60 Seconds With

“Be the best you can be.” Robert Ferry, Partner, RFC Executive

By Business & Finance
23 April 2019
Robert Ferry, Partner, RFC Executive

Robert Ferry, Partner, RFC Executive takes the Business & Finance 60-second interview challenge.


Q. What was your first job?

At the tender age of 15 I worked during school holidays for a market gardening business, weeding and harvesting vegetable beds. It certainly instilled a good work ethic; be on time, work hard and do a good job. It was a basic lesson but the sentiment still applies today.

Q. What would you regard as your greatest achievement to date?

Personally, it’s seeing my three children thrive and I’m lucky to have good friends and family that I can count on as much as they can count on me. Professionally, it’s setting up RFC Executive and sustaining its success for over 20 years by through a range of business and economic challenges. It helps that to understand that change is the only constant.

Q. In three words or fewer, how do you define success?

Delivering Win/Win.

Q. What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

Be the best you can be. Strive for continuous learning and development to sustain motivation, satisfaction and ultimately your success.

Q. How do you motivate yourself and your staff?

Staying true to a shared vision and set of values and of course celebrating the wins, no matter how small.

Q. If you could step into the shoes of one business person for the day, who would it be and why?

Dermot Desmond. He’s an old boss of mine and I’d like to know just how he manages to juggle so many deals and most of them successfully!

Q. How do you relax?

Knowing that all is well in my personal and business life is the key and being self-aware enough to stay a calm with a positive focus helps to sustain this difficult balance. I find exercise, swimming and golf in particular and the company of friends and family work for me. I’ve recently become a fan of mindfulness too.

Q. What’s your motto?

Do the right thing by people.

Q. What are your aspirations for the future of your business?

Put simply, it’s to continue to grow by supporting staff and clients do the same.

Specifically, with 20 years in recruitment, executive search, psychometrics and executive coaching the future lies in pulling together each of these strands to provide a service that’s fit for purpose for the agile organization of today. A holistic talent management service that delivers an end to end growth solution.

Do the right thing by people.