Christine Hicks is Group Finance Director at OLM Group, a Ryecroft Glenton client for over 10 years.
OLM was established in 1991 to provide a case management system to the social care market. The group has grown significantly since then, acquiring a number of companies and investing in the development of the next generation SAAS solution, Eclipse.
Please tell us about your career to date?
I trained with the electricity board before working with Hanson Trust, Virgin Retail, Laura Ashley and the Rank Group. I joined OLM to help them out for 6 months and I’m still there 25 years later!
What do you find most rewarding about what you have achieved?
Having a CIMA qualification has meant that I’ve always worked in business, and this has allowed me to be involved in all aspects of each company, HR, marketing, operations, systems implementations and property development as well as finance. I never know what may cross my desk each day which allows me to work with so many excellent colleagues.
OLM has enjoyed great success over the last 30 years: how have the recent changes in the social care market impacted you?
The number of councils announcing that they cannot make their budgets balance has a direct impact on new work we can win as all of them are having to make cuts. Also, the fact that social care changes have now been on the agenda under numerous prime ministers doesn’t help, but change will have to happen, and we are making sure we are in a good place to win work when it does.
What advice would you give to your younger self with the benefit of hindsight?
Get involved in every aspect of the business that you can, it’s good fun, broadens your business knowledge and leads to new opportunities.
How do you unwind outside of work?
We travel a lot, theatre, exhibitions, socialising with friends – never quite sure how I have time for work!
And finally, please leave us with one interesting fact about yourself!
I have about 16 different gins in the cupboard just waiting to be tried – always a bad idea for me to go to a farm shop or craft fair.