One last thing… Robert Ginsberg
The CEO of bathroom manufacturer HiB talks about understanding different perspectives, his inspirational figures, and finally seeing Tottenham Hotspur winning a trophy!
If I was in charge of this industry I would…
Get everyone to spend a day working on another side of the industry so that we could all understand perspectives better. I think it’s important to have a true grasp of how many cogs are turning within the industry to keep it thriving.
What I love most about my job is…
Seeing people succeed. There’s something so special about giving people the time, space and resource to be their best selves at work.
The work story I always tell to make people laugh is…
Rushing around Frankfurt airport late one Friday night to catch the last flight back to London. I’d disembarked an internal flight in Germany, taken a bus to the terminal, run through the airport, just got to the gate as it closed, hot and sweaty, to take a bus to the plane which ended up being next to the very plane I got off 45 minutes earlier.
The thing people might not know about me is…
Every January I make a photo album, so we have a memory of the previous year. I always set a deadline of my wedding anniversary at the end of the month – that’s the present sorted!
The industry person I most admire is…
My dad, Warren Ginsberg. His enthusiasm is contagious. With almost 35 years at the helm of HiB, he has truly inspired me to take the reins and lead the company to future success. His passion, dedication and love for the industry is unrivalled.
My biggest professional inspiration is….
People who have been transformative. A few of the names that come to mind are Nelson Mandela, Steve Jobs and Roger Federer, as they all became transformative trailblazers in their very own right.
My proudest professional achievement is…
Seeing HiB win the Queen’s Award for Enterprise. When we realised that all of our hard work had paid off – I’d say that was the moment I was at my proudest.
One professional mistake I’ve learned from is…
Don’t take your foot off the gas in the good times! Just because something is going well, it doesn’t mean you can rely on that to continue. Don’t rest on your laurels and always remain one
step ahead.
If I could go back to the day I started in this industry, I would tell myself…
Enjoy the journey, don’t focus on the destination. Of course, the big successes are great, but it’s important to celebrate the small wins too. These help you get through the day sometimes and I would urge everyone to truly appreciate every success, no matter how big or small – that goes for my younger self, as well.
In ten years’ time I will be…
Still hoping that my kids get to see Spurs finally win a trophy.
I dance in my kitchen to…
Billy Joel. Or, if my daughter is the DJ, Taylor Swift.
The song I always sing in the shower is…
Mr. Brightside, by The Killers!