer base while we developed and fine tuned the software. We successfully proved the system and went forward from there...
Tobias: ...and how many people were involved back then?
Nigel: At that time just two founders, but not for very long. In the following year or so ten more joined the team, and as we are rapidly growing new people are joining us on a regular basis.
Tobias: Really? What sort of people are you looking to hire?
Nigel: Well, for instance in the UK we are looking to fill positions in Sales, Customer Services and IT Development. Internationally we are also looking to recruit as we move into new geographies as we have just hired our first country manager to look after our business in Benelux and the Nordics.
Tobias: I say, sounds like some serious ambitions here. Maybe I should get my CV brushed up. What are Direct Media's plans for the future then?
Nigel: Well, in many ways it’s quite simple. We intend to grow by being the best at what we do and by delivering on our promises to our customers. Our software solution behind our market leading product is not only excellent but world-beating. Thus, our plans for the future include international expansion plan, which I mentioned earlier, as well as growth in our home market in the UK. We plan on expanding in Europe and we are also looking further afield – we have the opportunity to become a global player if we grasp it properly. The way that we tend to operate is by setting up a core team at a new locations consisting of sales, client delivery and a publisher manager, and take it from there as the business grows.
Tobias: Sounds to me like a company that is convinced of its potential. I am sure that is reflected in your financial figures as well. Can you give us the heads up on annual turnover and net profit?
Nigel: Yes, it does reflect through to the numbers. I can’t tell you any specifics but I can say that we are a growing in terms of both revenue and headcount, and we are profitable. I’m afraid that further details need to remain confidential – for obvious reasons!
Tobias: Too bad. What's the secret? In that case, lets hear with what kind of philosophy DTM intends to pursue those ambitious plans?
Nigel: The philosophy of not just the leadership team but the whole company is driven by three core values: 1 - to work with the utmost professionalism at all times, 2 - to treat our stakeholders as well as we would expect to be treated ourselves and 3 - not to work with clients in certain business sectors such as pornography. I believe that if we commit to do our best for our customers and other stakeholders at all times then we will succeed in what we aim to achieve. Our stated mission is to empower businesses to position themselves in front of their target audience on the internet. This is not always easy, so we need to use a range of skills, capabilities, techniques, partners and software engines to help drive the right traffic to the right web sites so that our clients can increase both their brand awareness and their direct traffic. We don’t know of any other organisation positioned as we are in this area of digital media outsourcing.
Tobias: Since I am not a customer: what do your clients value the most about you?
Nigel: They value our ability to deliver on what we say we will deliver. We are proud to say that our customers perceive us as good people to do business with. Something, that may sound a lot more matter of fact than it actually is these days. We don’t get it right all the time, but we do get it right most of the time and when we fall short we will try to go the extra mile to recover.
Tobias: Righty ho - Nigel, once again: Thank you for having taken the time for this interview...
Nigel: Anytime. Thank you.
Tobias: ... and all the best for your future as the new CEO of Direct Traffic Media!
Nigel: Thank you, and very best wishes for your thesis on Corporate Blogs.
***
That's that. Any more questions from you readers? Be sure to post them in the comment section and I'll be happy to not only pass them along but to follow up as well... For more information on Nigels announcement to becoming the new CEO visit our news section.
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1 Comments:
Whenever i see the post like your's i feel that there are still helpful people who share information for the help of others,
it must be helpful for other's. thanx and good job.
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