IT is definitely some achievement.
For anyone to spend 50 years in the world of work is impressive, for that half century to have been spent with the same employer is remarkable.
I doubt many people will accomplish that milestone in future as the world of work and careers becomes more fragmented.
When Karen Swainston started work at Barclays Westgate in Bradford on October 6, 1975, she was employed at a time, in a sector and with a bank where you could confidently assume you “had a job for life”
The fact it stretched 50 years hence is down to Karen’s skill, charm, warmth, talent, adaptability, loyalty and Yorkshire grit and determination.
I first met Karen in 2001 when, after a quarter of a century working in bank branches as a cashier, a mortgage adviser then branch manager and in the Barclays Premier Banking division looking after affluent clients, she moved to a role in which she was responsible for government and media relations for the bank in the North of England.
The job involved building relationships with political stakeholders like MPs and senior local councillors and other influential regional players such as journalists.
I saw Karen at the Harrogate Business Lunch last Friday when she reunited with former Barclays colleague Caroline Pullich.
Working together, they made a dynamic and bubbly duo who turned networking into an art form.
Seeing them at so many events and do’s, I dubbed them the “Cagney and Lacey of regional banking” – no other bank could hold a candle to the pair when it came to contacts, influence and goodwill.
They were quite pleased with the monicker I bestowed upon them and when Karen proudly told the late, great broadcaster Harry Gration that I had called them “Cagney and Lacey”, he immediately pointed at me and quipped: “Does that make him Kojak?”
Suffice to say their name stuck and mine didn’t.
I’d actually like to think I’m more Bosley from Charlie’s Angels.
For younger readers that wonder what the Dickens I’m bleating on about, just get on Wikipedia and learn something useful.
Karen remembers that I was one of the first journalists she encountered – I’m surprised it didn’t put her off her new role.
She recalls how she was talking to me about Barclays’ then recent “merger” with The Woolwich building society and I told her it wasn’t a merger, it was a takeover and explained how journalists would always see through the corporate jargon.
I also, apparently, showed her my daily postbag (when companies used to mail you press releases) and email inbox and explained what kind of news and information made impact with business journalists given how much information came their way on a daily basis.
Nearly a quarter of a century later, I’m now willing to claim credit for setting Karen up for success for the second half of her career.
Although I nearly derailed it a few years ago.
Barclays and the CBI used to hold an annual reception at Westminster with a panel discussion of politicians followed by a drinks reception.
Thanks to former Sports Minister and Bradford MP Gerry Sutcliffe – as nice and decent a politician and human being as you will ever meet – we used to move discussions into the nearby Strangers Bar in the House of Commons and then onto a London restaurant.
On one occasion we ended up in Langan’s Restaurant on the next table to Yorkshire-born nightclub impresario Peter Stringfellow – Karen gave me permission to reproduce the photo of us all in this blog.
And another time we went to the Joe Allen restaurant in Covent Garden where we were joined by Craig Whittaker, the then Conservative MP for Calder Valley.
Craig was good company, until the conversation turned to politics and I expressed my disappointment with the then Prime Minister, Boris Johnson.
I pointed out a number of BoJo’s failings to Craig, who reacted by calling me “vile”.
I thought that was strong language for him to choose and was quite offended.
“Rise above it, David,” I thought, “be the bigger man.”
That is what I thought, what I actually did was call him a “w****r” and shortly after Craig departed the restaurant leaving his supportive constituent, businessman David Whitehead, looking puzzled and Karen wondering whether Craig would respond to her calls in future.
He later became deputy chief whip during Liz Truss’s short spell as Prime Minister and was involved in a contentious vote on fracking which saw chaotic scenes in the House of Commons just 48 hours before Truss resigned.
I only mention that because I hope it means that his altercation with me has probably been forgotten by him.
Whereas it remains the highlight of my political career.
Karen told me that her first job was in the machine room in the Barclays bank branch in Westgate, Bradford, doing back office jobs like compiling statements at a time when debits and credits used to be issued with each statement and had to be manually checked before posting out to customers.
Other jobs included cashiering and given the branch was located close to two markets, she remembers taking cash deposits of bank notes that often had fish and meat on them – a memory that still makes her grimace!
Her career moved quickly and took her to Barclays branches in Skipton and Harrogate before moving to Premier banking in the late 1990s.
Her role looking after government and media relations saw her build strong relationships with well known Yorkshire politicians.
The most impressive, she says was Richmond MP William Hague, who spoke at a branch anniversary event for 20 minutes about the fiduciary system 200 years ago –
without a single note.
And having heard the now Lord Hague speak a few times, I can safely say I bet it was the most entertaining speech about the fiduciary system in Georgian times that has ever been given.
Karen recalls the day she attended an event to launch a new Barclays site with then Prime Minister Tony Blair in his Sedgefield constituency in the North East in the morning and then sent to Doncaster for another launch with Ed and David Miliband at lunchtime.
At the time it was David that was tipped to be the next leader of the Labour Party, not Ed.
Karen’s role has given her a front row seat to view the ups and downs of British politics.
She has seen political careers develop and flourish, meeting Rachel Reeves long
before she was in Government and building a good relationship with William Hague’s successor as MP for Richmond, eventual Chancellor and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, way before anyone knew he was going to be so instrumental in the Conservative party.
I know Karen has enjoyed launching the Barclays Eagle Labs and new branches but in recent years too much of the work, I would guess, has been in managing the media coverage around branch closures.
When we chatted last week Karen recalled organising the visit of the then Barclays CEO Jes Staley and his entourage to the Great Yorkshire Show.
After a meeting with Welcome to Yorkshire chief executive Sir Gary Verity, the Barclays boss decided his rigidly tight schedule could flex a little and Karen was tasked with giving him a tour of the showground – and procuring him a pair of wellington boots.
I bet she is relieved that his links to the disgraced Jeffrey Epstein only emerged after he had left Barclays.
I think it is fair to say that despite Karen achieving such an incredible career milestone, Barclays hasn’t marked it with much of a celebration.
That’s a missed opportunity because how many more loyal employees do they have that will complete five decades of work with the bank?
Karen’s colleague Lee Collinson, who is managing director and national head of manufacturing, transport and logistics at Barclays, took her out for lunch to San Carlo last week to celebrate her anniversary.
Lee told me: “It has been my great privilege to have known Karen for over 30 years as a friend and colleague where she has done a tremendous job in leading Barclays external engagement with MPs, media and wider business groups.”
He added: “It would be great if you could give Karen a ‘shout out ‘ in your blog next week.”
Who do you think I am Lee, a radio DJ?
I’m not in the business of doing “shout outs”.
But Karen, if the above counts as one, then you deserve it.
I’ll say the same as everyone else you have dealt with during your long and illustrious career: It has been a pleasure.
:::
AS Karen contemplates more time on the golf course, the Cagney to her Lacey, Caroline Pullich, is embarking on a new chapter in her career.
After a successful stop at NFU Mutual, developing its insurance business in Yorkshire, Caroline has recently taken up the newly created role of group head of private clients at family-run, Yorkshire based but national insurance business TL Dallas.
It is a role she’ll thrive in and I’m sure that whether Karen likes it or not, she’ll be getting invitations to plenty of Caroline’s upcoming events.
Karen sent me the photo above of the three of us on the terrace of the Palace of Westminster at one of the Barclays and CBI events.
So I felt compelled to include it to keep Karen and Caroline happy.
As opposed to all the rest of the readers who will think seeing two photos of me in the blog is two too many.
Have a great weekend.