Meet the Chartered Manager: The healthcare guru

22 January 2018 -

For army engineer turned healthcare manager, Richard Banks, becoming chartered has transformed his working life

After starting his career as an aircraft-engineering specialist in the British Army, Richard Banks was eager for a new challenge.  He decided to take a bold leap into healthcare management, and soon progressed through the industry, working in organisations including the NHS and Virgin Care Limited.

Then, while at his previous organisation, Banks was given the opportunity to achieve Chartered Manager status through funded training. The offer was too good to resist. As Banks already held a postgraduate degree in Healthcare Leadership and Management from the University of Birmingham, he was placed onto the fast-track ‘qualified route.’ Consequently, Banks says: “Much of the process was about me being interviewed about my management experience and qualifications.”

Banks is now the European management director for Virtus Health, the leading IVF provider in Australia, Ireland and Singapore. He explains that the Chartered Manager process has been invaluable for his career progression. “It’s allowed me to move in different directions that might not have been otherwise open to me.”

It’s also boosted his personal development. “CMI has given me confidence in myself, my abilities and my skills to work in different situations, different organisations and deal with uncertainty,” he says. “It has showed me what good management practice looks like.”

For anyone considering becoming a Chartered Manager, Banks has this advice: “Becoming a Chartered Manager is a good investment for you and your employer. You’re an asset to your own organisation, so invest in yourself!”

Find out more about Banks’ journey and how you can become a Chartered Manager, here