Team Member Focus October: Murray Hogarth

Last month we caught up with Business Woman of the Year and Co-Director, Fiona Deas, to find out about working at Scotland’s leading courier company.

In the hot seat this month is Eagle Couriers’ Despatch Control Manager, Murray Hogarth, who has been with the company for nearly a decade. Read on to find out about his love of cycling and a very ‘prickly’ situation.

What is your role at the company?

I work as Eagle’s Despatch Control Manager. I look after our Despatch Controllers, our day shift fleet of drivers as well as our Edinburgh and Glasgow depot staff.

How many years have you been working at the company?

I have worked at Eagle Couriers for 10 years this November.

What do you enjoy most about working here?

I’m approaching 20 years in this industry. I would have to say that the variation and challenges of each day and the type of people that I have met and work with definitely keep me coming back. No two days are ever alike!

Do you have any strange stories from your time here?

Many! I once had a driver call in unwell claiming that he fell off a ladder and landed face first on a cactus. That was a new one on me!

What is something unexpected about you?

I used to parachute jump for fun when I was younger. I had never actually been on a plane when taking on my first jump!

What do you like to do in your spare time?

I’m a very keen cyclist, both mountain biking and road riding. I’m also a keen vehicle detailer. Both hobbies are a great way to unwind. I also enjoy spending time with my family and friends.

What foods can you not stand?

Sushi!! I just can’t take to it! I’m not keen on green beans either.

What kind of animal do you think you would be?

An Alpine ibex. Roaming around the mountain tops like I do on my mountain bike.

If you could have dinner with any three people, living or dead, who would they be and why?

My grandfather. He died when I was 16. I’d love to tell him about my family and some of the things I have done in my life so far, I hope that he would be proud. Being a motorsport fan I’d like to dine with Murray Walker. He has had a varied and interesting career and I bet he has many a story to tell. I’d also like to dine with Robert Carlisle but I’d ask him to talk to me the whole evening in the voice of his film character Begbie. I find him hilarious!!

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?

Anywhere near the Alps. Excellent biking territory and not too far to drive down to Italy for holidays.

If you could teleport yourself to anywhere in the world right now, where would it be?

The top of the Stelvio Pass with my road bike.

If you were stranded on a desert island and you could only bring three things, what would they be?

Stranded? Having a challenging three and a half month old baby at home this sounds like a holiday so it would have to be a cask of whisky, my iPod and a solar charger. Sorted!

If you could be inside the world of any book, TV show or film, which one would it be and why?

It would have to be the band Oasis’ documentary called “Supersonic”. I would have loved to have joined them on their epic journey to fame.