Talking Business with Bryan Bodek
In the latest in a series of ‘Talking Business’ interviews, Bryan Bodek, chief executive of Airline Services, chats to the editor of TheBusinessDesk.com Chris Barry, and Grant Thornton’s North West managing partner David Grundy.
COMMENTFast-moving aviation sector offers opportunities forambitious players
THE airline industry has been subjected to powerful dynamic forces in recent years, creating opportunities for ambitious operators in the maintenance, repairs and overhaul sector (MRO). Aviation, by definition, tends to be international business. It’s big step for anyone to set up operations abroad but the strategic options for growing globally include unlocking unrealised value through mergers, acquisitions, alliances and the sale of non-strategic assets. David Grundy, North West managing partner Grant Thornton.
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FOR the first chapter of his business career Bryan Bodek worked closely with entrepreneurs, helping them buy and sell, raise funds and plot their exits. As a corporate partner with well-established and respected Manchester firm Kuits, a non-executive directorship at Manchester City, the football club he supported since boyhood, and an enviable client list, Bodek had an unquestionably successful life. There was though, he says, something within his character, which made him want to strike out and seek a fresh challenge after 25 years as a lawyer, and this was to run a business. In 2000 he stood down as managing partner at Kuits to join Airline Services – a family-owned business he knew well, since he had advised the founder, Alan Sixsmith, for several years. His willingness to back himself to thrive in the corporate world has more than paid off. Since taking over as managing director the 58-year-old has driven investment and growth at Airline Services, which is based at Sharston near Manchester Airport. In the year to the end of October 2010 Airline Services grew profits by 82% to £3.6m on turnover up 26% to £40.9m. In June he won one of Ernst & Young’s coveted North West Entrepreneur of the Year awards – and will represent the region in the national finals in London in October. While clearly thrilled at such recognition, Bodek’s sights are currently set on finding a private equity investor to help Airline Services expand internationally. Chatting over lunch to TheBusinessDesk.com and Grant Thornton’s North West managing partner David Grundy, Bodek reveals what makes him tick. “It’s quite simple really – I just love business – it’s my passion. I am fascinated too by the aviation sector – it’s very dynamic and fast-moving. “We now work with more than 160 airlines from across the world – where they fly to doesn’t matter to us, the fact that they are flying is what is interesting.” Rather than taking speculative moves into new territories in the hope of winning work there, Airline Services invests where there is demand. Bodek says: “As we have grown, we’ve learned lessons, and to be seduced by speculative demand is not the smartest thing – now we have discussions with airlines about where they want to see us operate – hence our growth in Germany, Italy, the Far East and Eastern Europe. “We also do a lot of work in Russia and in the former CIS. Exporting our products and services has been key, and we’ve tended to do this through partnerships. “We’ve been approached by some fairly serious organisations overseas who would like us to come and work with them, because in certain areas the UK is seen as being ahead of the market, and we are seen as being able to bring certain areas of expertise to these locations.” Being able to offer airlines a range of products and services has been another element in the company’s growth story. Services range from airline cleaning and de-icing to manufacturing parts for seating, fitting carpets and servicing and maintaining in-flight entertainment systems . “Very few customers take all our services from day one – we find that they take one or two, get comfortable with who we are, what we can do and then take more,” Bodek says. As well as business and aviation, family and football are the other cornerstones of the self-effacing businessman’s life. He spent nine years on the board of Manchester City – including seven years as vice-chairman under David Bernstein and later John Wardle. Still a regular at what is now known as The Etihad Stadium, Bodek who with characterisic understatement, refers to his spell at City as “a very interesting period of time”. He admits though that now being a ‘normal’ fan rather than a club director does make watching the games easier. Bodek is delighted at the progress City have made in the three years since the takeover by Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Mansour, though to say he is less than enamoured with the new rules on football finance being introduced by football governing body UEFA, is an understatement. “I do have a beef with what is being introduced – Platini (the president of UEFA) is punishing clubs who are well financed and who can afford to pay their debts. “Which is the greater risk to football – clubs who are investing, or those carrying huge debts? I sympathise with the current management at City because of these new rules.” Looking back at his move from the legal world into the corporate world, he says: “I suppose it would have been easy to stay wrapped within the comfort blanket of the law. “While I loved being a lawyer, I liked working with the clients more – I suppose the big difference is that this role is much more creative.” Growing up in North Manchester, the young Brian Bodek was a promising athlete – and a member nof Stretford Athletic Club – in his early teens he considered pursuing a career in sport. This was not to be the case as an illness to his father forced him to focus on “doing something practical”. He relates: “I was fanatical about athletics, but when my father had a heart attack, it really focused my mind that I would have to earn a living.” After studying law at Liverpool University he developed a liking for the subject. Bodek still retains his registration as a solicitor, though the cut and thrust of business is now his preferred career. Asked what characterises his leadership he says: “First and foremost this is a people business – yes we are selling products and services but you have to have the right team, and we’d be nothing without it. “Secondly, I never take anything for granted – I’m never complacent and I don’t think I ever stop thinking about the way the business is performing and constantly trying to improve it.” So what does the future hold? retirement – he says is not anywhere on his agenda. He says: “There’s too much to do, and anyway I’m not the retiring type and I am having the best time of my career in terms of enjoyment and challenge. “The healthiest and happiest people I know are still working in their 70s any way, and if I didn’t enjoy what I’m doing I wouldn’t be doing it.” More articles in
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