John Campbell, the Group Chief Executive Officer of BES Group, is a dynamic leader distinguished by his forward-thinking approach and ability to foresee and comprehend the challenges that accompany change. John acknowledges that change is inevitable in growth and progress and is willing to embrace it despite potential difficulties.

According to John, dynamic leaders do not take risks recklessly but take calculated risks. They meticulously analyze potential outcomes, weigh the pros and cons, and make informed decisions. “I instill this mindset in my teams. Risk-taking is crucial for innovation and growth. Dynamic leaders understand that staying competitive and driving progress requires stepping out of comfort zones and exploring new opportunities, even when uncertainties are involved,” he explains.

“They recognize that not all risks yield positive results but view failures as learning opportunities. This resilience and willingness to learn from mistakes helps them navigate challenges arising from risk-taking.”

Taking calculated risks has significant benefits. It drives competitive advantage, enables the exploration of new markets, and propels organizations forward. Assessed risks in decision-making can lead to substantial breakthroughs and advancements, contributing to the overall growth and success of the organization. And this is how John has taken his organization to new heights.

All-round Leader

Several essential qualities of John’s have enabled his team to transform the business into one of the fastest-growing TICC organizations. Armed with unwavering confidence, John and a number of his senior team have been together for numerous years, building trust and compatibility that has enabled successful delivery of strategic growth plans. Alongside John’s customer obsession, a core value among the seven cultural themes he has established in the Group has aided in instilling a focus and desire within the business to place the customer at the center of every decision they make.

It is pertinent to mention that John and his senior leadership team lead by example. He spends time with both staff and customers to understand the solutions they provide and the challenges the stakeholders face. This enables them to react quickly and effectively, maximizing their results.

“As a leader, I fully believe in the potential of each individual in the Group to set us apart from our competitors. I empower my teams to make decisions, take managed risks, and avoid procrastination. This creates a dynamic and flexible model that adapts swiftly to our customers’ needs,” says John. “Finally, my team and I achieve our goals with purpose. I ensure that the strategies and plans we have developed and agreed upon are executed and delivered. This is what true leadership is about.”

 Guiding & Mentoring

The BES Group employs various methods to foster and generate new ideas. Its employee suggestion scheme continually produces valuable ideas for the organization. This is a significant source of innovation, often originating from employees who interact directly with customers and possess valuable insights into potential improvements and innovative solutions.

Some of their best ideas recently have emerged from cross-collaboration between different parts of the business. For example, their asset reliability division and infrastructure division jointly developed a solution for one of their largest customers, integrating technology and physical inspections to enhance the asset integrity solutions they received from the Group.

Innovation is also driven directly by customers. Their requirements challenge John and his team to find creative solutions. Customers provide valuable feedback through surveys, reviews, and direct interactions, highlighting areas for improvement or new product ideas. The Group also holds strategic sessions with critical customers, offering deep insights into market needs and future trends.

Executive leadership also plays a crucial role in driving innovation. Visionary leaders often set the tone by encouraging a culture that values creativity and risk-taking. At the BES Group, their strategic vision inspires ideas that are aligned with the organization’s goals.

Staying abreast of industry trends and emerging technologies spark new ideas for products, services, and process improvements. Competitor analysis also inspires and helps identify market gaps that they can exploit. Adopting and adapting technology and data further drives innovation. Their in-house data science team analyzes data to highlight opportunities and undertakes technology projects to disrupt the market and drive real change in the sector.

“Finally, we look outside the TICC (Testing, Inspection, Certification& Compliance) sector and across the broader commercial world to review and consider best-in-class approaches that the BES Group could adopt or adapt. This includes areas such as customer service, ESG and process improvement,” adds John.

Building A Great Organization

The BES Group’s vision is “Together, we create and deliver trusted, sustainable customer solutions,” supported by the Mission “To become the dominant UK and Ireland market leader in asset integrity, inspection, testing, and certification, with significant overseas operations, through sustainability and technological services.” These statements highlight several key strategic areas that they continuously focus on.

Firstly, customer obsession is a philosophy John prioritizes. It means understanding, meetingand exceeding customers’ needs and expectations. It involves embedding the customer’s perspective into every aspect of the BES Group’s operations, decision-making processes and strategic planning.

Secondly, being a trusted advisor means providing valuable advice and guidance and earning high trust and credibility from clients and stakeholders. This transcends typical transactional relationships, forming a deep advisory connection where they are relied upon for our expertise, integrity and genuine concern for our customers’ best interests.

Thirdly, sustainability refers to meeting the BES Group’s and their stakeholders’ present needs without compromising future generations’ ability to meet their own needs. This holistic approach integrates environmental, socialand economic dimensions to ensure long-term health and well-being for the planet and its inhabitants. “We are proud members of the UNGC, hold the ESG Mark, have established our SBTi targets, and identified nearly 70% of our solutions as ‘sustainability solutions’,” says John. “Finally, technology adoption and innovation are essential for improving our operations and providing solutions to our customers. We have acquired several technology-based businesses and developed tech solutions to grow the Group. I see this as a significant differentiator in the TICC sector.”

John and his team are incredibly proud of how quickly and profitably they have grown the business over the past year and a half. They achieved a 57% increase in top-line revenue and a 32% increase in bottom-line profit, with 16% of this growth being organic. This success required immense focus and effort from the entire team, driven by an unwavering commitment to providing the highest quality solutions to the customers.

Their efforts have also resulted in a substantial percentage of revenue from cross-selling, strengthening their role as trusted advisors to customers. Additionally, they are incredibly proud to have completed ten acquisitions in their first year and a half, which they have seamlessly integrated into the Group. This demonstrates a sustainable buy-and-build model as they pursue international expansion.

“We are currently focusing on several strategic areas. One major focus is international expansion into Europe and North America, which will allow the Group to leverage its knowledge, skills and expertise to grow the business globally. This expansion presents significant opportunities for substantial growth and is an exciting prospect for us,” explains John. “Our commitment to Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) has become an important priority for the BES Group. We are proud of the progress we have made with our ESG initiatives over the past few years and take our responsibility as both an employer and an industry-leading service provider very seriously.”