We’re delighted to welcome the newest addition to our business development team, Peter Haughton to Reed Professional Services. As a specialist in the public sector, he’ll be focusing on growing our already strong presence in this area. We grabbed 5 minutes to find out more about his experience and hopes for the role.
Tell us a little about your history and how you came to work with the RPS team?
I’ve worked in the IT service industry for over 30 years now, selling into a variety of vertical market sectors. My sales experience has been gained in selling services, rather than a product, with numerous large projects and managed services contracts having been concluded. Having worked for a number of different companies, both large and small, I’ve built up a large network of contacts. Specifically, I’d worked with Phil Bull (our managing partner) previously at another organisation, and when we met and started comparing notes, it seemed like a good fit for me to join the RPS team.
What are you most looking forward to in your role?
Pushing the message that Reed Professional Services is an active participant in the Central Government Sector, but that we’d like to be even greater! Our work with Defra and The BBC gives us credible Public Sector references, which will be gratefully received by the numerous Government Departments and arms-length bodies. I’m really keen to ensure we communicate the successes of these partnerships. This should enable us to further identify specific Public Sector opportunities, ultimately leading to sales successes. In addition, the use of the appropriate Framework Agreements will be vital to our success, and this is another area that I’m keen to push ahead with rapidly.
Our sector is one that is rapidly changing, what do you think the biggest challenges will be over the next few years?
The ever-growing role of IT in all our lives means that we will all become ever more dependant on its capabilities. The Internet of Things will increase in the coming years and our challenge as tech-sector professionals is to ensure that we ensure that all parties are able to benefit in the future. Technology will be needed to assist the Public Sector with a number of upcoming issues; Brexit and the increasingly ageing population are uppermost currently as areas of concern.
What challenges do you think the Public Sector in particular face when it comes to digital transformation?
Its important that they fully understand the benefits that digital transformation will give them – as well as their own users of their services, us the General Public! The Sector itself is extremely challenged by a lack of digital skills, which in itself should be good news for all suppliers of such services, ourselves included. Overall budget constraints are not affecting the Technology Sector, where it is fully appreciated that investment in technology can lead to long term efficiencies and cost savings.
How do you think Reed PS is positioned to help to facilitate these challenges?
With the Reed name behind us, I believe that we have the credibility to deliver service change to the wider marketplace. Our depth of capabilities should help to fill the gaps that the Public Sector is experiencing, while we should be fully able and willing to work alongside them as true partners. Existing Public Sector contracts are very important when bidding for work in the Sector, where we have demonstrable expertise.
You can see an example of some of the work we have been delivering with the BBC here.
