Tag Archive for: Paul

Paul Smyth named General Manager at Wembley

Paul Smyth named General Manager at Wembley: Wembley Stadium connected by EE has promoted Paul Smyth to the role of Stadium General Manager.

Smyth moves up from his previous position as Head of Event Operations. He will be responsible for overseeing the delivery of events at the stadium, in addition to managing day-to-day operations.

Paul Smyth named General Manager at Wembley

Paul Smyth named General Manager at Wembley

Having been part of the Wembley team since the new stadium opened in 2007, Smyth has contributed to numerous enhancements in event delivery, maintaining Wembley’s status as one of the world’s premier multi-purpose venues.

Recent accomplishments include the collaborative effort with his teams to introduce two sensory rooms and British Sign Language (BSL) at every event. These initiatives have played a huge part in reinforcing Wembley’s commitment to leading on inclusivity.

Smyth’s promotion coincides with the departure of Stadium Director Liam Boylan, who, after nine successful years, is embarking on a new venture in the music industry next year.

Chris Bryant, the current Director of Tournaments & Events at the FA, will serve as the Interim Stadium Director while the search for Boylan’s successor is underway.

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Paul Thomas joins Redexim

Paul Thomas joins Redexim: Redexim UK are pleased to announce the appointment of Paul Thomas as their new Sales Manager for the Southern counties.

With more than 10 years of area sales experience in the machinery sector already under his belt, Paul brings knowledge and a customer-orientated approach to the team in, what is, an exciting period of development and growth.

Paul Thomas joins Redexim

Paul Thomas joins Redexim

After obtaining sports turf maintenance qualifications at Milton College and Shuttleworth College, Paul began his career as an assistant greenkeeper for a leisure facilities maintenance company in Cambridgeshire before moving into sales, with his first sales role at a nearby groundcare dealership. An opportunity then arose to join Ben Burgess & Co in 2016 where he held the position of Area Sales Manager. Together with visiting and supporting existing and prospective customers throughout the purchase and after-sales process, here he also gained valuable hands-on experience with a range of machinery franchises – including the Redexim natural and synthetic portfolio.

Paul joined Redexim UK in June 2023, picking up the baton for sales and service support to customers across the south, in addition to working closely alongside Redexim Partners across the region. “I’m really looking forward to representing Redexim and having the opportunity to work with the excellent network of dealers throughout the South” comments Paul. “It’s exciting to join the company at this stage of my career and, having worked within a dealership, I feel I am well placed to support my customers – understanding the demands of their business while playing my part in Redexim’s future.”

Director of Commercial Operations Paul Langford added, “We are very excited to welcome someone with Paul’s level of knowledge, experience and enthusiasm to our technical team. With his in-depth understanding of the Redexim range, Paul is ready to hit the ground running in what promises to be a very busy summer ahead.”

Outside of work, Paul enjoys spending time with his children and socialising with friends and family. He also has a keen interest in motorsport, particularly British touring cars, and can often be found attending tractor runs or maintaining and using his own vintage tractor.

Paul Thomas can be contacted by phone on 07810 071218 or via email pthomas@redeximuk.com

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Paul Langford appointed at Redexim

Paul Langford appointed at Redexim: A well-known industry name has joined the team at Redexim to support their continued growth and spearhead the UK’s commercial activities.

As the new Director of Commercial Operations, Paul Langford will be leading the team of Regional Sales Managers and in charge of the development of the overall sales and marketing strategies to further cement Redexim’s position at the heart of the natural and synthetic turf maintenance sectors.

Paul Langford appointed at Redexim

Paul Langford appointed at Redexim

Formally the Managing Director of TigerTurf UK, Paul has an illustrious track record for building successful B2B and B2C relationships and proactively driving business change, which has resulted in over 20 years of commercially-driven experience in leadership and sustainable growth. Alongside his position at TigerTurf UK, Paul held the role of Manufacturing Group Chairman at The Sports and Play Contractors Association (SAPCA) for six years – during which he also represented the synthetic turf manufacturing sector on the FIFA Turf Advisory Group (TAG).

On his appointment, Paul comments “In Redexim, I have found a like-minded company that have a pedigree of high-performance products and ambitions to grow in what is an ever-changing marketplace.”

“I’m a big believer that business should be approached with a strong sense of purpose, the right tools and the right plan to deliver excellence – but not forgetting to have some fun along the way!” he adds.

Paul lives in Northampton with his wife of 25 years and son who is a trainee lawyer and when not working, can often be found on the golf course at weekends or indulging in his passion for guitars and all things cars.

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Paul Cricket Club’s long serving groundsman

Paul Cricket Club’s long serving groundsman: Unsung hero, Steve Snell, has kept Paul Cricket Club’s pitch in top condition for nearly 60 years and has no plans of stopping any time soon.

Read the full article from The Falmouth Packet here

Paul Cricket Club's long serving groundsman

Paul Cricket Club’s long serving groundsman

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Q&A With… Paul Armitage

Q&A With… Paul Armitage: General Manager at Le Golf National-venue of the 2018 Ryder Cup.

What brought you to Le Golf National and how long have you been here?

I got the job at Le Golf National in May 2014, and started in September 2014. When I saw this job come up, I couldn’t let the opportunity pass me by, so I decided to apply for it; it’s the kind of job that comes up once in a blue moon. I’ve been working in France for more than 20 years now, mainly in the golf industry. This role seemed like a natural career progression, and the prospect of being involved in hosting the 2018 Ryder Cup, and the Olympic golf competition in 2024 is very exciting.

Q&A With... Paul Armitage

Biggest challenge you’ve faced during your time here and how did you overcome it?

The biggest challenge was to change the culture and the mindset of the club. Le Golf National is 25 years old now, and there were a lot of habits and routines to shake up when I arrived. I wanted to focus the staff on the fact that we are a Ryder Cup destination, the fact that our customers expect high standards and the fact that we have one of the best golf courses in the world. I needed them to realise that we had to achieve those high standards every single day.

What does it mean to Le Golf National and to France to be hosting the Ryder Cup this year?

For Le Golf National, it’s an honour and a privilege to be hosting the Ryder Cup. However, without the tenacity of the French Golf Federation throughout the bidding process and all the way now, we couldn’t do it alone, so all credit must go to them. For the country, it is a huge deal. Pascal Grizot, who is the president of the France 2018 Ryder Cup committee did a fantastic job of accomplishing his vision of bringing the Ryder Cup to France and gaining support from the government as well as local support. Pascal made it into a nationwide bid. You can feel the excitement in the media around the event. With the announcement of Tiger Woods as the US team vice-captain, there’s an even bigger buzz, and the enormity of the event really hits home. It’s very exciting, and a huge honour to be involved.

What is the best piece of advice you could give to anyone wanting to become a general manager at a golf club?

You must love people. It’s not enough to be a passionate golfer, you must have the customer service skills and the ideas and drive to grow the business. It’s important to communicate well with staff, and to motivate them, and it also helps to take time out to speak with customers and ask if they’ve enjoyed their experience.

How does your relationship with Jacobsen benefit the club? What is your attitude when it comes to turf maintenance equipment?

We have a very long and happy relationship with Jacobsen; we have used the brand at Le Golf National for a very long time. To be able to keep the agreement in place, and develop it even more, throughout the Ryder Cup is a huge bonus for us. The golf course is the most important thing, and if you look at some of the remarks on social networks, the standard of the greens, tees and fairways comes out on top, and is commended time and time again. Without the correct resources, we can’t do that. The turf maintenance equipment is key, and we are very happy with the Jacobsen kit, and so are the greenkeeping team we have here.

Can you describe a typical day for a general manager?

No. Every day is different. That’s what makes it so much fun. At Le Golf National, we have three different courses, which offer a diverse offering to our customers. In turn, there is a lot of variety and different aspects to my job. With the Ryder Cup, the 2024 Olympic Games, the French Open, Paris Legends, and other events like that, it adds another dimension, so no two days are the same!

Q&A With... Paul Armitage

What do you do when you’re not working?

I love eating, sleeping, drinking red wine, spending time with my family, and cooking!

What’s your favourite Ryder Cup moment?

The miracle at medina. I got to the golf course early on Sunday morning, slightly depressed about the scores and the task Europe faced. However, there was something about the golf course that morning- it was chilly, windy, and there was nobody there. There weren’t many Americans there, and everybody was supporting Europe. To experience that day at Medina and see that European team turn things around and win the Ryder Cup was amazing.

10 Quick-fire Questions

What did you want to be when you were a kid?

I wanted to be a golf TV camera man!

Who is your role model?

My dad is my role model. He’s a very honest and hardworking man and has been a great source of advice throughout my career.

Best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

Work hard, play hard.

Most admired sports person?

Not everyone’s favourite, but Nick Faldo.

What annoys you most?

Jealousy.

If you could be anywhere in the world right now, where would you be? 

Le Golf National! Where else would you want to be?!

 If you didn’t have to sleep, what would you do with the extra time?

Cook. It takes so much time to do it well!

 Do you have any hidden talents?

Singing. It’s hidden because I don’t sing often, but put me in front of a karaoke machine, and I’ll sing all night.

 What job would you be terrible at?

Working in a hospital and seeing sick people- I would be awful at that.

What skill would you like to master?

I’d love to learn to play a musical instrument; either the piano or even to be able to read music.

One thing you do to motivate yourself?

Think about bananas. When I used to play bad golf, I was introduced to Sophrology, which is the idea that when things aren’t going your way, you should think of something that makes you feel happy… so I think about bananas!

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