We discover that Ian wanted to become a Geography Teacher, before trying to get into the Royal Navy as a Navigation Officer, but life on the vans soon took over and Ian became a second-generation remover, with his son Adam since becoming third-generation.

We discover that Ian is a really good packer, being both quick and efficient and how management training from White & Co. lead him to becoming an Estimator, Assistant Branch Manager at Forres in Scotland before returning to Plymouth to a become a Branch Manager himself.

We discuss that being made a Director of White & Co. at the mere age of 35 Ian relocated to Hertfordshire to run a newly opened branch in North London, while also managing branches in Jersey & Guernsey. And how in 2003 Ian moved to Head Office in Botley, Southampton to take over as Chief Executive Officer.

We discover that White & Co. PLC was founded by A.W. White in Portsmouth in 1871, working with the Royal Navy providing staff cartidge facilities in the dock yard, which then morphed into transportation and then removals. Today White & Co. have an impressive 19 branches, 210 vehicles and 460 staff, and are founder members of FIDI and OMNI.

We discuss how in Ian’s earlier years he had to overcome the challenge of being the boss’s son, and professionally how Ian is seemingly very impatient, which he has learned to curb a little.

We discover that becoming CEO of White & Co. was a personal high point for Ian, but also becoming the current BAR President was a pretty special occasion for him.

We discuss how the conveyancing situation is a major frustration, just one thing Ian would change within the industry, as well as it being unregulated.

We discuss archive storage, or records management to some, and discover that the digital age has not really affected business as the number of physical files currently being stored is the highest it’s ever been.

We discover that over the next 5 years Ian has no intention of retiring from his role as CEO of White & Co. At the end of his BAR Presidency (May 2021) Ian hopes to return to the Overseas Group Council. Ian predicts that the industry is going to make greater use of technology in the coming years, electric vehicles, perhaps even hydrogen, and there will be greater focus on shared facilities, operations, and resources.

Outside of the industry we discover Ian likes riding his motorcycle, fast, he enjoys watching rock bands at venues around the UK but also at a local Southampton venue, and that he has a passion for Cricket as the Rose Bowl is literally 500 metres from his home.

And as always we end Moving Matters with a couple of funny moving stories, one where Ian discovered that not all wood floats, and all White & Co. branch managers switch off now because we also learn how Ian came 2nd at a privateers track day, in his company car!

Enjoy!

Links to White & Co. PLC:

• Website
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Linkedin

Special Guest: Ian Palmer.