As we discussed in our blogs towards the end of December 2010, the start of 2011 heralds a new era in the development of the Academy for Chief Executives.
Andrew B Morris
Andrew Morris, who has been a leading figure in the media and events industry for over twenty years became our new Chief Executive on 1st January. This followed a handover from Academy Founder, Brian Chernett, to a new team of shareholders.
In this interview, Andrew talks more about his own journey from member, to Group Chairman, to CEO of the Academy for Chief Executives.
Q: What did you get out of the Academy when you were a member?
A: “Academy membership gave me confidence; it enabled me to reduce mistakes by sharing common situations with others. It made me feel less isolated and gave me a broader perspective on how to run a business.”
Q: Why did you want to become an Academy chairman?
A: “I had reached a point in my life where I’d acquired a great deal of experience and wanted the satisfaction of passing this on. I was also fascinated by the opportunity of looking at businesses outside of my sector, and I was keen to learn more about people, life and business in general.”
Q: Why did you want to head the team of new owners?
A: “I felt the Academy had established its niche in the market but needed fresh skills to take it to the next stage. I have complete belief in the positive impact that the Academy has on its members and I want to take this to a much larger audience. Finally, it gave me a platform to develop my own leadership skills – a personal passion.”
Q: How would you like to see the Academy develop?
A: “The new team is committed to growing the organisation and increasing standards, whilst maintaining the ‘heart and soul’ that has made the Academy what it is today. Over the next few years we plan to become the first choice for Leaders intent on improving their effectiveness. We will be concentrating on ensuring our existing and future Chairmen are successful and consolidating standards across the board.”
Q: What does “success” look like for you in the future?
A: “By helping our members to achieve their personal and business dreams we intend to be the number one organisation for CEOs seeking to be number one.”
If you would like to find out more about becoming a member of the Academy for Chief Executives, please contact us on 0845 118 1028.
Congratulations Andrew and very best wishes. We wish you every success as Chief Executive of the Academy. Look forward to seeing you at some stage.
Regards
Paul