Suffolk boss credits family as he marks 25-year milestone

Peter Wilson is group managing director of global maritime and logistics firm Cory Brothers - as well as chief executive of VertomCory. But he describes himself as "nothing special".

Cory Brothers teamed up with Dutch ship-owning company Vertom Agencies Group in 2021 as both businesses looked to expand further across the USA, Singapore and Europe.

The £46m turnover VertomCory business has a 600-strong global workforce - 87 of which are based in Ipswich. It operates about 30 sites around the world.

Mr Wilson said his time with Cory Brothers - a company which dates back 180 years - had been "a whirlwind".

"I struggle to believe I’ve been here this long but that’s probably because I still enjoy it, still have fun and have been looked after throughout. Essentially, I’m very proud and owe thanks to my family who always help and support me," he said.

He joined the company as a trainee at a time when telex and fax machines were the chief means of communication. He was mentored by his bosses and rose through the ranks.

"I have had the good fortune to have worked with some of the most experienced people in the industry who wanted to pass on their knowledge.

"From the day I joined as a trainee, I had direct access to all the leadership team. They in turn would utilise me when possible and give me face time with our clients. People like Mike Harrison, Mike Green, Guy Lear and many others have been very influential."

The pace of change today with huge advances in communications through email, internet and smartphones is very much faster, he said, but added that the business had always adapted to stay relevant.

"I’ll ensure we continue to do just that."

He is proud of what the company has achieved as a team, with many people sacrificing time and energy for it over the years.

"We really are making a difference in our business and friendships have been born, basically people chose to be here and like each other. Not many workplaces can say that."

The business plans to grow even more over the next five years while continuing to offer a personal service, he said.

"It’s vital that we retain our values and to be a company that people wish to join, develop, and stay. We’re doing more community activity as we feel its right and creating more jobs."

The company strives to "be better" and "do better" he said. The environment created at the company was "really positive" but it was a challenging business and hours could be long.

"If you don’t mind hard work, long hours, challenging business, and the occasional catastrophe then you will be rewarded with a really positive environment where you are treated and respected as equals throughout the business," he said.

"We believe we financially reward the people extremely well. We win and lose together and that will never change."