This month we chat with Richard Donovan, General Manager, ESL Fuels.
“Let’s make it work for both.”RICHARD DONOVAN
Sum up your working life in 25 words or fewer.
8 years in finance at Innospec, working across Europe and the USA, followed by 10 exciting years at ESL Fuels, in a diverse leadership role.
Describe yourself in 3 words.
Logical. Competitive. Open-minded.
What were your childhood / early ambitions?
To be successful in the world of business.
If you could have any superpower, what would it be?
The ability to pause or slow time – I’d like more of it.
What’s your best Christmas cracker joke?
How do you find Will Smith in the snow? Look for the fresh prints.
Your top tips for business success?
Keep innovating and nurture relationships across the business.
The best advice you’ve ever received?
Lead by example.
What’s the last photo you took on your phone?
I coach my son’s Under-9s team, so it’s a customary full-time photo.
What’s your favourite Christmas song?
Last Christmas, but not before December.
If you could have dinner with any person, living or dead, who and why?
Will Ferrell because that would be the most fun.
The best thing about your job?
The people I work with, internally and externally.
The quality that you most admire?
Kindness.
What will you be eating on Christmas Day? (Turkey, Chicken, Beef, Chocolate?!)
A lot of pigs in blankets.
What are you most likely to say?
“Let’s make it work for both.”
What are you least likely to say?
“Change is bad.”
Describe your perfect day.
A day of sport… tennis, football, badminton, footgolf, padel, finishing with snooker and a few beers.
Your favourite sports team?
Crewe Alexandra.
If you could be any fictional character, who and why?
Maverick in Top Gun – he’s cool and the best at what he does.
What’s your favourite thing that is associated with Christmas? (A food, activity, tradition etc.)
Watching my boys, Max and Zac, open their presents.
Share your greatest personal achievement.
It’s a team achievement, but professionally it would be the growth we’ve achieved at ESL Fuels.
Share your pet hate or biggest irritant.
Arrogance.
What would your Mastermind specialist subject be?
The Premier League.
What’s your favourite Christmas film?
I have two – Home Alone and Elf.
If you were PM what would be the first law you’d pass?
I’d work with the Chancellor of the Exchequer to reshape tax policy.
If you had a time machine, would you go to the future or the past?
The future – to see new technologies and pick up a sports almanac.
What is number 1 on your bucket list?
There are a lot of places I’d like to see, so a world tour.
If you were Editor of Fuel Oil News magazine, what’s your first article?
I’ll leave that to the experts!
What 3 things would you take to a desert island?
A Swiss Army Knife, a ferro rod and a (Wilson) ball.
Are you a snow lover or a snow hater?
I love it in the mountains, dislike it on the roads.
Something about you people would be surprised by?
I’m related to Barack Obama – we share the same Irish ancestors.
Image courtesy of Richard Donovan, ESL Fuels
