Published on:

15 July 2019

Updated on:

11 December 2023

Read time:

3 minutes

Gary Tailby

Managing Director

Tina Batham

Managing Director

Derby was where the culture was at last week. At accountant, Cooper Parry's revamped offices at East Midlands Airport, to be precise.

A client of our Midlands team, Cooper Parry is viewed as an innovator and industry disruptor, having rebuilt the traditional professional model to influence and lead with a new style of working practice.

And these guys certainly know what they're talking about !

Ranking 13th in the Sunday Times Top 100 Businesses to Work For and having been named best company to work for in Europe earlier this year, Cooper Parry is leading the way as both a brand and an employer in professional services.

A lot of this comes down to culture.

Office Principles Cooper Parry 13 1

Who better to host a Culture Carnival?

Cooper Parry's Culture Carnival started with coffee and laughter therapy perhaps not so unusual from a company that professes to be people-led and has employee happiness at the top of its agenda.

CEO, Ade Cheatham and chief people officer, April Bembridge took us through the Cooper Parry story and introduced the topic of culture and how it trumps strategy every time.

They were followed by brand strategy consultant, Matt Davies who talked about brand being so much more than a logo and how to create a culture that people want to be a part of.

Introducing our own

Claire Stant, design director for Office Principles was up next, covering the broad topic of the changing workplace. Claire took us through how the workplace plays a vital role in enhancing and supporting great business culture which, in turn, supports success and growth.

She also discussed various trends that are predicted to influence the office of the future.

Later in the day

After lunch, the 100 or so guests present were treated to a trio of workshops hosted by Tony Cosgrove, director at communications specialist, Masgroves, Cooper Parry's head of L&D, Emily Allen and Matt Macri-Waller, founder of software company, Benefex.

These inspirational workshops covered everything from the future benefits of wellbeing to playing to your strengths and, of course, back to the main topic on the table why culture۪ is the bottom line issue we should all be talking about.

There was also a talk on tech, using the Big Issue as a case study, and a sharing of the New World Trading Company story by CEO, Chris Hill before a final question and answer session and wrap up for the day.

In summary

What a great event! It was an absolute privilege to be on the guest list and to have a member of our team speaking alongside such a dynamic crew.

Here's to more events like this and, of course, a happy, healthy work life.

Meet the Authors

Having spent over 25 years in the industry, Gary is a highly proficient leader, with an all-encompassing knowledge of the commercial property market. The list of major corporates he has worked for spans all sectors and reflects his passion for exploring fresh business opportunities and breaking new ground. An enthusiastic team player, as well as a leader and director, Gary is intent on making sure that clients always attain their vision.

With over 25 years’ experience, Tina is a recognised and trusted industry leader whose client portfolio spans a huge body of work. Having consulted across most sectors, Tina is proficient in identifying the best solutions; focusing and advising on any single project to achieve outstanding results. As managing director, Tina is a hands-on team player as well as a strategist and experienced business development professional.