Meet the Leeds United fan who aims to create a £150m turnover business in Yorkshire

THESE have been bleak times for many businesses, as the pandemic wrecks corporate plans that had apparently been etched in stone.

However, some of the region’s technology firms still have a spring in their step during periods of uncertainty.

One Yorkshire-based cloud and technology services provider aims to break the £150m turnover barrier in three years after securing a partnership with one of the biggest names in global business.

David Bentley, the CEO and founder of Wakefield-based Solutionize Global, believes his investment in a chief of staff has helped the business to keep growing during the pandemic.

Mr Bentley, founded the company 11 years ago, and has seen it expand into a £42m turnover business despite the turmoil of recent years.

Austerity, Brexit and the sudden arrival of the pandemic have not forced the business to change course.

The company’s founder had anticipated stormy waters during the early 2020s.

Mr Bentley said: “We decided 18 months ago that we wanted to pivot. We wanted to strengthen our business offering, and add even more value to our customers.

“A natural choice for this next stage was to partner with world-leading Dell Technologies, a company I have greatly admired for many years, alongside substantial investment and hiring.

“Our rounds of investment and recruitment have worked out brilliantly,” he said.

“We have been hiring throughout the covid pandemic. We have hired another five people during the pandemic and plan to hire another 20 or so before the year end.

“We aim to be 60-strong by the end of the year.

“Technology has always interested me and I’ve always been fascinated by people – and we’re all about people at SG. It’s been the cornerstone of our success.”

The key to driving sustainable growth is to hire the best people and pay them what they are worth, according to Mr Bentley.

Mr Bentley added: “We pay above the market rate and don’t struggle to find the talent, our chief of staff Kirsty Carter, who previously worked with Lord Kirkham, is very people focused.

“It may sound like the sort of role you would find in the West Wing, but other technology firms also have chiefs of staff as well.”

The chief of staff’s mission is to focus on company culture, employee engagement and organisational growth.

In her new role, Ms Carter will focus on developing the team’s in-house training, professional development and performance management structures.

She will act as an adviser to Mr Bentley, with the aim of enhancing the organisation’s growth and development alongside ensuring it continues to provide the most agile services for a client base which includes NHS Digital.

Mr Bentley, who has worked for more than 20 years in IT, software and channel sales, said he had factored a downturn into his plans for this year.

He added: “If our annual turnover is above £50m to £60m I will be very happy under the circumstances. Three years from now I would be hugely disappointed if we are not turning over £150m.

“It’s all about riding the bad waves in business and being ready when you come out of the other side of this. This really is a time for cool heads and remaining optimistic.”

He believes the pandemic will lead to lasting changes in the business world.

“The impact of people working from home is going to be significant over the next decade,” said Mr Bentley.

“Only urgent meetings will be done face to face. It will be interesting to see how this plays out for the real estate market. A lot of tech companies have 80 per cent of staff working from home.

“The key to making this work successfully is to foster a strong culture, and a team that is empowered to work with autonomy as well as share the vision of where the company is going alongside the leadership team.”

Yorkshire’s economy could benefit, if, as seems likely, London-based companies make a cool appraisal of the amount they are spending on office space after the pandemic passes.

Mr Bentley said: “The impact on places such as Leeds, could be good because costs are typically lower than London, for example.”

He added: “Crisis is the midwife of change. The number of Zoom calls has been accelerating. If people want to sell something, they will find a way to build a rapport quickly.

“There will be a lot less travel in the future.”

He believes Channel 4’s arrival in Leeds is another “landmark moment” for the city’s business community.

He added: “More firms are choosing to operate in the city which has real meaning. Anything that creates forward momentum for the area is good.”

In this fiercely competitive age, what’s the secret for the perfect client pitch?

Mr Bentley said: “You need to solve their problem, add more value than they were anticipating, make the connection, be sincere, earnest and display high integrity.

“I’d also recommend showing them how much you want the business and that you’re eager to deliver an unrivalled service – display that it means something to you, and it’s not just about the contract figure.”

No career path is always smooth and he considers failure to be a great teacher.

He added: “What I’ve learnt from failure – and how it connects to success – over my 20 years is that it shows you how much you really do need it, so you can always improve.”

Mr Bentley is a long-standing Leeds United fan and he believes the city will receive a major economic boost if the club returns to the Premier League. Black cab drivers in London appear to agree.

“I’ve always had a huge affinity with Leeds and I am a Leeds United season ticket holder so it’s great to keep building up our HQ in Yorkshire.

“Leeds is a one-club city. It’s been a challenging 15 years for Leeds United fans. If Leeds United return to the Premier League it can only be good for the city.

“Fans of other clubs want to see Leeds back in the Premier League. The majority of cab drivers I meet in London all want Leeds back there.”

Name: David Bentley

Title: Chief executive of Wakefield-based Solutionize Global

Date of birth: September 23, 1974

Last book: The Warren Buffett Way

Favourite film: The Lord of the Rings

Favourite song: The Cure – Disintegration

Favourite holiday destination: California

The thing he is most proud of: The knowledge, strength and character you gain when you keep pushing through adversity, obstacles setbacks and comfort zones – in both business and personal life