A phrase synonymous with Mission Impossible and in 2018, the sixth incarnation of the Tom Cruise franchise was one of the biggest-selling films of the year. That same year, Tom O’Connell launched, and became Branch Director of our Leeds office, now one of six regional offices we’ve opened up across the country, including in Scotland and Wales.
The similarities between the two Toms are obvious and plentiful: looks – naturally; they share the same initials (kinda); their work ethics are legendary; both work with an elite crew; both love a challenge, and they both do their own stunts. No body double for our Tom when going in for a slide tackle on the footy pitch!
With the success that we now know C&C Leeds has enjoyed, it would be easy to think it would always be a nailed-on-certainty. But nothing ever is.
Without a doubt, there was an element of risk, as there always is with any new venture, but when Malc, Andy and Tom were planning to set up the office, they knew it was a mission they had to accept. There were challenges of course, obstacles and no doubt a few disappointments along the way. But all are dwarfed by the resounding success already achieved by C&C Leeds and that which they continue to build.
From a standing start, with an elite crew of just one (Tom!), C&C Leeds has grown to a team of 12 with a GWP of £16.5 million. That’s over 37% growth in the last year alone! And this has all been achieved against a backdrop of a global pandemic, the ensuing economic fallout, political upheaval, wars, record levels of inflation and the impact of interest rates on businesses. (Surely a script even Tom-what’s-his-name would reject for being too far-fetched?) So… what’s the secret sauce?
Tom says: “One of my proudest achievements has been building a great culture, and you can learn a lot about building a great culture from working in – let’s say – more challenging ones! We’ve been careful to protect and nurture our culture and to make the environment a great place to work, learn, grow, and thrive. We’re very much an office that plays hard but works harder. The commitment and work ethic shown by the whole team over the last six years is phenomenal. Truthfully, I think it’s the culture that’s kept us all sane through what was a really turbulent few years.”
And the reference to slide tackles and football earlier wasn’t just a throwaway comment. It’s a great example of the team working as a different kind of team. C&C Leeds have been playing in local leagues for a few years now and have the trophy cabinet to prove it. In fact, they only recently lost their first game in two years! I guess you could say they were competitive.
They’ve also recently gone mad for padel. Currently, it’s only for bragging rights but watch this space. I can’t imagine it will stay that way for long.
The Leeds team work very closely with C&C head office in Stockport, sharing admin, compliance, finance and account handling resource, as well as drawing on the Risk Management and much respected Claims Departments to support their clients. The senior management team in Stockport also work closely with Tom on business development and turning opportunities into reality.
The Leeds office has also mirrored the strategies employed by head office in terms of supporting local clubs at a grassroot level, as well as amplifying the C&C brand name through association with high-profile sports clubs.
In addition to sponsoring Calverley United FC (captained by our very own Jordan Williams!), West Leeds RUFC and Keyworth RUFC, C&C Leeds has also just renewed the advertising partnership with Yorkshire County Cricket Club. YCCC was promoted back into Division One of the Championship at the end of last season, so the celebrations just keep on coming. Headingley is one of the most famous grounds in the cricketing world and is often used for international matches in Test Series. With highly visible perimeter advertising, TV coverage of these fixtures introduces the C&C brand to a truly global audience.
The team work with clients across a number of sectors including transport, haulage and logistics, commercial, SMEs, real estate, manufacturing and construction. Many, such as Scania Financial Services value the team’s expertise and are not only willing, but encourage the sharing of industry and sector knowledge. And it’s a testament to Tom’s team just how frequently clients refer them to other businesses. That 37% growth doesn’t happen by itself.
Malc says: “It was a real step into the unknown for us, in setting up our regional offices – but one we’ve never regretted. A huge amount of time, energy, creativity and finance is invested in the planning and delivery of these kinds of projects but Andy and I had every faith in Tom. Congratulations to the whole Leeds team on their six-year anniversary!”
Tom sums it up perfectly: “At the risk of stating the obvious, the client is at the centre of everything we do. But whilst it should be obvious, all too often clients come to us because it isn’t always that way, elsewhere. We’re incredibly grateful for all of the support and loyalty our clients have shown us over the last six years. They are our WHY and we live that every day.”
With so much to celebrate, on the one hand, it would be fair to say, mission accomplished.
But then again, as both Tom’s are acutely aware, there’s always another mission – stand by for updates…
