We are delighted to announce the appointment of Tom Clarke as Sales Director. Tom brings with him extensive experience in large-scale security systems integration and technology migration sales, sales management and sales leadership.
Regional development
Fascinated by engineering for almost as long as he can remember, Tom studied Mechanical and Automotive Engineering with Business and Accounting at the University of Birmingham, before taking a graduate role as a regional Business Development Manager with Facilities Management firm Mitie in 2006.
The company had just acquired a number of security businesses, and the role suited Tom perfectly, involving technology, solution development, plenty of people contact and a strongly consultative approach. Tom thrived, his role rapidly growing, but as his experience grew, he was keen to work on more substantial projects with larger, national customers.
National accounts
He therefore took up an opportunity to do exactly that, as National Account Manager, Major Accounts, at Contract Fire and Security in Sutton Coldfield. Here he worked with key accounts including high street retailers, prisons and petrochemical businesses, building his skills in the fire trade as he went. In particular he completed FIA training to become proficient in relevant legislation, including BS5839, relating to fire detection and alarm systems for buildings.
Armed now with a comprehensive understanding of and experience in the fire and security systems industry, Tom returned to Mitie to take up a new opportunity, expanding the company’s business with two key national accounts, as well as growing revenues and profits across a broader portfolio of customers. He headed up a series of major, multi-million pound migration and maintenance projects before advancing to Head of Sales at Mitie in 2015.
Player/manager
In this “player/manager” role, Tom spearheaded the company’s growth in two new major national accounts while also managing the sales team. He strengthened focus on larger, more profitable contracts and customers, improving their productivity and growing revenues and profits. A key aspect of this process was helping the sales team to identify and focus on the most profitable opportunities, maximising the return on their investment of time. Tom was subsequently promoted to Sales Director as Mitie grew and merged its Fire and Security Businesses.
Reliance High-Tech
When the opportunity arose to become Sales Director Reliance High-Tech, Tom was immediately interested, because of the company’s reputation and its focus on large-scale, highly complex integrated systems and major technology migrations.
“Reliance High-Tech is exciting to me because it’s a specialist niche integrator, with a strong interest in key technologies and helping customers navigate and gain incremental value through the fast changing and converging landscape of security,” Tom explained. “It’s all about long-term sustainable partnerships with each customer; listening to their individual needs and taking them on the journey from isolated security systems to wider, more deeply integrated business systems.”
Tom’s principal responsibility at Reliance will be to grow the business in line with the company’s established strategy. “Core to this will be a dual focus across the sales team, to build, deepen and strengthen relationships with existing customers, maximising opportunities with them, while at the same time identifying, understanding and working with new organisations in key target areas,” Tom said.
Great story – great people
With, in his own words, “A great story to tell and great people to tell it,” Tom is keen to get out into the market, networking and identifying businesses that Reliance High-Tech can help, and making sure the company is working with the very best technology partners to help customers on that journey from disparate, island security systems to fully integrated IT systems.
To find out more about how Reliance High-Tech can help you on that journey, wherever you may be today, call us on 0845 121 0802 or email info@rht.co.uk.
