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Peter Thompson
• A new year, a new job, a new home. Such is the fortune of Peter A. Thompson who on Monday morning moves into the md's suite at BRSL in Northway House, London. For the past 31., years Peter Thompson has occupied the senior transport post at the British Steel Corporation and as such has been BRSL's biggest customer. So he knows what makes it tick. . . .
Joining a large organization is no new experience to this charming Yorkshireman. Indeed, his whole career has been spent in the world of big companies.
Armed with an economics degree from Leeds University, Peter Thompson in 1952 joined Unilever in what he describes as a "small soap company involved in both warehousing and transport". He was soon, however, to find his way into the Bird's Eye Food Company of Unilever when the turnover was a mere £2m per annum. Within a few years he had graduated to the managerial suite in a company with a £7m transport budget and a 50m turnover.
Peter Thompson left Bird's Eye for GKN, becoming assistant group transport manager and acting as consultant, and this he regards as one of the most rewarding periods in his career. "The results of one's labours are still apparent today," he said. His next move took him into the Rank organization where his transport activities involved supplying the needs of, on the one hand,. the very businesslike management of the Xerox organization, and, on the other, the less-well-ordered life of film producers.
It may come as a surprise to some of his new staff at Whetstone Road to learn that Peter Thompson was for a short time with BRS — or as he more correctly describes it, "The Road Haulage Executive". As a trainee with Unilever he went along to learn the business in the nationalized sector and spent two years on road, rail and port admin training.
He will, of course, sever his connection
with FTA he has been London area chairman, member of the Ford User Committee, has sat-on the FTA's c6st panel.
His philosophy is that management should constantly look for the growth area in an organization and exploit it to the full. "Running down" has no place in his thinking.
From Camberley, Surrey, he is moving to Hertfordshire • with his wife, son and two daughters. If he has any regrets about the move it is that he will be leaving the delightful Camberley Heath Golf Club in Surrey.' Happily, he hopes to continue to find time to attend club and national rugby matches.I.S.