Leadership, Longevity and Looking Ahead: Insights - An interview with Paul Savage, Managing Director

Kicking off with our leadership insight series of blogs, in a recent Q&A, Managing Director Paul Savage shared his perspective on leadership, diversification, sustainability, and what it really takes to run a privately owned, £300m-a-year business, in a volatile global market.

In the Q&A, Paul shares his perspective on what it really means to build a resilient global recruitment business. His reflections offer a clear insight into why Orion Group continues to adapt, grow, and stay relevant.

What emerged was a leadership model built on trust, patience and accountability.

For a business to thrive for nearly forty years in a cyclical, politically influenced and fast-changing global market, it takes more than commercial success - it requires long-term thinking, strong values, trusted people, and leadership that understands when to step in and when to step back.

Built to last, not built for short-term wins

Orion Group was founded as a family business in 1987, and that ownership structure continues to shape how the company operates today. While markets, clients, and sectors have evolved, the foundations of the business remain strong.

One of the biggest advantages of being privately owned is the ability to take a long-term view. Decisions are not driven by quarterly targets or short-term shareholder pressure. Instead, Orion Group can focus on sustainability, their people, and steady growth over a 10 or 20-year horizon.

This long-term mindset has allowed the business to invest in diversification, even when that investment was not immediately profitable. As Paul explains...

“Diversification always comes with a cost, but leadership is about weighing that cost against long-term reward, and deciding what is truly worth doing.”

Diversification with purpose

Orion Group made a conscious decision decades ago to diversify beyond its original Oil and Gas roots.

“You have to weigh the cost of diversification against the long-term reward, it’s not immediately profitable, so you need to judge what’s worth doing.”

 That long-term approach has seen Orion expand into sectors such as life science, filtration and renewables, with further plans under consideration – and is always linked to existing strengths rather than speculative leaps.

Crucially, Orion doesn’t assume it can master new sectors alone. 

“Leadership is about recognising where expertise already exists and backing it. Where it does not exist, success comes from attracting best-in-class specialists who truly understand their markets. Leadership, in this sense, is less about control and more about creating the right environment for people to succeed.”

By aligning new ventures with existing capabilities and investing in the right people from the outset, Orion Group reduces risk while opening doors to new, longer-term, growth opportunities.

Leadership through people, not ego

Paul is clear that Orion Group’s success is not about individual authority or control. The business was built on strong foundations by his parents, with clear processes, structure, and values already in place. His role, as he puts it, is not to disrupt what works, but to protect it, develop it, and ensure it continues to evolve sensibly.

“I surround myself with good, quality people, and let them get on with it, trusting them to do their jobs to the best of their ability.”

That trust is balanced with consistent communication, regular touchpoints and clear visibility across the business. Regular leadership meetings play an important role, ensuring that key people hear updates first-hand rather than through filtered messages. This approach reduces confusion, builds alignment, and allows open discussion rather than top-down instruction.

Rather than dictating decisions, Paul encourages teams to bring forward proposals, challenge new ideas, and contribute to the direction of the business - leadership becomes a shared responsibility rather than a single voice.

“If people stay, it tells you something is working, and if the business is successful too, that’s because of the people in it.”

Agility through trust and ownership

Another major advantage of family ownership is agility. Without layers of approval or external stakeholders to satisfy, Orion Group can move quickly when opportunities arise.

Whether investing in new offices, IT infrastructure, or international expansion, decisions can be made at speed. That does not mean acting recklessly. Consultation remains important, but the ability to act decisively allows Orion Group to stay ahead in competitive markets.

This agility has been particularly valuable in emerging regions and developing markets, where timing and responsiveness often determine success. Unlike PLCs or venture-backed businesses operating on three-to-five-year profit cycles, Orion can take a longer-term view.

“If I was brought in by venture capitalists, I’d probably have five years to drive profit. You might make tougher decisions, cut costs harder, and you may get higher profits in the short term.”

The problem comes later...

“I don’t think you’d get the same results over ten years though. You’d pay the price in the next cycle.”

Measuring success beyond profit

Fair pay, transparency, community engagement and internal communication, are seen not as “soft” values, but as core business drivers. Profitability matters, but without it, no business can survive. At Orion Group, though, success is measured in more than financial terms.

Staff retention is a key indicator. High retention suggests people feel valued, fairly treated and supported in their careers. That stability, in turn, benefits clients who rely on consistent, experienced recruitment partners.

Transparency also plays a role. Employees are kept informed about business performance, challenges, and community initiatives. By sharing the bigger picture, Orion Group reinforces trust and collective responsibility across the organisation.

Sustainability that goes beyond policy

Sustainability is not treated as a box-ticking exercise at Orion Group. While environmental responsibility is increasingly expected by clients, Orion has focused on making practical, visible changes, rather than relying solely on carbon credits or generic policies.

Initiatives such as the net zero-focused Inverness office reflect a desire to take meaningful action and demonstrate real impact. These efforts support tendering processes, strengthen client relationships and align commercial success with ethical responsibility.

Working within energy and industrial sectors comes with environmental challenges, but Orion Group takes a balanced view, recognising the need for sensible transition rather than unrealistic or politically driven swings.

“The question we asked was, how can we do this properly as a business and not just buy credits? We wanted to make a difference and show clients what we’ve actually done through our environmental pledge.”

The result was tangible, measurable action, not a generic policy for greenwashing. 

Community roots with a global reach

Although Orion Group operates globally, its roots remain firmly in Inverness and the North of Scotland. The business has invested in the local community for decades, often without seeking attention or recognition.

“We don’t always shout about it, but it matters.”

From employment opportunities to long-term regional commitment, Orion Group has shown loyalty to the area that shaped its early years. That loyalty continues to pay dividends through access to high-quality talent and a strong sense of identity.

Facing the future with realism and confidence

Looking ahead, political uncertainty remains one of the biggest challenges for the business, particularly around energy policy and long-term planning. While oil and gas markets remain cyclical, Orion Group understands these patterns and plans accordingly.

“We know the industry is cyclical. We expect bumps in the road.”

Diversification continues to reduce exposure to boom-and-bust cycles, with a long-term ambition to move towards a more balanced sector split. Continued growth in life sciences, filtration, and renewables is expected to play a major role in that transition.

Rather than chasing trends, Orion Group focuses on sectors where it can build sustainable expertise and long-term value.

Leadership that knows when not to interfere

In an ideal world, Paul would not need to intervene at all. Strong leadership teams across divisions should be able to run their businesses independently. His role, when required, is to support, guide, and step in only when challenges arise through market conditions or external pressures.

"If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it and let good people do their jobs – step in only when you’re needed.”

Empowerment, trust and clarity allow people to perform at their best without unnecessary oversight.

A team game, built for the long term

After 40 years, Orion Group’s story is not one of quick wins or individual heroics – it's a story of steady leadership, people-first values, long-term thinking and the confidence to evolve without losing sight of what matters.

By staying true to its roots while embracing change, Orion Group continues to build a business designed not just to survive, but to thrive for decades to come.

People are our business worldwide.