Rise to Leadership - Richard Cook's Story: The Beginning

In this exclusive three-part leadership series with Richard Cook, Managing Director at Castings Technology International, we explore his remarkable career journey and leadership insights. Richard’s career trajectory is not only a testament to his dedication and adaptability but also carries the weight of family legacy, as he follows in the footsteps of his father, who achieved remarkable success at a young age in the 1950s. We explore his experiences, challenges and passion for nurturing young talent within his organisation. We uncover his journey from being an apprentice to a senior leader, and the wisdom he has gained along the way.

In the first part of this series, we explore his education and how it shaped his future…

When you left school, did you have a clear idea about the career you wanted?

When I left school, I did have a clear idea of the type of work I wanted to pursue. Initially, there was a bit of uncertainty when many of my friends started getting jobs at 16 years old, and I was still in the early stages of my apprenticeship. During that apprenticeship, I earned £55 per fortnight(!), considerably less than some of my friends were making in various jobs like painting and decorating, or working as bank tellers, earning around £40 per week. However, my passion had always been engineering, a career path I had focused on for some time. This interest in engineering had been influenced by my family, especially my grandfather and father, who were both involved in the field.

My father had a strong academic background and excelled in his early career, whereas I leaned more towards the hands-on, practical aspects of engineering. Whilst I may not have been as academically inclined as my father, I was drawn to the physical aspects of engineering. This passion ultimately guided me towards my current career, supplemented by later academic studies.

Did your father and grandfather heavily influence you?

My father and grandfather certainly influenced my career choices, although we had some differences in our approach. Both my grandfather and, to a greater extent, my father were highly academic individuals who were more inclined to work ‘on the system’ and focus on the theoretical aspects of engineering.

In contrast, I was always more drawn to the practical side. I had a strong desire to take things apart, understand their inner workings, and put them back together. This inclination often led to clashes, especially when working on my beloved motorcycles. My father preferred much less subtle approaches to maintenance involving heavy, blunt instruments! Despite these differences, my father was an exceptionally intelligent engineer, and we often engaged in discussions about engineering concepts. He was eager to share his knowledge with me, and I have fond memories of our conversations.

I still have some of my father’s old school and degree books, which serve as a reminder of his meticulous work. He had an impeccable writing style, and his drawings were flawless, even when he was in a rush. This was very inspirational, although my writing never was as neat! Nevertheless, these experiences and influences from my father and grandfather shaped my career path and instilled a passion for engineering, albeit from a more hands-on perspective.

 

In the upcoming instalment, we’ll explore his 40+ year journey within the Engineering industry, tracing his path from the beginning to where he stands today…

 

 

Richard Cook, Managing Director at Castings Technology

Richard is responsible for Castings Technology’s global business activities and
following on from the successful MBO with Kevin Parkin, is the Managing Director
and majority shareholder at Castings Technology. Connect with Richard on LinkedIn.