We chat with Peter Munk, CEO of Willerby and Government Advisor, to discuss the park industry, his role in it and what he likes to do when not working.
Hi Peter, It is always a pleasure to see you. Tell me about your role at Willerby?
I’m the CEO at Willerby since Oct 2016 so I’ve been lucky to be a small part of the Company’s 75-year history. My role is to set the TONE, the GOALS, the PACE, the TEAM and COMMUNICATE as well as being VISIBLE and ACCESSIBLE.
At Willerby, we are all about: People, Products and Place and whilst the last 4 years with Brexit, Covid, Supply Chain disruption, inflation and War in Ukraine have created more challenges than most of us would have seen in our entire work life prior to that, we have managed to keep our 1200 People safe and developing through new leadership programmes and the highest intakes of apprentices ever, through our Products we have managed to build an entirely new Bespoke Business in 3 years and lately we’ve upgraded all of our holiday range the new Willerby GreEN Standard which is good for the environment as well as the pocket! As for the Place where our employees work and live and many of our suppliers are based, we take our responsibility as a major employer very seriously and ensure that we not only invest in our own people and operations but also engage in initiatives across to Hull & Humber region.
Of all the things in the industry, what is your favourite thing you like to do?
I have always worked in consumer-facing companies and my strong view is that we will only have a vibrant industry if we listen to and satisfy the consumer. So my favourite thing is to visit and stay on holiday parks together with Charlotte. This is the best way not only to meet the park operators and their staff, but also to stay in your own products and find out what working or not! This is also an opportunity to meet owners of Willerby units (we now have 10000 owners in our Owners Club and they are a great source of feedback for new products) and see their passion for the product and the unique lifestyle our stunning parks have to offer.
Any predictions for the industry in the next 24 months and what are your plans?
I’m quite optimistic for our industry as we offer not only the best and most affordable accommodation for holidaymakers but more importantly the most affordable way to own a second (holiday) home in some of the most stunning locations in the world! Our owners are not as impacted by the squeeze on living standards due to their age and other demographics and our task is collectively to encourage upgrade or first-time buy.
One example is the new Willerby Gainsborough that not only is built to the Willerby GreEN standard improving energy efficiency by 25% but equally important offers significantly more kitchen storage space ( no 1 request from owners) than any previous 12 ft unit from Willerby. It looks stunning too so 3 compelling arguments to upgrade.
Sustainable parks and products are becoming more and more important to the consumer and I firmly believe that we will see parks invest in generating their own electricity (we will do the same at Willerby) and we will bring out new smart electric units that can run off 32 amp so parks will not have relay all their infrastructure to be part of this major transformation of our entire industry.
If you weren’t doing what you do, what would you be doing?
I would probably still be travelling all over the world working for US companies instead of working within the same time zone which makes my 220 miles to work nothing! I wish I’d done this change a long time ago!
What do you like to do when not working? Any hobbies?
I enjoy playing golf which works fantastically with visiting holiday parks in Portrush, St Andrews you name it 😂 Sadly work still gets in the way of golf which is reflected in Charlotte having a much better HCP than me.
What has been your favourite professional moment?
Getting Willerby through Covid and in a much better place than before. No mean feat – The GOAL didn’t change but we had to change PACE up and down many times and the key is that Willerby TEAM did an outstanding job!
Which clients would you love to help?
Willerby operates with all sizes of companies and the breadth of our range and the addition of our Bespoke business enables us to serve all needs. We particularly like to work with innovators in sustainability and new consumer-driven experiences. Our 3 showgrounds are available to everyone and anyone who would like to partner with our industry-leading marketing platform is always welcome.
Who in our series would you like to be seen interviewed?
John Lally from the NCC.
Read the Mike Clarke from Arkle Finance interview here.