Meet the Team – Mark Jones

Find out more about our Sales & Marketing Director, Mark Jones:

Could you please tell us about your experience in the scaffolding industry?

Previous to joining Simian none. I have spent the majority of my career in Health & Fitness, firstly working as an Instructor through to Senior Management. I spent some time in the NHS as a Strategic Lead, then was enticed over the world of Commercial Sales 10 Years ago. My sales career has to date and prior to Simian, covered Health & Fitness, Medical and Elite Sport.

Can you describe a typical day at Simian?

In the Sales Team there isn’t really a typical day. Aside from keeping up to date with the Team and the day to day operations, there is always a focus upon developing the strategic plan. With the fast-moving pace of the industry it is important that an element of every day is spent looking to the next developing area and engaging with customers alike to understand their needs. We have a diverse set of customers and meeting their expectations is key to the business.

Is there one aspect of your work in particular that you most enjoy?

Being part of a team has always been important to me. The interactions that the Team have with customers is really fascinating and helps me understand the industry, how we engage and how our services are being delivered. Meeting customers, building relationships, and understanding their needs, is something I have enjoyed greatly, across my career.

Before working at Simian, what was the most unusual or interesting job you’ve ever had?

Part of my Medical Sales Career was spent within Orthopaedics and I would from time to time meet surgeons in theatre. I would generally aim to have all the areas that I wanted to discuss covered in a 15-minute slot. This would allow me time to leave before the real work began. I also supplied a lot of Elite Teams such as Premier and International Football and Rugby teams, Professional Cycling and Olympic Teams. I spent six weeks at the London Olympics as part of the Athlete Village Gym Management Team.

Aside from scaffolding, what would be your dream job?

Pro Cyclist

If you could visit anywhere in the world, where would it be?

Russia

Have you ever had your 15 minutes of fame?

I once did an advert for an on-line gift company. I had to pretend to be too busy to remember and buy family birthday presents. Pretty cheesy but it was a good laugh.

Tea or coffee?

Good Italian Coffee

Crisps or chocolate?

Dairy Milk, has to be?

Beer or wine?

Guinness

Celebrity look-alike?

Richard Jobson (The Skids) or the Ex England Manager Peter Taylor

Favourite film?

Cape Fear, Robert de Niro or Stepbrothers

Favourite food?

Italian

Favourite Book?

There are many but recently “The Barcelona Way” by Professor Damien Hughes or anything by Malcolm Gladwell.

Favourite ever Band?

The Smiths

Favourite current band?

The National

If you could go for a beer with anyone dead or alive, who would choose and why?

Steve McQueen. Circa 1960’s & 1970’s. That era fascinates me and to be able to have experienced it with arguably the most revered actor of his generation and the man who invented cool, why wouldn’t you?