Good businesses are at the heart of our lives

Phil Bentley, Chief Executive of Mitie, addressed Cardiff Business Club in the first event of the organisation’s 2022/23 season.

Phil spoke to guests including business people and students from across South Wales at Cardiff’s Hilton Hotel on October 19.

Founded in 1987, Mitie is a leading facilities management and professional services company with 72,000 employees across the UK. The company delivers solutions to its large, diverse, blue-chip customer base including banks, retailers, hospitals, schools and critical assets.

Speaking about Mitie and its progression within its sector, Phil said: “We are in the facilities management industry but, for us, it is about facilities transformation. We are expanding our services all the time, using smart technology and analytics to assist us in creating outstanding work environments for our customers.

“With these advances, we are also hugely focused on decarbonisation to make net zero happen for the business and our customers. Our Plan Zero initiative will drastically cut carbon emissions and make huge energy savings and enable us to become net zero carbon by 2025 – 25 years earlier than government targets for the private sector.”

On the Welsh business landscape more generally, Phil said: “Good businesses are at the heart of our lives; generating wealth, jobs and opportunities. Wales remains a very attractive place for investment, but investment only stays where it is rewarded. Businesses must engage with these important stakeholders to generate value while providing a stable and inclusive culture for their teams to thrive.”

Phil concluded his speech with his top ten tips for doing business before taking questions from the audience.

Baroness Finlay of Llandaff will headline Cardiff Business Club’s next event on November 28 at the Hilton Hotel. For details on all of the Club’s events, visit www.cardiffbusinessclub.org/events