Why Propping up this year’s Power 100, managing director Jon Tolley is one of the new breed of print bosses that are output agnostic, insofar as he’s just as comfortable in the realms of digital media as ink on paper. "His brain works in a different way to us mere mortals," says one rival. However, print is still his passion and in June the £4m-turnover, 40-staff business he runs with his brother Adrian moved production to a new site across the road from its Blidworth base, to create "space to grow". Always first on and last off the dance floor, where "he can ‘dad dance’ with the best of them", Tolley was conference chair of the inaugural Dscoop EMEA last year, and is currently deputy chairman – second in command to ‘Dscoop daddy’ Gary Peeling (76).
Why Another difficult year across the trade finishing sector, but Jon Olley has pushed ahead to consolidate business at the Olro Group after closing one factory, making shrewd investments and optimising work on a recently bought B1 die-cutter. He is charismatic, interacts well with his staff and is practical, according to a colleague. He is also upbeat, with good reason. This summer Olley, a Marylebone Cricket Club member, relished watching England beat the Aussies in the Ashes test series. Good tactical play off the pitch has seen him continue to target investment wisely and go for niche markets to make the most of a market that is not always ‘cricket’.
Why Stephen Docherty joined Bell & Bain in 1996 as bindery manager and has since risen to the role of managing director. While Docherty may be a new entrant to the Power 100, Bell & Bain is one of the oldest print firms in the UK, having been founded in 1831. At the end of 2009, the four-strong management team, who between them boast nearly 80 years’ service at the company, bought the firm in an MBO. While the company has a long history, it is not stuck in the past and, under Docherty’s leadership, has been quick to adopt digital technology. Most recently, the Scottish book printer ordered the world’s first Fujifilm Jet Press 540W.
Why As managing director of the UK agent for Ryobi sheetfed presses, Bob Usher was possibly a little concerned when news broke that Ryobi and rival Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Printing & Packaging Machinery were to create a joint venture for sheetfed presses. However, when it emerged that Ryobi would be the senior partner and it had no plans to change its UK sales structure, those concerns no doubt quickly evaporated. Mega merger aside, it’s been a busy year for Usher with Apex not only securing a deal to sell Konica Minolta digital presses and Usher taking over the chairmanship of Picon last month, there’s also the small matter of the imminent arrival of his third grandchild.
Why At 73 and a grandfather, IFS managing director Tony Hards is still a force to be reckoned with. If the past 12 months have been challenging for IFS, Hards has never let it show. "He’s a happy guy," says a colleague. "He has incredible energy and vision and is very customer-oriented." Hards has a real understanding of how technology can enrich his customers, however ham-fisted he may appear when operating his iPad. He remains a "very actively involved" and highly recognisable figure in the industry and seems likely to remain so for some years yet: "He does genuinely like the industry and the networking. You find people come up to him and say things like ‘Hello Tony, haven’t seen you since Drupa 72’."
Why Quite aside from his success in competitive quad bike racing, David Nestor has achieved a sickening amount already for someone of the tender age of 31. First 4’s latest success, since it was established back in 2003, has been the launch of a new direct mail division, which has seen the firm install two Buhrs high-speed mailing lines. The 90-staff, £3.5m-turnover business plans to add two more lines next year, and to create around a dozen new jobs, rising to a total of about 20 in 12 months. Again demonstrating a characteristically forward-thinking approach, Nestor is also considering adding personalisation to the lines.
Why He’s young, he’s super-smart, and he isn’t bound by the constraints of conventional print thinking. Talking to Jon Lancaster, who is managing director at family-owned Herts sheetfed and digital printer Falkland Press, you get the impression that the wheels are turning quicker than most people’s – and we’re not referring to his penchant for fast cars. Described by one associate as "phenomenally focused, extremely knowledgeable and graciously helpful," a recent illustration of his can-do, innovative approach involved Lancaster working out how to make his own foil board, having been frustrated by the high cost of commercial grades. With an HP B2 digital press on the way, Lancaster and Falkland are definitely ones to watch.
Why Colleagues call him one of the most driven professionals you will meet, but George Thompson’s preferred mode of transport is his two legs, jogging every day to keep mind and body trim. This joint managing director’s well-formed opinions continue to make him a welcome and regular PrintWeek commentator, while other commentators are no less forthright: "George is a social chameleon; be it the binman or the executive of a £500m organisation, he can adapt to any level of discussion and is always the centre of attention." The thing that defines him most perhaps, adds the colleague, is his dedication to work, "which he calls his ‘happy place’."
Why Things are looking very rosy indeed for Dani Novick. Her print recruitment business has enjoyed one of its best years since before the recession and has extended its reach into all parts of Europe. Much of this success, according to a colleague, is down to her "breadth and depth of knowledge, an incredible contacts book and her integrity". Novick, hot on yoga and running, is even hotter on what makes print and the people she’s helped lead the profession tick. So when she tells a client ‘you need to see this guy’, insists that same colleague, "they don’t ask ‘why?’ they ask ‘when?’"
Why "His hair may be turning a respectable shade of silver, but make no mistake, Jon’s got more energy in his little finger than a minibus full of ‘pre-loaded’ teenagers," which to anyone that knows him, sounds like the kind of compliment Jon Bailey would approve of. Compliments, backhanded or otherwise, are nothing new to the recently promoted managing director of £11m- turnover ProCo, which celebrated its 20th anniversary last year. Described as one of the industry’s most innovative sales professionals, Bailey is passionate about knowledge sharing. And this combination of innovation, fun and a passion for print mean that this November’s second Dscoop EMEA conference, which he is chairing, will be unmissable – for all the right reasons.
Forward to 90-81 >>
Attributes key
