‘Style is much deeper than just looks’
Dubai-based Mark Beer, OBE, who has very practical ideas about managing people, believes that style is all about being elegant
It’s not often that one sees a gentleman in a perfectly tailored double-breasted suit in Dubai. So when Mark Beer strode into the exclusive Capital Club at the DIFC recently, it was no surprise to note that he turned quite a few appreciative heads. ‘I love these lapels,’ he says, lovingly caressing them. ‘Ascots & Chapels did a lovely job constructing this suit; it is one of my favourites. I must say the suits they make are a pleasure to wear.’ Until recently chief executive of the Dubai International Financial Centre’s Dispute Resolution Authority, Mark is clear about what he wants and how things should be. An officer of the Order of the British Empire he is also a visiting fellow at the University of Oxford. ‘I was in Brazil last week where I took over the presidency of the International Association for Court Administration which is a global standard setter for courts across the world,’ he adds by way of introduction.
‘But do you know something really cool that I did recently?’ Mark pauses for effect, his eyes twinkling, his demeanour excited and cheerful. ‘I’ve just taken up flying!’
The man who is also part of the expert network for the World Economic Forum and looking at the fourth industrial revolution as it applies to justice has had just one lesson in flying ‘but let me tell you it’s just amazing’, he gushes with schoolboy glee.
Mark likens flying a bit to learning to drive a car. ‘You start off terrified, then you are into it. You are the one taxiing, you are the one putting the machine through its paces, you are the one
taking off… It’s emancipation. You are free of all constraints – no traffic lights, or traffic or roads... just wide skies.’
In a sense, Mark’s management style too is akin to his views on flying – giving people the space to grow, develop and spread their wings.
‘I’m not a micro-manager,’ he avers. ‘You have to know what you are good at and you have to know what you are not good at. And as long as you have got people around you who are better than you, then you let them get on with it.
‘In a sense [a manager’s] job is to look at the broader picture and make sure the organisation is moving in the right direction and the one you have set for it. As long as you are sure it is heading in the right direction, then you keep your hands off – that I think is the better thing to do.’
Genial with an optimistic air about him, Mark is convinced that if people are left to their own devices, ‘they tend to do much better than when they are constantly directed.’
Empowerment is something he keenly bats for but Mark wants to make it clear that the definition of the term appears to have changed over the years.
‘To many people, empowerment is giving them the ability to make a decision. What it translates to in most organisations is people saying ‘you’ve got the power to make the right decision’. But that is not empowerment. We have all got the power to make the right decisions.
Empowerment is letting people know that they can make the decision that might not work out and then if it doesn’t work out, [their manager would] support them all through dealing with it and saying ‘what could we do better next time?’. What is important is finding out what went wrong and learning from the experience.’
Mark, who worked as a corporate finance lawyer in Switzerland and as a company commercial lawyer in Birmingham before moving to Dubai 20 years ago, has a wealth of experience in the field of law and of managing people. What are the lessons in people management that he has picked up over the years?
The father of five adjusts his suit sleeve while framing his thoughts. ‘The biggest one is ‘Think before you criticise,’ he says.
He is a firm believer that people don’t do annoying things intentionally. ‘They are not trying to do things wrong.’ If things are not going to plan, he suggests managers step back a moment and attempt to examine the issue from the perspective of the other person. ‘Try to find out why they took that decision, or why they made that particular move.’
Another major lesson is the importance of learning to embrace talent. ‘If you find a good person, recruit them. Good people are rare to find,’ he suggests. And when it comes to hiring, he offers a tip: Hire on enthusiasm. Attitude is what is important. The rest can be taught, he says.
Once you’ve hired the best talent, the next step is in retaining them. Money can be a very immediate boost; it works for a short period of time, he says.
‘But if [staff] are fundamentally unhappy in their role, if they don’t feel respected, if they don’t feel cared for, if they don’t feel like anyone is listening to them, then they will never be able to give their best.’
Staff, he feels, need to be respected – and not just at work but generally as well. ‘You need to respect people if you want them to be on the same page as you. If you want to have them join you in the journey, they’ve got to feel part of the team. They need to feel that you will look after them.’
Mark takes a swig of coffee before standing up to stretch his legs. ‘I’ve just got back from Brazil this morning,’ he explains, adjusting his jacket and preparing for the photoshoot.
He watches the photographer set up the equipment. ‘Do you know something? Some years ago, I won a style award in Dubai for being the best dressed gentleman,’ he laughs. So what does style and trends mean to him?
‘Style is much deeper than just looks,’ he says, insisting that he rarely, if ever, focuses on the external. ‘I don’t judge people on their looks. I never have.’
He believes that clothes should match one’s values. ‘Is it elegant? Do they send the right message? Is it respectful? That’s what should matter,’ he says.
Those are reasons he prefers to choose Ascots and Chapels when it comes to suits, he reiterates. ‘They have a tradition of doing things properly. They know quality and can focus on the right things. Their craftspeople are dedicated to their trade and they do not compromise in any way. Ascots and Chapels go way beyond what they are expected to do.
‘See, if I wanted a picture painted, I’d go to a professional artist, right? Same is the case if I want to make a suit.’
Mark pats his lapel, gently flicking away a speck of dust. ‘As I said earlier, I know what I don’t know. I don’t know how to make a good suit. So when I have to get a suit tailored I approach the best in the business.’
Ascots & Chapels have a tradition of doing things properly. They know quality