01732 759725 50 AND FINALLY more than you, you’re 95% of the way there. I’ve been trying to live up to that as best I can. If you had had a crystal ball, would you have done anything differently? I’d have spent less time away from my kids when they were young. Or maybe pushed much harder to relocate my family when my business was in Hertfordshire and we lived in Yorkshire. It worked out fine in the end, but it must be true that no one lies on their deathbed wishing they’d spent more time at work, let alone commuting. When did you first join the print sector and what attracted you? My initial entry into print was via the leasing channel at Schroder Leasing in the late 1990s. There was no plan, but I’d been in asset finance for a while and the role came with a pay rise – which seemed important to me in my mid-20s. I later moved on to work for one of my clients, helping them create an early assessment-led MPS program. Tony Milford, Lead Consultant EMEA, PrintReleaf 60 seconds with…. Tony Milford What would be your dream job? Travel writer – who would not want to be paid to travel the world and have someone else pick up the tab? And I’d still get to talk too much. Money’s not an issue, what’s your perfect car…and where would you like to drive it? Hmmm! I’m not a car connoisseur to be honest, maybe because I’ve spent so much time in them. I want to sail round the UK with my wife at some point soon though. Fine dining and good wine or a curry and a pint? Curry and a pint please – but a fine curry and a pint of Landlord. How do you like to spend your spare time? I used to play and coach squash several times a week, but now it’s social tennis, visiting grown up children and sailing when the opportunity arises. Favourite app, and why? WhatsApp. It’s the glue that holds our family together. Favourite holiday destination? Anywhere on a boat – or where I can dive. Last film you watched? Majid/Zafar – a thought-provoking short film, written and directed by the son of our very own Louella Fernandes. Worth looking out. What’s the most rewarding part of your current role, and what keeps you motivated day to day? Having sold Vantage Online in 2019 and then leaving Asolvi in late 2024, I thought I might be retired. I then talked with Jordan at PrintReleaf, having been approached to potentially help recruit someone to lead their expansion in Europe and soon realised it was a role that really appealed to me. It’s perfect, because I get to maintain and develop relationships I have had for almost 30 years in the MPS and print channel, while doing something that is new, exciting and has real measurable value. The motivation comes from helping to grow a business that is the perfect combination of commercially useful and societally valuable. What’s been the most defining moment in your career so far, and how did it shape your approach to leadership? Taking the plunge to borrow far more than I could afford to take control of Vantage from its original founders. Sometimes blind faith and hard work trumps ability. What’s the best piece of business advice you’ve ever received and how has it influenced your journey? You have two ears and one mouth for a reason. Listening to people, be that colleagues, staff, prospects or customers, is never wasted time. If you can also learn to ask good questions and are prepared to acknowledge that others may know
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