CRAIG PRATT Regional Sales Director, CMYK.
What were your career ambitions growing up?
My ambitions growing up was to be a fast jet pilot in the Royal Air Force, unfortunately that dream came to an end back in early 2009 before I embarked on my current career path in business technology. However, I’m still very lucky to be involved with aviation and uniformed service as a reserve Flying Instructor teaching young individuals from the Cadet Forces and aspiring Instructors to fly.
Tell us about your current role?
My current role as Regional Sales Director at CMYK is to establish our new operation here in Newcastle, to build on our wider group strategy and build a regional team to support our clients and partners.
What is your proudest business achievement?
My proudest business achievement to date has definitely been taking the quantum leap to head up CMYK in the North East earlier this year. Especially during the height of a global pandemic and a global financial meltdown. I suppose this bold move just highlights our confidence and ability to make this a huge success!
How do you see your industry changing in the next decade?
I don’t know where to even start…our industry has jumped forward a decade just in this last 12 months as businesses have had no other option but to embrace agile technologies to allow them to operate. Now we look ahead to the Hybrid workplace, building on our existing agile offerings to give organisations more flexibility, to adopt fluid working environments and continue to provide critical business technologies to support this change.
What are you currently working on?
To many things to mention, but our main focus at the moment is engaging with businesses and forming partnerships across the region to help grow our brand presence and client base across the North East. During these early stages it’s absolutely key that we get this correct and our growth needs to be in a sustainable and ethical way. We want to forge lasting relationships with our clients and provide a service they shout about.
Tell us about the team you work with?
CMYK as a team is like something I’ve never seen in our industry before, its dynamic, highly skilled, highly motivated and totally customer focussed. Everything we do as a team is all about providing our clients industry leading advice, delivering value added solutions and ensuring the very best in customer service. I’m also delighted to be embarking on this journey with my long term colleague Sarah Wharrier, we have worked alongside each other for 12 years.
What is the best piece of business advice you have been given?
Don’t give your best years to somebody else, give them to you.
What do you see as your biggest challenge?
Biggest challenge is undoubtedly putting CMYK on the map here in the North East and building on the successes of the wider group. We’re in a great position looking ahead, we’ll grow as the pandemic eases and North East business is ready to embrace and partner with an agile, current, dynamic and fresh alternative provider of workplace technology.
Who are your heroes inside and outside of business?
Inside of business I don’t have heroes per se, but I do have a huge amount of respect for all business owners, especially during these challenging times. Outside of business my wife Rebecca, without her support and sacrifice I wouldn’t be able to do what I do now.
How do you unwind outside of work?
Spending quality time with my family, getting out and about on family adventures – something I’d took a little bit for granted before the pandemic, but now family time is top of the priority list! Aside from family time I enjoy going to the gym, socialising with friends. I’m also keen but very average golfer, so I’m very thankful the Golf courses have now reopened.
Favourite Book and Boxset? I don’t have a favorite book as such, (unless you can class TopGear mag as a book?) I like reading about all things aviation and books about adventures and heroic endeavours. Favorite Boxset has to be Band of Brothers – every time I watch it I see something I’d previously missed.
