So-long, and thanks for all the fish!

Valedictory from Immediate Past Master, Geoff Llewellyn

As I noted in my Blogs during my year as Master, it really was rather like going over a waterfall with a lot of fun things to do, as well as quite a workload to start and maintain initiatives that I’d kicked off with my “Call to Arms” – a label for which I’m indebted to Past Master Patrick McHugh who has contributed so much to the Company over nearly ten years since he was Master.

I’m immensely grateful to the Company members who responded in all kinds of ways, and who helped move the Company forward.

I was particularly pleased with the progress we made on membership – with massive input from PM Alan Broomhead, Assistant Elizabeth Consalvi and Third Warden Noorzaman Rashid who really picked up the membership ball and ran with it!

I was delighted to welcome 18 new Freemen to the Company in my year and 17 Freemen who chose to be clothed as Liverymen to be able to play a larger part in the future of the Company. Noorzaman, Elizabeth and Alan worked tirelessly to recruit new members and I’m very grateful to them.

Similarly, Second Warden Patrick Chapman, Liveryman Liz Walker, and (once again PM Alan Broomhead!) did fantastic work to realise the potential of our investment in the new website and membership database which underpins so much of what we do. This was an initiative kicked off by PM Mary Collis and brought to fruition through the very hard work of these colleagues. We are now poised to make most effective use of the very important new tools that have been put in our hands to run the Company more effectively and more efficiently.

The Leadership lunches have been a successful way of getting serious players together in the industry and this has I hope created a step change in the impact that we are able to make in the industry. I feel that we will be able to build on this programme which has been splendidly supported by the past Masters – in particular William Barnard – and has great potential to be an “outreach” tool  for us in building our visibility and influence in the Management Consultancy industry.

Of course, a very important step forward was taken with the Celebration dinner which was promoted in all kinds of ways by Alan, Noorzaman and Bob Harris who have laid the foundation for something which can become a real industry-wide event. We were given invaluable support by the MCA and the IC which rebuilt the original trio of players who supported the Company at its inception. I am proud to have rekindled these relationships which, I am sure, will be of immense value in the future, and I’m looking forward to a great event at Plaisterers’ Hall next June.

Finally, I am so pleased to have been part of the team, led by our current Master Edward Sankey, which oversaw the recruitment of our new Clerk, Adèle Thorpe, who, I am certain, will be a great asset to the Company. As a result of this, of course, we also welcomed our former Clerk, Leslie Johnson, as an Honorary Liveryman – a fitting recognition of his five years of service.

So, I had a lot of fun as Master and I’d thoroughly recommend it as an experience for other members who fancy a year with their hands on the tiller!

Immediate Past Master, Geoff Llewellyn