Staff Stories: Ben Gray
05 JUNE 2023
Staff Stories: Ben Gray
Ben Gray - Area Manager (Northeast England)
Joining Motive Offshore Group in 2020, Ben is a highly skilled Project Manager with over a decade of experience in sales and project management and has built an exceptional technical knowledge of the Motive portfolio.
What did you do prior to joining Motive?
I started out as an Aviation Refueling Engineer, and after 6 years offshore I moved into a Project Engineer role. I’m always focused on developing my expertise and at this point I moved on to take up a Project Management position with a deck equipment manufacturer, delivering projects including Reel Drive Systems, Tensioners, and Turntables.
I joined Flowline Specialists in 2018 as the Senior Project Engineer and within 18 months progressed to Engineering Manager, managing a team of project and design engineers, and overseeing the day to operations and design requirements.
Progressing into more client-facing roles also granted me great opportunities to further my expertise in stakeholder management and leadership skills. Whatever role I have been in, I’ve always taken a front seat concerning safety.
- Ben Gray - Area Manager (Northeast England)
What has your journey at Motive involved so far?
I began working at Motive when they acquired Flowline Specialists in 2020. Starting as the Technical Sales Manager my role involved liaising with clients, understanding their technical requirements, and engineering a solution.
In August 2022 I assumed a new role as Motive’s Area Manager for their Northeast England Hub at the Port of Blyth. Day to day I'm responsible for developing the base, and building our capacity and capabilities within the region, supporting operations from the Hub across our Rentals, Engineering, and Spooling & Inspection service lines.
What are your goals for your future at Motive?
To increase our client base and offering across the region, ensuring we maintain the exceptional standards the Group has set for quality, safety, and customer service on a global basis. My professional goals are to be the best at what I do, lead by example, and set the bar higher than anyone else.
Why did you want to come and work at Motive?
Being part of the Flowline Specialists team allowed me to view Motive as a company within the same field, but also to see the ambition, drive, and commitment to the client that Motive offered, making them a desirable company to work with.
What does a usual day at Motive look like for you?
Everyone says it, but no one day is the same, and that’s the attraction.
One day I might be meeting with new or existing clients to review up-and-coming projects, another I'll be reviewing and preparing quotes, planning, and reviewing budgets or the operational look-ahead.
Every day my responsibility is to support our clients in the Northeast and promote our diverse service and product offering.
What has been the biggest challenge to date?
Ensuring all our clients know our extensive areas of expertise and service offering. Every client and client project is important - some days I wish there were 10 of me!
And your proudest achievement to date?
Being selected to lead our team and vision in the Northeast England.
What do you enjoy most about working here and being part of 'Team Motive'?
The mentality, the focus is on the "Team", and the support that brings internally shines through even on the most challenging of days.
I have never worked with a company that has such a Team focus. Everything from events, mentoring, and support is like being part of a sports club. Having played rugby for years it is very relatable to being part of a club - working for each other to achieve the goal.
What would you say to anyone considering coming to work at Motive?
The career ladder is there, with help, go climb it!
Finally, tell us what you enjoy most outside of work?
I have a wife and 2 beautiful daughters so I love spending any free time with them as I tend to be away from home a lot.
Ben has an infectious ‘can-do’ attitude, and an unwavering commitment to go above and beyond for Motive’s clients, helping us deliver exceptional results time and again.
As well as being fully client-focused, Ben embodies all the qualities of a true team player, always on hand to offer support and advice to colleagues and clients alike.
Ben’s wealth of knowledge and experience is invaluable to the team, especially around umbilical and cable-handling equipment.
With his positive energy and kind-natured approach, Ben is an absolute pleasure to work alongside.