Reflections from Tom Cartledge
One of the most enjoyable aspects of being CEO of Handley House, a design business which unites both Benoy and Holmes Wood under one roof, is the brilliant people that I get to work with every day.
To mark the start of the 71st year of Benoy design, we brought together the leadership teams of both businesses for a management conference at the beautiful Goodwood Estate in the UK. The choice of Goodwood was a deliberate decision. Like Handley House, Goodwood is a place steeped in family values and the warmth of a family home. It is an inspiring place to be with a rich history and a passion for excellence in everything that is does.
This unique time together allowed the teams to share ideas, to better understand the opportunities that exist within the global market and to talk more about how we can continue to evolve our businesses to deliver world-class commercial design solutions for our clients.
In the pace of the design industry, taking these moments to pause is important. It enables you to take in your surroundings, check in with how you and your colleagues are feeling, quieten your mind and find the space to think what shall we do next. For us, it was a moment to consider our ambition to change the world in which we live through design, and in doing so create world-class commercial design solutions. I believe this is a tangible and achievable aim for all.
My commitment as the leader of this great business is one of honesty, openness, ambition and design excellence. To spend time with 40 directors from every studio globally was a privilege and together, we are excited about continuing to develop great working relationships with existing, new and past clients in 2018.
