Interview
Are there any learnings from
past challenges that you
think translate to the current
situation?
The most recent and most
closely comparable challenge
we have faced would
probably be the emergence
of Ebola in West Africa in
2014. This affected a number
of our shows in Nigeria
and our African business.
My biggest takeaway was
that you cannot overdo
communication with your
communities. Keeping
exhibitors and visitors
updated on what your plans
are and really understanding
their concerns made all the
difference then, and I believe
that holds true now.
How has Montgomery Group
been approaching scenario
planning during the pandemic?
We’ve set up a Business
Continuity Team, consisting
of the divisional heads across
the world, and we “meet”
every Monday. There’s also
an optional drop-in session
on Thursdays, where this
group can share ideas. Also,
we set up a wider set of
working groups involving the
next level of leadership in
the business. These groups
are currently looking at the
future of our industry, how
Covid-19 will affect our
communities and what the
longer-term view of a return
to the office might look like.
Are there any organisational
changes that you’ll keep?
This pandemic has forced
us to embrace technology
to better communicate
and streamline our remote
working capabilities. This
will undoubtedly change how
The confidence to meet again
EN meets Damion Angus, group managing director at Montgomery Group.
Part of the interview is published courtesy of the SISO and mdg Turning
Point series, with additional reporting from Paul Colston
our office is structured, how
certain meetings take place
and how flexible we become
in working from home. I
can’t tell you how much I
miss the physical meetings
round a table and how much
can be achieved by sitting
together, but I also feel closer
to our international teams
than ever before.
As a leader, what do you see as
your biggest challenge now?
The unknown nature of
what we’re dealing with.
Most issues that affect the
business allow you to make
informed decisions based
on facts. This gives you the
opportunity to put a specific
strategy together and give
your teams clarity. With
Covid-19, there are so many
potential outcomes and the
timelines are unknown. It
forces a very fluid style of
leadership.
Which initiative from the last
few months have you been
especially proud of.
We implemented the
Montgomery Group webinar
series to service our
communities and to help
them navigate the issues
that they’re facing. I would
never have believed that we
would have received such an
amazing take up and I feel
very proud of the teams.
How are you keeping yourself
positive and motivated?
I am predominantly
surrounded by positive
people who relish a
challenge, and as a business,
we are focusing on what we
can do coming out of this
to make us stronger. I tend
to look at the world day by
day, and the fact that it’s
summer here in the UK and
the mornings are light gives
me all the motivation I need.
Montgomery has survived
125 years with no shortage
of hurdles and that provides
a certain level of comfort,
while also inspiring me to
continue building a great
business.
How many shows have you had
to cancel and postpone and
how have you tried to keep the
communities together?
We ran our last physical
event in the first week of
March and we were due to
run another 11 shows over
the following 10 weeks.
These covered eight different
sectors and a diverse range
of territories across Asia,
Africa, and Europe. It really
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