Stefano Ispani
Company:
Ponti’s Group
Job title:
CEO
How did you get into the sector:
I entered the family business when I was 18 years old, working in Ponti's at Liverpool Street station as a glorified cappuccino maker! Over the next 20 years, I progressed through the management ranks working in almost every aspect of the business, before becoming CEO in 2007 at the age of 35.
What do you enjoy about your role:
I enjoy the creative elements of the business, especially now as we are implementing our new restaurant concepts of Ponti’s Italian Kitchen and Caffe Italia across the group. I also work with some really inspiring people and suppliers within the business - this is very motivational to me.
Career high:
There have been many - but one highlight would be opening our Ponti’s site at Stansted Airport in 2002. After a year of trading this was the single busiest unit in the world and also the busiest single catering operation across the BAA global portfolio - quite an achievement!
Career low:
When my father suddenly passed away 8 days before 9/11 and we were about to commence build at Stansted Airport for Ponti’s. Our Bank Manager at the time asked if building a restaurant in an airport, given no one was flying, was such a good idea, but we took the plunge and it ended up being a sort of pyrrhic victory for us. They were very dark days.
What are your plans for the next year:
We have a 24 month programme in place to convert 14 of our Ponti’s sites to Caffe Italia. We’re converting the big sites now and are in discussions with landlords in shopping centres about renewing leases and converting sites.
What was the biggest break of your career:
I have loved meeting and working with a number of truly inspirational figures within the sector, who have contributed in some form to the huge success of the Ponti’s Group. Ann Elliott from Elliott Marketing & PR, Tony Hughes former MD of M&B, together with Alan Taylor and Stephen Kane, both non-exec Directors. I’ve learnt about great Italian cuisine from amazing chefs such as Giorgio Locatelli and Angela Hartnett. All are paragons of excellence within their fields and have had a very profound effect on me and subsequently the business.
What are you most proud of in your career:
There are many, when re-launching Ponti's Italian kitchen for the second time I had joined the end of a queue of customers waiting for a table on a packed out Saturday lunchtime. There was a group of young “trendy” ladies in front of me when one commented to another "It looks like we are going to be waiting a while, should we go somewhere else instead?", Her friend responded "The food is great here - it's really worth the wait!". I felt totally chuffed. That was about 6 months ago and our sales are continuing to grow.
What advice would you give to people keen to progress in the industry:
My advice would be the same for any industry in any sector - you have to be prepared to go that little bit further, work that little bit smarter and be that little bit quicker. This industry is a complete meritocracy and there are some wonderful examples of people who have started off at a very junior level and progressed very quickly to senior roles - sometimes owning their own businesses. You have to be prepared to put the graft in - there are no short cuts to success.
Who inspires you:
The people that I work with, especially those who have remained loyal during difficult times. Others include Giorgio Locatelli for his passion, Alan Yau for his creativity, Richard Caring for his quality and Pret for their consistency of service.
What do you do in your downtime:
I try to spend as much time with this family, especially my kids!
What question do you always ask in interviews:
By the time I see people, it’s really a rubber stamp so I only have one question to ask: "Give me the names of 3 people who hold up as being a hero and for each one of those people give me three adjectives that explain why they are heroes to you?" The answers have to be given quickly. For me, it’s a fascinating way of understanding what values people hold close to their hearts.
Tips that have made you a success:
Life is a boomerang and whatever you throw out there - you will always get back, so treat people respectfully. My father once remarked "Losing your good name is like your virginity it can only ever be lost once and then it’s gone forever!”
Understand and be clear about what your purpose is. Never compromise on the people you work with, always go for the best you can afford. Never underestimate your customers’ discernability. You have to work hard to maintain a good name and a great reputation in business even when the hardest thing to say to someone is “no”.