John retired from his professional career about 5 years ago. After starting out in the world of banking, John joined the oil and gas industry in 1973 when he secured an exciting role at Esso. This was the start of a lengthy career at big companies operating in the North Sea and beyond. He enjoyed promotions in Finance departments at Esso, then Amerada Hess, before working as a self employed Joint Venture consultant at the Upstream arm of Centrica, better known to most as British Gas. A short spell at Eon was followed by several years of auditing companies including Shell and BP.
In the cricket world, he played at a modest level of the recreational game mainly as a batsman and occasional wicket-keeper. The cricketing development of his son James prompted his move to a stronger level of the game at Eastcote CC. He progressed there from a manager of junior teams to club Secretary, Chairman and is now President. John is currently an Umpire Development officer on the MCCL and MACO committees having gained many years of umpiring experience himself including in the Middlesex County Premier League.
Working for big companies gave John rewarding opportunities to manage people in a competitive environment. This gave him the confidence to establish his own company providing accounting services. Managing a cricket club is definitely “another ball game” in which he has tried to optimize the efforts of a team of passionate volunteers in a very different but equally challenging organization.
His skills are diplomacy, flexibility, facilitating change and, through communication, developing teamwork and productive interpersonal relationships. He is keen to represent umpires, the recreational clubs and the wider membership having been involved the MCCC communication group for 5 years.
