STEPPING UP
Richard Manley is a founding shareholder in Seneca Partners and has now stepped up to Managing Partner. Here, we catch up with Richard as he shares his thoughts on the challenges and opportunities that this brings.
4 | ONSIDE WINTER 2016
There’ s no such thing as a typical day at Seneca, but what is it about the business that most excites you?
It’ s the entrepreneurial spirit within the team and being involved in something which is growing, quickly, which excites me the most. We are a close knit team with a good culture and our‘ cando’ approach gives us our edge- an ability to respond and move faster than others to take advantage of the opportunities which come our way.
You must see lots of businesses and have conversations with entrepreneurs. What is it that makes you most excited and interested in taking a conversation to the next stage?
It’ s without doubt the belief that you are working with a team, or on a project or business venture which has the ability and ingredients to succeed- success can come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and in our world that normally means an ability to produce attractive returns for our investors, but if that can be delivered in a way which also delivers other benefits such as job security and creation, innovation and supporting wider economic growth, then all the better.
How important to the character of the business is being based in the North of England and how much of Seneca’ s DNA is Northern in character?
We are straight talking and avoid unnecessary complexity. We work hard, but appreciate a job well done. We recognise value when we see it. We respect the capital that we invest as we know how hard our investors have worked to create it. Whether this means we have a‘ Northern’ DNA I am not sure- I think these are qualities that a business should have regardless of geography. Of course our roots lie in the North of England, but we have already expanded to become a regional player and will most likely expand further as we grow- regardless, as we do so these characteristics will stand us in very good stead.