Member Article

North West festive focus: Bob Ward, EY

As the North West’s business leaders tie the bow on a frenetic year and prepare for a hard-earned festive break, Bdaily North West has asked movers and shakers in the region to give their verdict on 2016 and tell us their hopes and fears for the new year ahead.

Up today is Bob Ward, the incoming North West Senior Partner at EY, who gives us his views on the last 12 months and reveals what goodies he’s hoping to find under his tree.

What are you most proud of achieving in 2016?

Being asked to take on the role as North West senior partner at EY. I am really looking forward to it and am delighted to be returning to this region, both personally and professionally, having worked here for 15 years earlier in my career.

Which was your busiest month, and why?

March – I was involved in a two complex assignments that had project completion deadlines very close to each other. They were both fascinating projects but also time-consuming. It look quite a few late nights but ultimately both ended as successful outcomes!

What are your thoughts on Brexit so far?

Initially I was concerned about the potential negative impact on consumer confidence and what this might mean for the UK economy. However the second half of 2016 has been pretty stable and encouraging. There is a long way still to go though. I can see 2017 being quite challenging for the UK as a whole. Yet, saying that, I am very encouraged about the opportunities for the North West linked to devolution and investment in infrastructure, manufacturing and digital.

What are you most looking forward to in 2017?

Personally I am looking forward to relocating back to the North West. My wife and I have just started house-hunting. At EY we are looking to grow the business across all service lines and use the Manchester office as a hub for regional investment in Infrastructure, Government and Public Sector and Digital/Data Analytics. To add to the excitement we are moving to a fantastic new office in St Peter’s Square next year.

What will be your biggest obstacle next year?

I see the biggest challenge and opportunity in 2017 being about achieving our growth ambitions, which will see us increase our headcount significantly and expand our capabilities in the region. I am confident that we can deliver on this but there are always challenges to overcome.

What’s the outlook like for your sector over the next 12 months?

As a restructuring partner I work across a wide range of sectors. I think the outlook for 2017 is potentially quite challenging in some sectors such as construction, business support services and also parts of retail and consumable products. How demand holds up as the year progresses will be critical for businesses that are typically highly operationally leveraged with integrated supply chains.

Tell me about your staff Christmas night-out

I’m really looking forward to our Christmas party. It’s at the Victoria Warehouse and involves a fancy dress Dickensian theme (or black tie for those who don’t want to go fancy). I’ve not revealed yet what I’ll be wearing …

What’s the best date in December to put decorations up? How early is too early?

We’ll be putting the Christmas decorations up w/c 12th Dec in the Ward household. Personally I think the first week or two in Dec is a bit on the early side but my wife and daughter think I can be a bit of a Christmas humbug … (but not so much that I’ll be dressed as Ebeneezer Scrooge at our Christmas party)

What are you hoping to get from Father Christmas? What’s your Tracy Island/Buzz Lightyear this year?

As soon as the turkey and mince pies are finished I’ll be starting my training for the London Marathon, so I’ve put in a request for clothes and running gear this year! I’d also like a new golf driver – I’m always a sucker for next best thing in the hope it’ll improve my game.