In January 2025, Matt Whiles joined the Concord team as Managing Director. Here, we catch up with Matt, finding out what’s been happening since his arrival, how he’s finding his new role, how the company is performing and where he’s planning to take Concord in the next chapter.

Overview

“First and foremost, Concord has continued to grow since the end of 2024,” says Matt, “experiencing an increase in projects, driven by renewed client confidence in the economy and willingness to invest”. Although he’d like to take the credit for this success, Matt admits it’s due to the team’s hard work and determination over the last 18 months, and is optimistic that this positive momentum will continue, especially as the order book keeps expanding.

Hugely enjoying his new role, Matt is keen to express how much support he’s received: “Having worked at Concord some 15 years ago, I already knew some of the team and it’s been great to reconnect and build relationships. It might sound clichéd, but in this industry it’s the people who truly make the business, and we are fortunate to have a fantastic team – dedicated, focused and committed to delivering high quality service.”

Immediate challenges

Like many businesses, one of Concord’s ongoing challenges has been the uncertainty surrounding import and export tariffs. While things have settled somewhat, the broader rhetoric still causes hesitation among clients making capital investments, but hopefully, with the latest agreements in place, there will be greater stability and a return to the optimism experienced in the latter half of 2024.

A background in finance

As an ACCA qualified accountant with over 25 years’ experience, Matt’s background in finance is invaluable, enabling him not only to analyse business performance and identify patterns that highlight growth opportunities, but also instil a strong emphasis on process and structure. “Building solid foundations through effective processes and sound management is essential for sustainable growth,” he explains. “Many businesses struggle when they scale too quickly, without a well-defined platform in place.”

Matt’s ability to identify and investigate details comes as second nature, although he emphasises it’s equally important to trust the team – maintaining a broad understanding while relying on others to be deeply immersed in the details.

Maintaining core values

Matt is also keen to emphasise the importance of maintaining Concord’s core values, established some 30 years ago, believing the key to progress is not to disrupt or challenge the great work that’s already gone into building the organisation. “This can sometimes be a challenge for a new leader, he says. “By immersing myself in the business and embracing its culture, I’m confident we can continue to strengthen and enhance the positive ‘feel good’ environment that already exists.”

A hands-on approach

Committed to a hands-on approach and ‘open dialogue’, Matt says he’s never been afraid to get his hands dirty, dive into the details and work alongside the team at any level to better his understanding of both people and the business. “Having started my career many years ago as a finance apprentice,” he says, “I’ve worked at multiple levels, which helps me tailor my approach to different situations. I enjoy taking time to chat with everyone on a personal level creating an ‘open door’ culture, where team members feel comfortable approaching me.”

Particularly keen to develop a high performance, inclusive team culture, Matt explains that by reviewing and implementing processes that support strong, sustainable growth, it’s possible to capture valuable data for business intelligence, enabling the team to make well-informed decisions. “Involving the team from day one in this journey not only helps them understand the need for additional effort, but more importantly, enables us to tap into their experience and industry knowledge to help shape the future of the business,” he explains.

Staff progression and expansion

Passionate about encouraging others to progress in their career, Matt believes that fostering a culture of promoting from within creates a strong platform for the team to achieve their own career goals. “Both employer and employee invest significant time and effort in developing each role,” he says, “so retaining that investment within the business is essential. That’s why we provide so many great employee benefits.”

Since joining the business in January, Matt has expanded the team to support the company’s continued growth, welcoming four new engineers: three based in London and one in Manchester. The administrative function has also been strengthened with the addition of two new team members, one based in Hagley, the other in Manchester.

Future plans

As the business is successful, the immediate priority is to sustain current performance while enabling continued steady growth. Matt’s first year goal is to focus on immersing himself within the business to develop a comprehensive understanding and identify opportunities for further growth. Above all, his top priority is preserving the strong culture established by founding directors Peter Falahee and Richard Ford, and the wider team.  

With an accomplished leader at the helm, Concord’s growth trajectory is moving steadily upwards, backed by years of experience, a valued team and a shared desire to deliver the highest levels of service, performance and innovation, paving the way for future success and expansion.