Paul Barns
Head of Marketing
What does your role at LAKE involve?
I oversee marketing. That involves lead generation and supporting the account management team in their work. I manage and develop the website and I am also involved in advertising.
How long have you been with LAKE and what did you do before you joined?
I have been with LAKE since July 1999. Before that I had the same role elsewhere. Prior to that role I worked at the London Stock Exchange in a marketing and liaison role.
What do you enjoy most about the work you do?
I like design, so I enjoy having creative control over the website. I think of a webpage like a photograph, it has to have balance and I like finding that balance. I love working at LAKE, working with people that are very good at what they do. It's stimulating. I'm also provided with a lot of professional freedom with my work and that is great. Managing others is another aspect that I really enjoy.
If you had to pick out three achievements or pieces of work that you're particularly proud of from your time at LAKE, what would they be?
In no particular order, the move to digital would be one of those achievements. I've been around for a long time and so much has changed over the years. Second would be the fact that I was at the forefront of successfully taking on new products such as SAP Business One. That involved new markets, new challenges, and new ways of doing things. The other one would be ongoing management of a successful team. We do very well here, and I would like to think that I play a part in that.
What does your background, experience and knowledge mean for customers?
Where I have control, I prefer my communications to be in plain English. I don't like hyperbole and I try to avoid it. I think that's a good thing as it creates straightforward communications for customers. I'm also a musician in my personal life and because of this, no customer will ever have rubbish hold music on my watch!
What excites you most when you think about LAKE's future plans and the future of business systems in general?
Well, there's a lot of scope with the brands that we sell, and the future is optimistic. The world is changing, and these products are helping to drive that change. From a customer's point of view, I think the move to cloud and digital generally has been a very positive thing. It has accelerated the move to automated and streamlined processes and made people's lives easier. It's helped facilitate flexible working and has been a real positive force for change under which everyone has benefited.
What do you do when you're not working?
I'm very involved with my family. I have a lot of new and not so new hobbies. I recently took up kayaking and I love anything to do with snorkelling. I've been a jazz guitarist in the past also. I'm trying to widen my horizons at the moment. I'm also a member of Cycling UK.
What is one item on your bucket list?
I can't name one, so I'll name a few. One would be to cycle from York to Stockholm. An extended trip to Tasmania to see my brother would also be on the list. I would also love to see a SpaceX star ship launch when that happens. It will be the world's largest rocket.
What would your specialist Mastermind subject be?
Perhaps SpaceX or John Coltrane
