Bob Holt
Bob Holt is also chairman of Inspired Energy PLC,
DX Group, Totally PLC and a director of a number
of other businesses.
Today, in his role as chairman of Mears and a director of
a number of other businesses Bob’s view is that the same
basic principles apply.
He describes Mears as “an oil tanker,” an enormous business
with operations all over the country providing facilities
management services and repairs.
“Though a very different animal to the enormous Mears In August 2015 he joined the board as chairman of Totally
Group, as a business Seneca is evolving with many different PLC, as the business raised £1.5m through a share subscription
strands. All of us are mindful of the regulated side of on AIM – which will allow the company to roll out a new
the business and ensuring that compliance is stepped up “direct to consumer clinical health coaching service.”
accordingly. But as you’d expect it’s a family environment
with a very collegiate style of leadership. I’ve always valued “The key to developing any business is good integration of people.
that, even though that’s quite hard to do with 17,000 people Grab people and give them a clear purpose and direction.”
now working in Mears Group.”
He also devotes a lot of time to his charitable foundation,
He also says that Seneca stands out from many other the Footprints Foundation which has raised thousands for
businesses in the financial services sector for what the a huge range of charities that share his personal ethos of
business and the brand stand for – yes, being very good at hard work, application and action – which remains at the
what they do, but doing so in a consistent and clear way.
centre of the foundation’s work, encouraging recipients to
live fulfilling lives through improved self-esteem and wider
“It’s not a conventional portfolio management business – community engagement.
we’ve given out returns but we deliver value as well. Seneca
is a strong brand that people recognise. It has integrity.”
The work has helped orphanages and villages in South
Africa that embody this value: “We don’t just give money
In the future he sees a huge opportunity for the business to to various different projects and walk away. Our aim is to
take this approach further afield, right across different parts work with the orphanages and implement a sustainable
of the various Seneca businesses.
programme of work so that the benefits they have received
from Footprints will continue even in our absence. We have
“Any upturn in the economy means opportunities in the adopted these orphanages in every sense of the word.”
corporate finance market for our team. But we’ve also got
the additional opportunities, this is a business that never
stands still.”
“My management style is foot down, I don’t sit around and
wait,” he says.
Bob Holt – key milestones
1996 – Bought a controlling stake in Mears Group PLC and took the business onto the
Alternative Investment Market (AIM) at a market cap of £3.6million.
2008 – Mears joined the main list of the London Stock Exchange with revenues of £1billion
and a market capitalisation of £450m.
2008 – Footprints Foundation established to support good works through proactive charities.
9