When Nick Eades, the former CMO of Wincanton announced he was leaving the logistics company to become Chief Commercial Officer at HTEC, it naturally triggered a conversation about succession. Thankfully, he had a clear plan.
Nick appointed his colleague Jackie Bibby as his replacement, following a strategic succession plan. Kavita Singh spoke with both about the process.
What’s your succession planning process at Wincanton?
Nick: We have a qualitative process around succession planning, and I believe all good companies do. We have measurement tools showing what’s needed to be considered for future roles within the company. It all comes down to performance and potential. Performance is evidence, and potential is about future success. What Jackie has done in the business, as well as her reputation, places her firmly in the right spot.
Jackie: Working with Nick for the past three years really set me up for the role. Nick and I were having regular personal development discussions, working on my progression towards the CMO job. When the position arose, I went for it. It’s what I’ve been working towards.
Can you tell me the benefit of having an internal successor?
Nick: We looked internally and externally. I was extremely comfortable taking an internal path. What we’ve done in the last three years is different and we’ve gained traction in Wincanton. We’ve focused on taking logistics, an inherently old business stuck in its views, and making it fresh. The last thing I want to do is bring in someone from a competitor or adjacent market who would take us backwards. There was a real risk of losing that momentum by bringing in someone from the outside.
What was your timescale?
Nick: In September, I was doing my job 90% of the time. Jackie was tying up loose ends for me. By October, it was 50/50. And then by November, I was doing 10% and Jackie was doing 90%. In November, it was about wrapping everything up and also familiarising the idea that Jackie was now in charge. These shifts were created so that it was a natural progression.
Jackie: Having this set-up was absolutely great. It was ideal to have his help. That’s what I’m going to miss; having a senior leader to bounce a few ideas off. I know it’s going to be a steep learning curve, but you need to be pushed outside your comfort zone. That’s how you learn.
Jackie, are there any skills that you felt you needed to develop for this role?
Jackie: I focused more on the aspect of leadership, because moving from head manager to a leading director role has been a challenge. I asked myself how I can continue leading with the confidence to both manage and deliver. I’m really fortunate that I’ve had a lot of investment and training in readiness for this position.
What quality do you think you and Jackie share?
Nick: A key word that comes to mind is ‘energy’. If you love what you do and do what you love, you’ll want to be the best you can possibly be. And when someone with energy gets behind others, there can be an incredible acceleration. That’s when you’re in a good place. This company needs an injection of energy.
