Blog Series: Meet the e2e Team: Graeme Beamson - Change & Compliance Manager
Before joining e2e in January 2019 I can honestly say I didn’t know too much about automotive recycling and the products and services it provides to the insurance and fleet industries. What I saw, through the recruitment process, was a team of dedicated professionals who clearly cared passionately about the business and each other. I knew the automotive industry was, and still is, undergoing real transformation and e2e had, and continues to deliver, a clear strategy to turn that change to business advantage and differentiate its services. I could see that I could make a real contribution to the company’s success using my business change management skills and compliance experience and I welcomed the opportunity to become part of such a dynamic and progressive company.
In my career I have had diverse roles involving a wide range of disciplines including performance reporting, compliance, service improvement, project and business change management. I started my working life as an IT technician with an international chemical company and left 18 years later, having worked in many parts of the World, as the European Quality Assurance Manager. Other roles followed with seven years as Regional Business Performance Improvement and Support Manager for a UK wide facilities services company and five years as a Business Change Manager for a National Housing Association.
When I first started at e2e it was as Programme Manager to add structure and control to the wide range of change projects and service improvements the company was working on and had planned. More recently I have also taken charge of compliance. There is no typical day for me, my focus flexes with the business priorities and the variety is something I relish. As a management team we communicate regularly, review and qualify objectives and priorities and ensure everyone in the business and our network is kept up to date with developments.
Member performance is a key driver for the network’s success, making sure that our members are meeting the needs of e2e and our clients. Our members are some of the largest automotive recyclers in the UK who have well established reputations for integrity, professionalism, industry knowledge and high levels of service. I have been fortunate to have spent time with some of the business owners and have visited the sites; the scale and size of the operations is truly amazing. These are professional, well organised businesses processing many thousands of vehicles each year and operating to a high level of environmental scrutiny and industry compliance. They take the lead in the latest challenges and changing needs of the market as is evident with their reclaimed parts provision and electric vehicle plans. As part of my role I get involved in service improvements that arise out of member site quality assessments or key performance indicators.
A lot of my work is also dedicated behind the scenes to continuous improvement in business processes and ensuring we are always on top of our game in relation to maintaining our ISO 27001 and 9001 accreditation. Added to the mix in my working day is business objective monitoring, process mapping, management of risks and issues, service design, project planning, communication, system and process testing and training. Like I said, variety in glorious bucket loads. I thrive on mental Olympics and having a few plates spinning and I enjoy being called on to support different areas of the business and projects as they arise.
The future for e2e looks very exciting and I’m enjoying contributing to that journey, helping to instil a level of quality rigour and thinking that will accelerate our progress towards our business goals. When I’m not in work, and not in lockdown, I love nothing more than meeting friends for a game of pool at the pub or taking long country walks with my family. Well-being is an integral part of e2e’s people strategy and, together with many others in the team, I am currently competing to get to the top of the e2e leader board in the company’s charity fund raiser – ‘Race to the Base’ in aid of the Great North Air Ambulance Service. We are aiming to complete 130+ miles of walking, cycling or running as individuals and in teams throughout the month of March. Movement on that leader board is a constant source of amusement and motivation. When I’m not walking, I’m enjoying listening to 80's music and of course, reminiscing on how great music was in my youth compared to now!
