Marc Newey CCM, CCE is an experienced club manager and has spent over 30 years in sports management. Having held previous positions at Woking Leisure, Marriott Hanbury Manor and The Forest of Arden and Royal Mid-Surrey Golf Club, he is now the CEO of Roehampton Club, a multi-sports complex in London. Marc is a Chartered Fellow of CIMSPA, gained his Certified Club Manager (CCM) in 2012 and became the first Certified Chief Executive (CCE) in Europe in 2017. Marc is also the current President of CMAE.
In this Q&A Marc explains the importance of investing in your staff’s development and taking the best ideas from those around you, aswell as giving a top tip for managers starting their career.
Roehampton Club is clearly passionate about investing in its staff having recently won the Investor in People Gold accreditation. Is it possible to quantify the contribution that staff education has made to the overall success of the club?
The best way to quantify the impact of investing in staff training and development I have found is on the impact the person makes on the business once they have been trained. The MDP pathway has an immediate impact on the individual and their work at the Club. We have placed 13 members of staff through the programme over the last six years and our IIP assessments acquiring silver and then gold status comment on the rise in managerial expertise and cohesiveness.
The assessor was very impressed by the confidence gained on the training courses realising that their Club was on the right path but also how many ideas could be learnt and brought back to be shared. She also liked how the external networks set up for sharing ideas after each MDP were used by staff. I also like the camaraderie that exists between the managers and aspiring managers that are going through the pathway- everyone wants to achieve the CMDip as we see that as the benchmark qualification of competence in European club management. Everyone supports each other and patiently waits their turn to complete It. Staff retention at supervisor/manager level has improved significantly as a result.
You have enjoyed a highly successful career as a club manager and manage one of the top clubs in the country, what motivates you to dedicate so much effort to your ongoing professional development?
My hero JF Kennedy said to be successful surround yourself with brilliant minds and pick and choose the best ideas. His administration was full of republicans as well as democrats. My teams over the years are a reflection of that philosophy. I am very happy to make the final decision and take responsibility for success and failure in equal measure but I need the constant fuel of good ideas and best practice to give the best service to Members or other stakeholders. You can never rest on your laurels in Club management. You have to provide the best service every day as you never know who is going to walk in to your Club.
You recently became the first club manager in Europe to gain the Certified Chief Executive designation, a huge achievement! What does that mean to you both professionally, and personally?
Very proud to pass the CCM as that is a daunting seven hour exam despite being used to taking many exams over the years at school and university. I wanted to then show fellow European Managers that there was CPD opportunities after that to help you retain CCM. I had to travel to America to pass BMI 4 and 5 and gain 400 CPD points to be awarded the CCE which took three years to do but it shows to both CMAA and CMAE it can be done by a European Manager. Loved the whole experience and the new friendships gained on the way.
You have been an active sportsman, enjoying success in badminton, hockey and cricket. Which of these many activities did you enjoy the most and how have you seen the sport change?
I played many sports at County level when I was young and badminton through to my 30’s which I loved despite destroying my lower back for which I have suffered ever since! Sport is essential for the mind and body. I saw that first hand through my son and daughter who represented England at karate worldwide. It taught them how much effort and practice it takes to keep winning, how much losing hurts, how valuable friendships are even with rivals, how to keep fit and how lucky they were to travel the world through sport. I loved guiding them how to prepare mentally and physically to be successful and they are now applying those principles in their careers having stopped the sport at 18.
What disappoints me about sport in general in the UK is how little support athletes receive from the government and governing bodies despite expecting gold medals at the Olympics. Sport is character building and its benefit isn’t just about winning medals.
If you could give one bit of advice to a club manager starting out their career what would it be?
I was determined in 1983 when I graduated to become a sports club Manager and improve operational standards. I bolted on as many professional qualifications as possible and listened to as many experienced managers as I could. I also read widely to assimilate knowledge. As Gregg Paterson says -steal ideas from the best- and adapt to your team and Club. It can be a wonderful career path to follow.
Also if you need to make a big decision that affects a person’s career then think on it overnight so you reconcile your head and heart that it’s the right choice and can be fully understood and defended if necessary.
