LIBERTY GLOBAL into purchasing . Every procurement executive can pinpoint the moment they knew they had found their niche in business . Martin ’ s arrived when his desk phone rang and he discovered it was his CEO on the line .
He recalls : “ I popped into his big spatial office and he said , ‘ congratulations , you ’ re now running all of our procurement . You ’ re going to purchase all of our books , you ’ re going to run our supply chain , you ’ re going to manage all of our printed literature ’. I was 21 years of age .”
Martin had been at Grolier for less than three years and was already making a huge leap of faith up the career ladder .
Building experience and expertise His career took him to what was then Europe ’ s biggest printing company in the form of Polestar , before stints at Norwich Union ( Aviva ), Vodafone and Virgin Media – where he took a step backwards in seniority to help with a long-term ambition .
“ I actually joined as an analyst ,” says Martin . “ I went down two levels to join , mainly because I really missed that environment of being in a blue chip with a buzz and being part of what feels like a family .”
It was not a step back that lasted long . “ The best advice I was ever given was don ’ t do a job for money ,” he adds . “ Do a job because of the opportunity and the challenge . Within seven years I became the Chief Procurement Officer .”
After three years in Belgium at Telenet as Vice President of Procurement ,
“ Don ’ t do a job for money . Do a job because of the opportunity and the challenge ”
MARTIN SIMPER CHIEF PROCUREMENT OFFICER , LIBERTY GLOBAL
he returned home to the UK to take on his current challenge at Liberty Global in London .
It has been a career journey of perpetual motion for Martin and he has been powered by his willingness to push himself professionally .
He continues : “ If you can do your job with your eyes closed or your hands tied behind your back and you don ’ t have that feeling of ‘ what ’ s going on today ?’, that ’ s not for me . I think it ’ s nice to feel out of your comfort zone . It becomes natural and that feeling is what draws me to want to do different things .”
Building a business within Liberty Global Liberty Global is a leading multinational telecommunications company and has been a prominent player in the telecom and media industry since its formation in 2005 through the merger of Liberty Media International and UnitedGlobalCom . mobile-magazine . com 19