Quickfire Q&A with…Simon Gardiner, Regional Business Manager (South) – Hobart UK Equipment Division
Adventurous and passionate, Simon Gardiner has been a cornerstone of Hobart for 22 years, navigating a number of operational changes and currently leading as Regional Business Manager in the South. Join us as we sit down with Simon to explore what drives his commitment to Hobart, discover his favourite products and learn more about his skills on the didgeridoo.
In one sentence, how would you summarise your role at Hobart?
As a regional business manager, I have the responsibility of delivering our equipment sales targets with a team of eight area sales managers, and four product specialists across the South.
How long have you been in your role?
I joined Hobart 22 years ago and have been in my current role for 18 years. Across that time there have been various territory transitions, categories changes and sector responsibilities to keep it interesting.
Why do you love being a part of the Hobart team?
Collectively we have a vast amount of knowledge and expertise within the wider business to provide solutions for complex situations so there is always someone to rely on. I am lucky to have an established sales team which allows me to experiment with our development needs and operational excellence and there nothing more rewarding than seeing someone flourish in a new role or area of the business.
What’s your favourite Hobart product and why?
There are a couple of products that I am really passionate about – the Premax AUPT and the Two-Level Washer, however, it’s the added value for me. Being able to offer free training, site surveys, design and project management is something Hobart has been providing for many years and reinforces the differentiation of a premium brand. Being part of an organisation with large a team affords us the capability to give this additional support and helps build trusting relationships with our clients.
Tell us something about you that not many people know?
As a result of a slightly inebriated conversation in a pub, a friend & I decided to leave perfectly good jobs, sell our houses, and travel the world, all within the space of 3 months. As part of the adventure, we filled our backpacks with the latest technology to document our trip via a website and at the time travel blogs were difficult to publish using internet cafes so in hindsight I guess you could say we were one of the first to publish an online travelogue. I had an amazing 18-month trip, and just a few weeks prior to joining Hobart, I arrived back in the UK with very little money, a few clothes and just my VW Kombi van that I had shipped back from Australia to live in. Learning to juggle, ride a unicycle and play the didgeridoo (badly!) were all new skills and part of the experience – the rest is history!
What’s the best meal of your life, and why?
The best meal was the night before our wedding day. We hired a wonderful venue called Wedderburn Castle in the Scottish borders for the weekend and we invited 30 of our closest friends and family for a ceilidh, traditional haggis, neeps, and tatties and a few wee drams – let’s just say, most of the guests made it back to their rooms in one piece!