This week in our ‘5 questions with…’ series, we put the spotlight on Mike Blount, Finance director at Gill.
Q.1 – What excites you most about Gill and your role here?
What excites me most about Gill is the combination of strong engineering capability, innovation, and a clear ambition to continue growing the business. The company has earned an excellent reputation for quality and technical expertise, and it is rewarding to play a part in supporting that continued success.
My role gives me the opportunity to work across multiple areas of the business, helping translate operational and commercial insight into decisions that support sustainable growth and long-term stability. One of Gill’s real strengths is that people are encouraged to contribute, develop professionally, and make a meaningful impact on the direction of the company.
Q.2 – What interests you most about the industry?
Q.3 –How do you see technology impacting your role over the next 5 years?
Over the next five years, I expect to see significantly greater integration of digital technology, automation, and AI-driven forecasting and data analysis across the industry. I believe there will also continue to be strong growth in areas linked to sustainable energy, environmental monitoring, and the marine sector.
Customers increasingly expect products that are not only accurate and reliable, but also smarter, more connected, feature-rich, and manufactured responsibly from an environmental perspective. Businesses that can successfully combine these through engineering excellence, and innovation, and provide genuine value for money will be best positioned to succeed.
Q.4 -Who has inspired you the most in your career, and what did you learn from them?
Without question, my parents have been the greatest influence throughout my career. Both demonstrated an exceptional work ethic, resilience, and a practical approach to solving problems, values that have stayed with me throughout my professional life.
My mother was a successful businesswoman who established herself in what was then a predominantly male environment. Her determination, professionalism, and ability to succeed through capability rather than compromise taught me important lessons about leadership, confidence, and persistence.
My father originally trained as a TV engineer before later becoming a marine engineer. His technical expertise and remarkable ability to repair and understand almost anything mechanical or marine-related had a significant influence on me, particularly given my own engineering background.
Between them, they gave me a strong work ethic, a practical approach to challenges, and the belief that there is usually a solution to any problem if you are prepared to put the effort in.
Q.5 -Tell us something about yourself that might surprise us.
People are often surprised to learn that before moving fully into finance, I completed a four-year electronics apprenticeship. That engineering foundation has remained valuable throughout my career and continues to influence the way I approach analysis, problem-solving, and decision-making.
Outside work, I enjoy spending time on my boat in the Solent, whenever the weather permits!
