Informing Business (May 30)

'A chain of happiness'

After a lifetime in the hospitality industry Diego Masciaga has begun a new chapter and started his own business.

Diego Masciaga Limited is a customer service and leadership consultancy specialising in business restructuring, staff retention, mentoring, coaching and more.

In his previous life Diego was general manager at the Waterside Inn in Bray for 30 years – a role he left last year.

He has been critics’ consensus top maitre’d in the world and was awarded the Cateys Lifetime Achievement Award ‘for his dedication to the hospitality industry and those who work within it’.

“My motto is very much ‘don’t give your customer what they want, give them what they never thought possible’,” said Diego.

“The world now is very small and competition is so, so high, and what businesses are looking for is new clients – but what is more important is those clients coming back.”

Although customer service is key to a successful business Diego believes this can only be achieved if staff feel valued by leadership – the person ‘between the big boss and the team’.

“I believe with great leadership in a company the staff are more motivated and motivation is obviously a very important part of team work” he said.

“My approach is the team, the staff, make them happy.

“If they go to work happy the clients are happy, if the clients are happy, the boss is happy – it’s a chain.”

Diego will be talking at the Royal Borough Business Forum breakfast event at the Monkey Island Hotel on Tuesday, June 4 from 7.30-9.30am.

The event can be booked until today (Thursday) at 5pm at tinyurl.com/ y4sf2yl2

Find out more about more about Diego’s business at www.diegomasciaga.co.uk or email Info@diegomasciaga.co.uk

Mars everyday is one of best places to work for in country

Mars Wrigley Confectionery UK has been named as one of the best businesses to work for in the country.

The confectionery company, with headquarters in Dundee Road, Slough, came fifth in the Large Company category in this year’s Great Place to Work rankings.

One of the largest, private family-owned businesses in the world, Mars has been based in Slough for more than 85 years and employs more than 1,200 people at its head office.

The company continues to produce some of the nation’s much loved treats including Mars, Maltesers, Snickers and Galaxy.

David Manzini, general manager at Mars Wrigley Confectionery UK, said: “We’re thrilled once again to be recognised as one of the greatest places to work in the UK.

At Mars, the five principles – quality, responsibility, mutuality, efficiency and freedom, form the foundation of how we do business.

Everyone is trusted with real responsibility and given the freedom to innovate, whatever their level, and can feel they have a real stake in the success of the business.

I believe that’s why so many people choose to stay here for many years and to build their career at Mars across different roles and countries.”

Alongside its Slough head office, Mars has 11 sites across the UK including Plymouth, Melton Mowbray and Kings Lynn.

Pastures new for ex-garden centre staff

Braywick Heath Nurseries has made two new appointments.

The garden centre in Braywick Road has taken on Jan Steel and Jan Foster. They worked at Squires Garden Centre in Windsor until its closure in October.

Jan Steel is the new nursery supervisor and Jan Foster will be creating hanging basket and pot orders.

Robin Pemberton, director of Braywick Heath Nurseries, said: “Our challenge is to let the keen gardening residents of west Windsor know that their old friends are now with us.”

As well as running as a commercial business, offering garden maintenance and selling and growing plants, the nursery is a social enterprise offering job and training opportunities to people with disabilities and those in need of support.

• The centre is open Monday to Saturday from 9am-4pm and closed on Sundays

Conference on modern leadership

An event on modern leadership has been set up by Buckinghamshire Business First. It is taking place at Buckinghamshire New University, High Wycombe, on Tuesday, June 18 and starts at 6pm.

Speakers include Loraine Martins, director of diversity and inclusion at Network Rail, and Simon Cooke, from property asset management firm Catella APAM.