Admin phantom Posted February 8, 2019 Admin Report Share Posted February 8, 2019 There is an interesting Q&A that has been appearing on the Bristol Sport website, introducing people that work for Bristol Sport. Always interesting to put a "face to a name" in the club. I've spoken to Mark a few times and found him a very approachable, friendly and knowledgeable chap, never met Lisa before. For anyone that has never spoken to them, when you see them about the ground go and say hello and get to know them they are decent people Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin phantom Posted February 8, 2019 Author Admin Report Share Posted February 8, 2019 Each week we highlight one of our Ashton Gate Stadium employees. This week, as it’s the first of our features, we put the spotlight on Ashton Gate’s Managing Director, Mark Kelly. What time does your alarm go off? 5:30am to clear down any work before the kids wake up. What’s the first thing you do when you get to work? I have a walk around the stadium and see what events are on – I also grab a coffee from coffee shop. How long have you worked for Ashton Gate? Four and a half years. MARK KELLY Before working at Ashton Gate, what was the most unusual or interesting job you’ve ever had? I spent a summer being a private sailing instructor in Miami for Bobby Houston, Whitney Houston’s daughter! What do you like most about working for Ashton Gate? Every day is different and the opportunity to test innovation and creativity in a large scale. I know it’s a cliché but I see my role as lifestyle not a job. How do you define success? Achieving set goals, short and long term. Happy family. What does leadership mean to you? Creating other leaders. What 2019 concert are you looking forward to most at Ashton Gate? I think Take That will attract a brand new demographic to the stadium who have not been here before and I am curious to see how this will work. How do you balance your career and family? I ensure I do the school run 3 or 4 times a week to keep up with the kids activities. Both of my kids are Bristol City and Bristol Bears fans which makes it easy on match days as they love to come along. If there’s no game on Sundays, my phone gets locked away from 10am until the kids are in bed. If you could switch your job with anyone else in the business who would it be? Frank Fielding - Always reckoned myself as a keeper! What advice do you have for prospective Ashton Gate candidates? There is a great opportunity to start in one area of the business and grow a career across different areas of economics, whether that be in kitchens or sales and we have some great examples of colleagues who have developed and grown across the business. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin phantom Posted February 8, 2019 Author Admin Report Share Posted February 8, 2019 Each week we highlight one of our Ashton Gate Stadium employees. This week we put the spotlight on Group Head of Communications, Lisa Knights. LISA KNIGHTS What time does your alarm go off? 6:15am on a weekday, but I’m normally awake before it actually goes off. I have a quick scan of emails/ WhatsApp on my phone to check the world hasn’t stopped spinning and then I try and do some form of exercise before the children get up. Once they are up it is the usual struggle to get them out of the door on time with all the necessary bags and kitbags plus of course multiple repetitions of “brush your teeth, brush your hair, get your shoes on” escalating in volume, before we can actually leave the house… What’s the first thing you do when you get to work? Coffee and deep breath. Before working at Ashton Gate, what was the most unusual or interesting job you’ve ever had? I did lettuce picking in a field in Norfolk in my school holidays once – not interesting but fairly unusual and definitely backbreaking! I’ve been very lucky to cover lots of big news events and interview some really interesting people but covering the Asian Tsunami for ITV from Sri Lanka was probably the most fascinating. I travelled the whole of the west coast with an aid team reporting on the devastation and loss of life. How long have you worked for Ashton Gate? It will be five years this year! It has flown by and there’s been so much change in that time. What do you like most about working for Ashton Gate? Part of what attracted me to the job was that I felt like I could make a difference in my home city – Steve Lansdown’s vision of building something that was iconic for the city and that we could inspire people through sporting excellence really appealed to me. I love that every day is different and often quite unpredictable. The very best thing about the job though is the people, so many staff go above and beyond every single day. I am lucky to work with so many people that I like and who make me laugh - a lot. Life is too short to do a job you don’t enjoy! How do you define success? Everyone’s definition is different, mine centers around my family and my personal values. I guess success for me is determined by being able to look back and feel proud that I did the best I could. What does leadership mean to you? To inspire people to do the very best they can. I would hate the thought of people ever thinking “she didn’t pull her weight or go the extra mile” - If people don’t see you as trying your hardest then they won’t either. I come from a team sport background and dynamics of a team are so important. If you have just one person not committed, then you fail. What 2019 concert are you looking forward to most at Ashton Gate? Take That, as I’m coming to it with the same group of girlfriends that I went with to see them with in 2006. That said my kids watched Spice World over Christmas so now we are coming as a family to see Spice Girls. My husband is constantly in despair over my musical taste! How do you balance your career and family? It is actually much tougher than I thought it would be, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. I want my children to understand the value of working hard. My parents instilled in me a strong work ethic and I hope I pass that on. From years of getting up to be in a swimming pool at 5am I firmly believe that you have to work at things, nothing worthwhile should come easily – you have to work at everything – be that career or relationships. From a logistics point of view, I do the school run most mornings, Nick my husband picks up most afternoons - we make it work together. If you could switch your job with anyone else in the business who would it be? It would probably be one of the Bristol City Women players - To be able to earn a living playing professional sport is a great thing and a very new thing for women’s team sports in particular. What advice do you have for prospective Ashton Gate candidates? If you are the right personality, then the right job is here for you. You don’t necessarily have to love sport (although it helps) but you have to be able to come in everyday and give your best with a smile in place. Sir Dave Brailsford once said to me he thought the biggest marginal gain you can make in your daily life is to smile. I couldn’t agree more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Hunt-Hertz Posted February 8, 2019 Report Share Posted February 8, 2019 I too am eternally grateful for my lifestyle choice, when I'm up to my neck in carcinogenic, corrosive chemicals, at 2am. Beats working for a living! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InCyder Posted February 8, 2019 Report Share Posted February 8, 2019 I can only assume that they were both interviewed before Muse were announced? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midred Posted February 8, 2019 Report Share Posted February 8, 2019 39 minutes ago, Mike Hunt-Hertz said: I too am eternally grateful for my lifestyle choice, when I'm up to my neck in carcinogenic, corrosive chemicals, at 2am. Beats working for a living! Still at the Coor's brewery then? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Hunt-Hertz Posted February 8, 2019 Report Share Posted February 8, 2019 5 minutes ago, Midred said: Still at the Coor's brewery then? I can only dream of such glamour. I work at Solvay, in the tooth gratingly shite Oldbury, W.Mids. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoxton casual Posted February 8, 2019 Report Share Posted February 8, 2019 3 minutes ago, Mike Hunt-Hertz said: I can only dream of such glamour. I work at Solvay, in the tooth gratingly shite Oldbury, W.Mids. I saw a presentation from Solvay recently. Far more interesting company than I thought. Brummies lovely, cheery, optimistic bunch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Major Isewater Posted February 8, 2019 Report Share Posted February 8, 2019 54 minutes ago, Mike Hunt-Hertz said: I too am eternally grateful for my lifestyle choice, when I'm up to my neck in carcinogenic, corrosive chemicals, at 2am. Beats working for a living! You should have paid attention in school. Do you work at Isewater Enterprises by chance ? We need stout fellows like you for our final third of the season, when Squeaky Bum Oil production goes through the roof . Luckily we have Isewater’s Broken Roof Glue in large stocks . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Hunt-Hertz Posted February 8, 2019 Report Share Posted February 8, 2019 2 minutes ago, hoxton casual said: I saw a presentation from Solvay recently. Far more interesting company than I thought. Brummies lovely, cheery, optimistic bunch. Ooh...don't call them Brummies! Oldbury is the devil's arsehole. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Hunt-Hertz Posted February 8, 2019 Report Share Posted February 8, 2019 1 minute ago, Major Isewater said: You should have paid attention in school. But it pays very well. I'd venture that I am "considerably richer than YOW!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Hunt-Hertz Posted February 8, 2019 Report Share Posted February 8, 2019 1 hour ago, Major Isewater said: You should have paid attention in school. Do you work at Isewater Enterprises by chance ? We need stout fellows like you for our final third of the season, when Squeaky Bum Oil production goes through the roof . Luckily we have Isewater’s Broken Roof Glue in large stocks . A liberal slathering of phosphorus oxychloride would nicely cure any squeaky arseholes. In fact you'd have no arsehole (or lower torso, for that matter). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
42nite Posted February 8, 2019 Report Share Posted February 8, 2019 Anyway.... I'm looking forward to seeing our 'brand new demohraphic' when it arrives. I've always wanted one of them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Posted February 8, 2019 Report Share Posted February 8, 2019 Why was Mark Kelly not asked about Robbered not turning up to meet him? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drew Peacock Posted February 8, 2019 Report Share Posted February 8, 2019 Not spell checked again. Centers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin phantom Posted February 15, 2019 Author Admin Report Share Posted February 15, 2019 This week we put the spotlight on Group Head of Commercial, Caroline Herbert. What time does your alarm go off? 5.50 am during the week, when I try to haul myself out of bed to go for a run. Failing that I enjoy the calm before the inevitable chaos of walking our two dogs and trying to organise myself and my two children to leave the house on time. What’s the first thing you do when you get to work? I grab a coffee and have a quick catch up with the team. How long have you worked at Ashton Gate Nearly two years. CAROLINE HERBERT Before working at Ashton Gate, what was the most unusual or interesting job you’ve ever had? I worked at the National Theatre when I was 17 which was pretty exciting. I saw every play and got to hang out with the actors in the Green Room every night. Outside of that it was probably working for Hearst Communications and Cosmopolitan in particular. I learnt so much in that environment particularly about brand marketing, media and sales. What do you like most of about working at Ashton Gate? I love the pace and diversity of my role which is both extremely challenging and rewarding. There is so much scope to develop and to push boundaries but more importantly I feel part of something that is genuinely making a positive and lasting impact on people’s lives. I have never felt so emotionally invested. How do you define success? Being the best version of myself, continuous development, achieving goals, adventure and being surrounded by the people I most love and respect. What does leadership mean to you? Leadership means doing the right thing with passion and commitment and creating a culture of continuous development where people feel supported to do their best and where effort, talent and results are recognised and rewarded. Leadership is about setting the vision and bold goals, having confidence in your actions, being creative, unafraid to take risks and learning from your failures. And importantly it’s about setting the right example, integrity and taking responsibility for your actions. What 2019 concert are you looking forward to most at Ashton Gate? Probably the Spice Girls. They had a huge impact on a generation and even my 12 year old daughter knows Wannabe. How do you balance your career and family? With great difficulty! The key is being focused and carving out quality time where I invest in them and what we’re doing. Luckily we all love Bristol Flyers so we have a shared passion and I can combine work and seeing my family at the same time. If you could switch your job with anyone else in the business who would it be? Chef George Opondo. I’d love the challenge of running my own kitchen and creating new and exciting dishes. Outside of that it would definitely be one of the Flyers team. I’d love to make a game winning, three point buzzer beater. What advice do you have for prospective Ashton Gate candidates? There are so many incredible opportunities for bright, creative, hardworking and passionate individuals. If you are excited by challenge and are looking for a dynamic place to work which offers development and a range of career paths then this in the place for you. It really is more than just a job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin phantom Posted February 21, 2019 Author Admin Report Share Posted February 21, 2019 This week we put the spotlight on Chief Financial Officer, Gavin Marshall. GAVIN MARSHALL What time does your alarm go off? I don't need to set my alarm - my 15 month old daughter Emma wakes me up nice and early even morning. What’s the first thing you do when you get to work? Make a cup of tea and walk through the office catching up with the team. Before working at Ashton Gate, what was the most unusual or interesting job you’ve ever had? I used to write and edit a music magazine in the late 1990s - my music taste is still largely stuck at 90s indie. How long have you worked for Ashton Gate? Nearly three years. What do you like most about working for Ashton Gate? There is lots to love about working at Ashton Gate Stadium. The pace and variety is great - I love watching all of our sports teams, but best of all is working across the Group with really talented and passionate people with common goals. How do you define success? Success for me is about continuous improvement and learning from mistakes. Enjoying the good times, working together and learning from the more difficult times. I also like to balance being a good CFO with being a good husband and dad. What does leadership mean to you? Leadership to me is about empowering your team and allowing them to develop, leading by example, and providing a positive, learning and happy environment to work in. What 2019 concert are you looking forward to most at Ashton Gate? The Spice Girls and Jess Glynne - my ten year old daughter Siân is looking forward to that one. How do you balance your career and family? It is a difficult balance, especially with four children. Luckily I have a very supportive wife, Becky, and all of my family enjoy sport - Becky is a big Bristol Bears fan, my son Rhys loves Bristol City and my daughters love watch Bristol Flyers. If you could switch your job with anyone else in the business who would it be? There are lots of people at Bristol Sport that I would love to switch jobs with! I think maybe Marlon Pack - providing bite and leadership in midfield, and being able to pick a pass - that would be nice! What advice do you have for prospective Ashton Gate candidates? It really is a fantastic place to work. All of the staff are valued and play an important role in a great organisation. If you passionate and hard-working its definitely the place for you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin phantom Posted April 18, 2019 Author Admin Report Share Posted April 18, 2019 Another member of staff being introduced, though I am surprised that he describes his most unusual job as being a skittles sticker up, surely being the "City Cat" mascot a few seasons back would be worse? What time does your alarm go off? It's not too bad actually - 7am…then possibly again at 7:05am. What’s the first thing you do when you get to work? I do the first 90 minutes from home over my morning cup of tea. I use this time for reading emails, identifying priorities and planning the day. It’s only a ten minute walk into the office for me so I just sit down at the desk and crack on with whatever needs doing first. Before working at Ashton Gate, what was the most unusual or interesting job you’ve ever had? My previous full-time jobs were boring corporate ones but as a student I spent one summer making shopping trolleys. Much more fun, however, was when I was a teenager I was a “sticker-up” for the skittles teams at my local pub in Somerset. The fear of having farmers hurl large wooden balls in your direction at great speed was compensated for in cider…which I was definitely old enough to drink, ahem. How long have you worked for Ashton Gate? I started working on match days back in the year 2000. However I went full-time in August 2009…so I must be due a testimonial game! What do you like most about working for Ashton Gate? Having been part of the stadium development team, seeing and working in the stadium I helped to build is hugely rewarding – not least because I get to see different people enjoying the facility every day. As a proud Bristolian I’m delighted that we serve the whole community and provide entertainment for everyone. As a lifelong Bristol City and Bristol Bears fan – match days are still extra special. How do you define success? Achieving progress as a team. Individuals can be capable of doing great work in silos but still not achieve anything as a group and thus it all means nothing. We’re a club – so success has to be something everyone shares in - fans, staff, community. What does leadership mean to you? Persuading other people to do what you want to do because they want to do it. We’re all individuals with our own motivations – if a leader can show everyone in a team what’s in it for them it becomes effortless. What 2019 concert are you looking forward to most at Ashton Gate? Muse – I still remember buying their first album, Showbiz back in 1999 and seeing them on The Other Stage at Glastonbury the following year. How do you balance your career and family? My fiancé Agata is pretty understanding to be fair. I try to get as much work done as I can when she’s asleep or at the gym. If you could switch your job with anyone else in the business who would it be? Matt Joy – our Head of Marketing. The work he does alongside his team have done in recent years has been amazing. I’m not saying I could do what Matt does but I’d enjoy trying. I’m sure a lot of his workload is about organisation and process but the creative side and coming up with ideas must be fun What advice do you have for prospective Ashton Gate candidates? You don’t have to be a fan or even be into sports to enjoy working here. The work is so varied and you’ll work alongside some really gifted people but in a wonderfully caring and collaborative environment. It may sound like a sporting cliché but it really does feel like we’re part of a team who help and support one another. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rudolf Hucker Posted April 18, 2019 Report Share Posted April 18, 2019 I'm always somewhat confused, when reading these articles, by "How long have you worked for Ashton Gate?" and "What do you like most about working for Ashton Gate" as though the company for which they work is Ashton Gate Limited rather than Bristol Sport. Most of us, I'm sure, see Ashton Gate solely as a destination rather than an entity? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Major Isewater Posted April 18, 2019 Report Share Posted April 18, 2019 15 minutes ago, Rudolf Hucker said: I'm always somewhat confused, when reading these articles, by "How long have you worked for Ashton Gate?" and "What do you like most about working for Ashton Gate" as though the company for which they work is Ashton Gate Limited rather than Bristol Sport. Most of us, I'm sure, see Ashton Gate solely as a destination rather than an entity? As opposed to working against Ashton Gate. I think for should be replaced with at . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drew Peacock Posted April 19, 2019 Report Share Posted April 19, 2019 What does he do and what is his name? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elhombrecito Posted April 19, 2019 Report Share Posted April 19, 2019 41 minutes ago, Drew Peacock said: What does he do and what is his name? There's a big clue in the picture... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drew Peacock Posted April 19, 2019 Report Share Posted April 19, 2019 2 minutes ago, elhombrecito said: There's a big clue in the picture... Still not sure what he does though, fairly uninformative job title. If he project manages IT installations and upgrades he needs more training! Although it sounds more property based. Who knows? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
City Rocker Posted April 19, 2019 Report Share Posted April 19, 2019 Wasn't he Percy Parrot on here? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elhombrecito Posted April 19, 2019 Report Share Posted April 19, 2019 27 minutes ago, Drew Peacock said: Still not sure what he does though, fairly uninformative job title. If he project manages IT installations and upgrades he needs more training! Although it sounds more property based. Who knows? Well, he was Project Manager for the stadium rebuild. So, based on the picture on the front of the presentation, I guess he's doing something similar for the next phase of the development. 1 minute ago, City Rocker said: Wasn't he Percy Parrot on here? Yep. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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