Man in the hot seat

7 April 2011



Paul French has been Managing Director of Robert Horne for one year and with the industry as a whole experiencing many challenges, how has he found his early days at the helm, asks Joanne Hunter.


Robert Horne Group is a major supplier of materials, from paper and board to plastics. On the main challenges he has faced during his first year in the hot seat, Paul French says: “Everyone is aware that the industry has been going through a period of great change, with difficult times for the paper market, where there has been a decline in consumption in conjunction with price increases.

“One of the first things I needed to do was to re-energise the business to face such challenges, rather than bury our heads in the sand and expect adverse trading conditions to go away. I had to be bold and look at new directions for the business while never underestimating the importance of commercial print. Change is never easy so the platform had to be right.”

He created the Robert Horne Leadership Team with people who can develop the business and inspire others. “I strongly believe that the power of a team is greater than that of any group of individuals. I do a lot of exercises and challenges with the Leadership Team to encourage both personal and team development. This has without doubt increased their effectiveness as individuals and as a team.”

His ‘raw material’ has to be full of potential. “We look for people who have drive and passion, but who can also bring to the business different skills and experiences. We want people who will challenge what we do and how we do it; who aren’t afraid to put their head above the parapet and say ‘hang on a minute, why are you doing it that way?’ or ‘have you thought about…’ Businesses can learn an awful lot from their new recruits, particularly those who come from outside the industry, and those learnings should be harnessed in positive ways, which is something we try to do at Robert Horne.”

Across the company he has reduced reliance on ‘core capabilities’, seemingly a reversal of a past industry trend. He comments: “The majority of businesses are, to some extent, challenging their traditional business model. Ours is an industry that is affected directly by changes in technology and lifestyles. The needs of our customers and of our customers’ customers are changing and we have to recognise that. Paper and board will always be at the heart of what Robert Horne does, but our understanding of our customers’ businesses coupled with our understanding of materials means we are in a strong position to broaden the scope of our business. We are introducing new products and services that will help our customers in terms of making their supply process more efficient but also in helping them explore how they can develop their business.”

What are the new trends among customers in the packaging industry? “The retail packaging market is ever-changing, and the speed of change seems to quicken all the time. Increasingly, we are asked about the environmental credentials of our materials. In fact, some retailers insist that all their packaging is either FSC certified or recycled. The vast majority of Robert Horne graphic and cartonboard stock is FSC, PEFC or recycled, so meeting these requirements is not an issue.

“In the competitive retail market, finding a point of difference in terms of packaging is also increasingly important. This is great for us at Robert Horne and is where our expertise in materials really comes into play. We have such a diverse range of materials available that we can help our customers find some really innovative solutions, using materials that they may not have considered before for packaging. This includes Priplak R100, made from recycled plastics.

“This focus on the environmental credentials is a clear trend for our customers of industrial packaging, too. Many businesses now have to report on the amount of packaging they are using. This means that how and what type of packaging is being used is being increasingly questioned.”

Looking to the future, Paul says: “We have a valuable mix of experience from people who have worked for the business for many years, and fresh blood who are injecting new ideas and willing to challenge what we do and how we do it. It’s this approach that will ensure that the Robert Horne brand remains relevant and the business successful.”


Started career in 1994 at Xerox. Moved to ColorGen as Sales Director. Managing Director at Spandex UK in 2001 at 27 years of age. Appointed Divisional Director, Robert Horne Sign & Display in June 2006. Managing Director, Robert Horne Group in NovemPaul French

External weblinks
Converting Today is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Robert Horne

Paul French Paul French


Privacy Policy
We have updated our privacy policy. In the latest update it explains what cookies are and how we use them on our site. To learn more about cookies and their benefits, please view our privacy policy. Please be aware that parts of this site will not function correctly if you disable cookies. By continuing to use this site, you consent to our use of cookies in accordance with our privacy policy unless you have disabled them.