Well that tittle may confuse!
Let me explain. They have all been nom de plumes, codes, nicknames or bands that I have been in at some time, like Missedaround!
Most people who may know of me will probably only know about the last 5 or 10 years. People don't have great memories, DON'T know, don't want to know, or were never in the "circle" of that knowledge. Sadly many that do know have passed away, or just "disappeared"! I do get some old resurrected contacts and friends periodically, from Facebook though!
But my past and my many professional and community roles have been many. Every "job" I had did have many different dimensions and even separate "sub jobs". Many management jobs do! Every project manager has dozens of different directions, skills and objectives to pursue. In that respect I have been very lucky and seen so much of those roles in a very changing society. Sometimes it was intentional, sometimes "serendipity", sometimes it evolved, other times it developed and often it was by accident. Literally by accident.
Latterly, perhaps because I officially will be confirmed to be Mayor of the Borough of Maidstone this week, or because I meet old contacts at funerals, or that feeling of longevity and my past hits me, then I realise how much my current "circle" don't know anything about me!
Its also because I've been "called up" for an old role and people say "what made you do that" ?
I will be going to the Middle East on an "emissary" or envoy role to investigate the "peace dividend" and start some fact finding in terms of friendship, democracy and trade for the UK. I will start in the Kurdistan region and fly into Erbil on Friday, after meetings in the Foreign Office on Thursday.
Even my great friend and next door neighbour of 20 odd years asked "what the heck" ?
But this isn't a new shock of a role. Its a challenge, but hey why not?
I have always been either at the cutting edge, or at the start of a new era, in a place where R&D is critical, or where new products, services and thinking have changed the norm, or because markets change, where politics and economics can effect and innovation is needed. I started my working life in the 70s. That meant changing working practices and people, with invariably a dialogue that started with Unions and how to work with staff and provide training.
I hade to change and reinvent myself several times.
My first years in the Hospitality world, with qualifications and a good CV, were being affected and then changed by the microwave oven and early convenience goods that were NOT tinned. As I climbed management ladders I was then engaged in new supply and cooking concepts. Even when I was involved in the broader entertainment elements of the wide show business side of the hospitality sector, engaging artists and providing facilities for "big stars" like David Essex meant we needed more electric plug sockets, more lights, more food!
My next roles with KFC and PepsiCo were really cutting edge. New computerisation, new pressure cooking, new standards for health & hygiene, new markets, new stores, new menus and frequent innovation and new COUNTRIES!
I was also working throughout the nation and then in the whole of Europe and sometimes in the USA.
I also flew a lot and even on Concorde at super sonic speed.
It was then that KFC 1980-1985 started to develop a new programme of investment in Ireland and Ulster. I was at that forefront. It was dangerous at times. VERY and at great personal risk sometimes. I was not only operational and strategic for a massive USA corporation, but also a key link in Government Economic Development. I really got to know Politics in many ways, and several Ministers and political names and adversaries....and provided JOBS and a better foundation for dialogue for all parties.
The code for the work and project was MR O. It was based on the Mr Round, Mr Circle, Mr O name.
I then had a personal problem. My sister was killed in a road accident with my best friend and brother in law.
I had to change. I had to consider my parents and lifestyle.
I then helped Government regeneration and rebuild projects in places like Liverpool, Glasgow, Stoke etc to set up Cultural quarters and cafes, restaurants and entertainment in places that had lost loads of jobs. They were Michael Heseltines' pet projects.
Then I joined a company to capitalise on the Microwave revolution...again....but not in catering, but for the home. The home now had them. New products were needed. The R&D kitchen became exciting. Cook chill engineering en masse and volume distribution was key, whilst computers were being integrated into everything.
I worked in the world of chickens and eggs.
Having met politicians like Geoffrey Howe, Willie Whitelaw, William Prior in roles before Edwina Currie was now my fear!
We then went on to produce many successful food concepts using pasteurisation and cryogenics and built production engineering for mass distribution and sale. Again we produced jobs, in a closing coal mining community.
A new cook-chill product was nicknamed Mr 0 , that actually meant Martin Round Eggs - as in the shape of an 0.
That was the Thatcher era, then John Major. Everything was all change or suffer. I actually "had a seat" at Ulster talks too! I still travelled there.
Then another accident. To me. I was rendered totally immobile for a very long time. Multiple operations and new technology have helped. I was one of the first to use a MRI scanner. It was LOUD, very loud.
Again I had to change and adapt. I went into Local Govt Social Services and Health. That was changing too. I was involved in closing hospitals and regenerating old sites and rehabilitating people. I became a Mental Health and disability specialist and campaigner and trained as a Psychologist. .I was also Kenneth Clarks worse nightmare. But I did innovate, change and create new initiatives from meals on wheels services and methods to addressing employment and training concerns. Then creating new companies especially CICs.
I was never comfortable as a professional in Health and Social Care. But I was as an agitator and Community Volunteer.
I went into Economic Development. It was now the turn of Tony Blair to run the country. And it was bonus time and spending money time, especially Euro money. I worked on many projects ALL involving Technology Transfer, knowledge exchange, new Training and methods, innovation and R&D where jobs would be created. I then became involved in transferring that intelligence across the EU in "clusters and networks". We were sent to some weird and wonderful places. One country was Albania, which hadn't seen "civilisation" for 50 years. But like all well done projects the fact finding diagnosis and examination in the initial stages was critical. Greece was actually the biggest challenge!
The methodology was the same when we went to Ulster and set up KFC all those years before in the 80s, but this was nearly the new Millennium. A world changing daily in respect of computers/IT, TV and telephones. The World Wide Web was taking off. But it needed infrastructure physically or satellites, mobile signals and connections. It needed people to use it and recognise its attributes and risks. Critical mass didn't take long in some places, but others were isolated and disenfranchised. It needed work. The EU pumped money behind it and people like me became "experts" to senior politicians. BUT.... Cutting edge technology and innovative challenges and timely demands with MONEY in politics creates rivalries and enemies!
I was the fall guy! In Nottingham. I went home to Kent in 2000. Hence those that know me NOW did not know about me before then!
So I re-invented again. I applied new methods, ideas and directions to Further and Higher Education and also took up lecturing. We put new skills into industry and supported more qualifications for more people.
But I had to reinvent again. I was losing control of my legs and back ...20 years after the accident that broke three limbs in multiple places and poked at everything inside me. I hadn't done badly. I was given a prognosis of never walking again originally!
So I just did some advisor and consultant roles , in several fields as well as act as Care Quality Commission Inspector and well paid Food critic roles. I set up a village Youth Group. I became a Parish Councillor. I actually earnt very good money for just 6 to 10 days work per month so I subsidised my philanthropy.
New roles, new places, new responsibilities and change.
So what goes ROUND comes ROUND. Round by name and nature.
Now I am being asked to visit a region as a guest of the Kurdish League. To examine new opportunities, make friendships, develop trade and seek out further fact finding concerning structures, democracy and health and well being.
I look at it with some humour and realise there is a lot of peace dividend work going on at present in the Middle East, Ukraine and further with new "deals" and Trump in the White House. They had to drag the bottom of the barrel and found me!
Its not new really! Its an adventure though.
Research has been done, briefings sought, immunisations taken and safety advice computed.
Briefing at the Foreign Office Thursday, depart Friday for Erbil.
So I sign off
Mr 0
