Created by insurance broker and risk-management company, Gallagher, The Gallagher Leaders Scrum selects eight men and women who have impressed with their vision and business management skills, to embark on an exclusive mentorship programme and learn from some of the top names in business and rugby.
Our very own Richard was one of this year’s Gallagher Leaders Scrum winners. Richard was given the opportunity to attend some exclusive networking events, as well as benefit from the expertise of renowned business leaders and participate in panel talks and interactive workshops from business and rugby specialists Simon Massie-Taylor, Wayne Barnes and Sarah Willingham.
Other business owners on this year’s Scrum included Daniel Bradshaw, Global Head of Warehousing at Joseph Joseph Limited; Laura Dawson, Chief Executive at SPROUT(ED); Paul Graham, Engineer at Siemens; Benjamin King, NPD Manager at Tata Consumer Products; Nicola Simmons, Associate director at Reed in Partnership; Rob Treanor, Vice President of Operations at Sphere Fluidics Limited and James Trevillion, Founder and MD at White Label Cocktails Limited.
As Richard’s time on the 2024 scrum has now drawn to a close, he reflects on his experiences on the coveted business mentorship programme and why he feels opportunities like this are so incredibly valuable for small business owners.
“When you’re a small business like us, the level of input you get from the Gallagher Leaders Scrum is really invaluable. Not only do you get to talk to other business people, but you also meet people of interest and influence, as well as leaders within rugby. It was quite a unique group that Gallagher brought together.
One of the key takeaways was reassurance: learning that it was okay to back yourself and make certain decisions. Finding out that you’re not alone in the world as a small business is a reassuring thing.
A really valuable thing for me was speaking to Wayne Barnes, an international rugby referee, who gave us a lot of time and, as with many really great people, he was as interested as he was interesting. He had lots of conversations with everyone in the room; he was trying to understand each business and asked lots of questions – questions that I wouldn’t have thought to ask about my own business. He had this unique angle to it all because, as well as the refereeing side of things, he was also coming at it from the angle of being a partner in a law firm, so he could also use that expertise.
When you have those sorts of conversations, with people who have been at the highest level of the game, you realise that, while they’re brilliant at their sport and are sharp-minded, the reason they’re successful is because they’re a good leader.
At the away day at the Belfry, there was a presentation by Gallagher’s client director Steve Bent which captivated not only the businesses in the room, but the other mentors as well. To get access to a presentation like that is incredible. It had insights that would never have crossed my mind – but I’ve thought about them daily ever since.
The opportunities that the Gallagher Leaders Scrum provides – the access to specialism, the advice, the whole programme really – I would recommend it to anyone who has any kind of leadership role, because it not only makes you think, but it does so in a context people like me really enjoy: rugby.”
