Kirsty Gates

What were you doing prior to working at the Change Organisation?

Before joining the company, I worked in administration for the NHS within their maintenance department. My role involved logging maintenance requests and dispatching engineers or maintenance staff to carry out repairs and resolve issues when problems were reported.

How has your role changed or evolved since joining?

I originally joined the company in purchasing. After spending time there, I moved into the finance department and gradually progressed through multiple roles, eventually becoming Financial Controller and later Finance Director. Within my current role, the evolution has really been about continuous improvement — developing procedures, improving systems, and building a larger finance team that can support both each other and the wider business effectively.

What elements about your role in particular and the company in general do you enjoy most?

Without a doubt, the people are the best part of the company. The culture here is built around people who are enjoyable to work with, supportive of each other, and genuinely committed to the business. In my role specifically, I'm fortunate to be in a position where I can contribute to decisions and discussions that impact the wider company, which is something I really value. At the same time, I still enjoy getting involved in the detail — working through the numbers and financial analysis that I originally trained for many years ago. The role can absolutely be stressful at times, but it's also incredibly rewarding, and being part of the company overall is something I genuinely enjoy.

What factors do you feel differentiate the company from other businesses?

Again, for me, it always comes back to the people. Of course, we have policies, procedures, and systems in place to support the business, but ultimately it's the people who make those things successful. The work ethic, commitment to the company, dedication to customers and suppliers, and the relationships people build are what truly set the business apart. That trust and commitment create a very strong culture internally and externally, and I think that's one of the company's greatest strengths.

What's been the most significant change or development in the business since your time here?

Having been with the company for nearly 25 years, there have been a huge number of changes over time. I've worked across five different buildings, seen countless employees come and go, and watched products and areas of the business evolve significantly over the years. The biggest development overall has been the company's growth — not only in size, but in how the business has adapted to that growth through new procedures, new systems, and developing employees to support the expanding business. At the same time, though, the core fundamentals of the company have remained consistent. The culture, work ethic, mutual respect, and overall values of the business have stayed very much the same throughout that growth, and I think that consistency is a huge part of the company's success.

What do you see for the future?

The future is difficult to predict because the company's growth over the years has been tremendous and, at times, unexpected. Going forward, I think the focus should be on maintaining and refining what the business already does so well. The business model is strong, and while continued growth is obviously positive, it's equally important that the company continues improving efficiency, processes, and internal systems to support that growth sustainably. From a finance perspective specifically, there's a big opportunity to continue streamlining processes and improving efficiencies so the business can comfortably handle both its current scale and any future growth. Ultimately, I think the future is about continuing to develop and strengthen what already exists while maintaining the high standards and culture that have made the business successful.