Clearview National June 2018 - Issue 199 | Page 32

DIRECTOROFTHEMONTH
From Carpenter to Chairman
» » MIKE DERHAM OF MIGHTON
Products discusses how life as a joiner in the
1970s led to his own line of windows, the
“unorganised chaos” of his office, and working
with ‘Mick Jagger’…
1. NAME/JOB TITLE:
Mike Derham, Chairman, Mighton
Products
2. WHEN DID YOU JOIN (OR
START) THE COMPANY?
Back in the late 1970s, I started up a small
carpentry and joinery company based in east
London. Our main source of business came
from refurbishing sash windows for housing
associations in and around the Hackney
area, but we also produced replacement
sash windows when the existing ones had
deteriorated beyond repair.
Repeatedly we came across examples of
poor quality hardware, which prompted me
to design and manufacture my own range.
Within two years I had given up joinery and
Mighton Products was born. That was then
the early 1980s, but I have never lost my
passion for the skills that go into refurbishing
and manufacturing timber frames and other
joinery products. I still enjoy being in such
environments.
3. DESCRIBE YOUR WORKING
DAY (FROM THE TIME YOU
LEAVE THE HOUSE)
Mighton Products is located very close to
my home, in a pleasant rural area near Saffron
Walden on the Cambridgeshire/Essex border.
It is beautiful and relaxed but still close to the
motorway network and is an ideal business
location.
I therefore take a short walk to work and
catch up with people on the way through to
my office; we chat through what’s happening
with our development team, review
management figures and of course, look at our
future plans, which are quite ambitious.
4. WHAT IS YOUR
WORKSPACE LIKE?
My office is reasonably large as it is also
the hub of the business and where we have
management meetings and also, from where
we talk to our various international distributors
and suppliers located around the world. The
32 » JUN 2018 » CL EARVI E W- UK . C O M
United States is an important market for us
with substantial sales of our child-fall protection
device Angel Ventlock going through our North
American distributor Roto.
I like tidiness and precision but my office
is unorganised chaos. I have bits of product
laying around in various stages of assembly
and this forms an unusual juxtaposition
against a backdrop of various bits of pop-art
that I have acquired over the years at charity
auctions, and which my wife doesn’t allow in
the house. Box sash hardware overlooked by
Mick Jagger does initially offer an unexpected
scene for guests.
These help me to stay in touch and get
around. I don’t do games or anything of that
sort although news apps are useful.
8. BEST BUSINESS DECISION
IN YOUR CURRENT ROLE?
Moving the company into the IoT -
Internet of Things - arena. We have some
tremendous developments that we will be
talking about later this year… Although I
come from a craft background as a joiner I am
fascinated by technology but only insofar as it
makes things better and simpler to operate.
6. WHAT WEBSITES HELP YOU?
The usual – Google; Amazon; and the BBC
for getting what I still believe is an even view
of the world. 9. FAVOURITE ROLE
MODELS AND WHY?
It must be becoming a cliché these days
but it has to be Elon Musk. He is a visionary
who is now using his immense wealth to
benefit mankind and not just to make more
money. He alters peoples’ perceptions and
attitudes with incredible ideas that he makes
reality. Until just a few years ago very few of
us would have considered an electric car; now
the Tesla electric car is actually highly desirable
and he has driven other manufacturers to up
their game. Governments would not have
announced deadlines for the end of carbon
fuel powered cars if it was not for Musk.
7. MOST USEFUL BUSINESS
TOOL? (SAT NAV/APPS ETC)
The iPhone for sure. I am constantly
looking out for more apps and have lots
available including favourites such as Waze,
Skyscanner, WeChat, Viber and WhatsApp. 10. HOW DO YOU UNWIND?
Work for me is a hobby and we strive for a
relaxed atmosphere in all parts of the business.
By the end of the day, I like to think that
unwinding isn’t necessary for our people.
Though perhaps you had better ask them!
5. FIRST THING YOU DO WHEN
YOU GET TO YOUR DESK?
Check my iPhone for the umpteenth
time. It’s a curse sometimes but allows me to
carry on my business 24/7 and from almost
anywhere in the world. I frequently travel
to the USA, China and the Caribbean, and
my iPhone allows me to keep in touch even
hopping between planes, let alone countries.