In an attempt to find out Lee Kelsey, Group Sales Director journey to the top at Farsound along with the current challenges faced by the aviation industry focusing on sales, he speaks with MRO Business Today….
Q – You joined Farsound as a Sales Manager in 2005; today you stand strong as a Sales Director. How was your journey so far from a Manager to a Director?
Ans – The journey over 17 years within Farsound has certainly been a fruitful one. My role has evolved as the company has expanded, and I’ve personally had to adapt and change.
We are currently on an exciting growth journey as we expand our business operations globally especially in the USA and in Asia, making the position I’m in even more challenging, but exciting.
Q – What was the most challenging experience of your journey and how did you face it?
Ans – Moving from Manager to Director was a challenge, understanding that you have more responsibility and not more power. Closer to recent times, like everyone working in Aviation – the COVID pandemic was a challenge! But at Farsound, the team used that time to prepare for the demand that we are beginning to see across the aviation sector, increasing stock levels, lead-times and staff.
Q – Was the decision to enter the aviation sector by choice or by chance? And how?
Ans – I always wanted to be an engineer, and studied at college in general engineering, then was fortunate to get a four year apprenticeship at an aerospace company. I worked in all roles within the business when I graduated, but moved more towards problem solving for customers. Customers saw I had an engineering background and respected me more when I spoke to them, which slowly lead my career path into sales and the role that I’m doing today.
I’ve been in Aerospace for 27 years now, and been specifically specialising in the MRO market of aircraft parts for the last 17 years.
Q – As a Sales Director, your job is a high-pressure job with sales targets and outcomes, how do you deal with day-to-day stress?
Ans – Like everyone, keeping work life balance is important. I am lucky because I actually love what I do for a living and the people that I work with.
I see stress/pressure, how sports people see nerves and excitement, they are the same feeling but totally different outcomes. Athletes change nerves to excitement, and I try and use stress and pressure to challenge me, and push me forward.
Outside work I enjoy keeping fit and regularly go to the gym, enjoying all sports, but most of all walking my dogs in the countryside.
Q – Farsound offers innovative and novel MRO supply solutions, can you tell us what sets Farsound apart from its competitors?
Ans – We listen. We take what we are told, knowing that one size doesn’t fit all and tailor a solution. This can be anything from kitting, consignment, a mixture of both or something totally different. Whatever the customer wants, we can provide.
Q – Supply chain is a dynamic and challenging environment, and with recently receding pandemic woes according to you what are the current challenges faced by the aerospace industry?
Ans – The main challenge we are all seeing in the supply chain right now is sourcing of product. With the increase in flights and companies during the pandemic not investing in product, reducing staff, lead-times have been drastically increased.
Farsound took the opposite view, which I’m so delighted we did and invested wisely in people and product.
Q – Supply chain has undergone transformational changes with regard to technological innovations like digitization, Artificial Intelligence etc. Your views
Ans – The Farsound team are always looking for innovative ways to make our processes more productive and we designed an in-house system for our clients. This will move us toward a more E-commerce solution, where all the customers’ information is in one area, stock and pricing is available in real time, orders can be directed load, with automatic acknowledgment but all this still with a personal feel and touch.
Q – What advice would you give the younger generation planning to pursue a career in Aviation?
Ans – I think the aviation sector is still a very exciting and evolving sector to work in. In the future we will see new more sustainable ways of travel with electric aircraft and sustainable fuels, so this is where I would be focusing on if I was a youngster.
