Resignation From Hardy!

After 14 years as part of the team at Hardy and Greys, now Pure Fishing, I have decided that the time has come to move on and explore new possibilities. 

After being part of an amazing team that put together the very successful Partridge product range in the early 2000s, and working on another range that would have done very well in the marketplace at this time, saying goodbye to best team of people I’ve ever worked with was really difficult. That said, the lure of working with the product development team at Hardy, and in their words, “Fishing the world for Hardy” was just too much. 

It was such an honour, in 2006, to be asked to come on board to just that at Hardy. Having developed the Double Handed Zenith and Marksman Range, to a lesser degree the Zephrus and Demon range. Lines too, particularly our Spey lines. 

However, over the past 5 years my role in Product Development has diminished, with greater emphasis on marketing and being a brand ambassador. Whilst being part of such an amazing brand has been fantastic, product development and exploring new innovative opportunities has always been a passion.   

For this reason, I have decided to leave Hardy and will have some time to reflect on the current situation. Much has changed during my 14 years with the company, not least the marketplace and now Covid19.

Covid 19 will affect everything moving forward, not least fishing. However, as with all things, “It's an ill wind that blows” and as with all winds of change, this one will see us face and deal with uncertainty, but undoubtedly, will have many positives for many of us in the future. I was recently asked a question, what fishing books do I enjoy best? The answer to this was history ones, booked written by people with a lifetimes experience. As with every subject in the world, those understanding it’s history, and in the case of fly fishing, it’s constant evolution, are those best equipped to help map its future. 

As many of you will know, at speyonline, we have some great people providing some great services, be it casting instruction, organising destination fishing, providing the best, most innovative fishing tackle, and now, shooting too. Moving forward we will build on the successes of the past, work closely with our partners both here in the UK and overseas, to ensure, in this changing world, we explore all avenues and exciting new opportunities, continuing to provide the best level of service possible for all our customers.

Although It's with a heavy heart that I’ve made this decision right now, I will now go back to the river, spend time fishing, thinking, questioning, planning, monitoring changes in people’s perception, expectations. The river has always been place of great inspiration to me and I’m looking forward to next innovation, the next chapter in what has been an amazing journey.

I’d like to thank my good colleagues at Hardy for their help and friendship over the years, I’ve had some wonderful times and wish the company success in the future.

Ian