Information Transfer's founding Partner retires
Dr Ralph Rickards, one of the founders of Information Transfer, is retiring. After 26 years, mostly spent developing Information Transfer's work for the pharmaceutical and chemical industries, Ralph reflects on the company's longevity and success, which he puts down to its culture.
"What made the firm stand out from its competitors in 1981 is still true today. Right from the start we decided to create a business where everyone shares responsibility and rewards; where opinions are respected and ambitions can be realised; where staff are trusted and independent, yet can enjoy the advantages of a supportive group. Our clients benefit from this attitude too and as a result we have a stable and thriving organisation with people who genuinely want to contribute to its success and development."
Added to this was an enthusiasm for adopting new technology to get business-critical messages across. "One of our first projects was to create a course for pharmaceutical representatives which ran on the latest 'micro-computers'," says Ralph. "We presented information with embedded questions to encourage learning and retention - today this is known as e-learning." Ralph can also claim credit for having invented an early e-learning authoring tool, then known as Info-CAL and which, over the years, has developed into Seminar, one of the most successful software tools for creating online training.
But technological innovation is only part of the solution, explains Ralph.
"There is no point in having brilliant technology if it is delivering poor quality information. Our clients value our ability to research and analyse a mass of information, identify the key points and present them in an engaging fashion appropriate for the target audience. We are practical people and we aim to deliver projects which really work for our clients."
This approach has won Ralph the confidence and loyalty of many long-term clients, including well-known names such as ICI, Bayer, Shell and GSK.
Information Transfer now has 12 consultants, each with different areas of expertise, and 14 support staff. New members of the team are taking Information Transfer in new directions. But fundamental values established by Ralph and the other founding partners will remain the bedrock of the company's future success.
April 2008
