We’re exceptionally excited to announce the appointment of Luke Toker as the new Director here at Vanguard Cleaning!
Luke has been a massive part of our sister company Churchill’s development since starting back in 2018, seeking to imbue our core virtues of Humility, Passion and a People First approach in every venture he undertook, and to impart that keen sense of enthusiasm that propelled him to quickly become a mainstay.
Not only is this an incredibly exciting time for Luke, in terms of personal and professional development, it’s also a great opportunity for Vanguard as a company. Luke is the embodiment of what’s earned us the position, the accolades and the status we have.
Of course, we could wax lyrical about the successes Luke’s had, and how proud we are to have him on board with Vanguard, but it’s important to hear it directly from Luke himself, and how his career has paved the way towards great things.
We sat down with Vanguard’s new director, and discussed his meteoric progression, his standout highlights from his extensive 5 year tenure at Churchill, and what he’s most looking forward to in the future.
I started back in December of 2018, at Churchill Support Services (Vanguard’s sister company).
So, I originally started as the National Operations Manager at Churchill. I then progressed to the Head of Operations, before moving across to the role I’ve held most recently – Business Development Manager.
It’s difficult to pinpoint just one moment, especially having worked for the company for 5 years, and throughout unprecedented and often uncertain times. I think that’s the crux of one of my proudest moments at Churchill Support Services – guiding a strong Operations team through the COVID pandemic at the start of 2020 and into 2021.
In that time, we saw a workload that was double or even triple what’s usually expected, all while grappling with the challenges that many of us faced during that time, including working from home arrangements, social distancing and changing protocols across every sector.
As difficult as those times were, it also afforded me the opportunity to develop my skills, and to build a strong foundation I could take my team forward with. That was best reflected in Approved Contractor Scheme (ACS) scores that were consistently 144 out of 145, and time and time again demonstrated the dedication we all have.
Not only that, Churchill allowed me the chance to make that leap from Operations into Sales, and to further develop the skillset that’s ultimately placed me into the ideal position to take the helm as Director here at Vanguard.
Truthfully, it’s difficult to identify just one aspect that I’m looking forward to. Of course, the opportunity to take over a company that’s already experienced so many successes, and that’s clearly on an amazing trajectory, is one that very rarely comes along.
I’m relishing the opportunity to lead Vanguard into the coming years, alongside Churchill, and to grow what’s already begun to flourish under its existing leadership. Of course, that won’t be without its significant challenges, and that’s another aspect of my excitement for taking the reins here at Vanguard.
This is an entirely new industry for me. It’s one that I know will provide a stern test of my leadership skills and the business acumen and expertise I’ve worked so hard to cultivate. That’s also especially true of the role I’m stepping into – this will be the first Director position I’ve held, and I’m keen to do the best by everyone involved here at Vanguard.
That’ll involve spearheading and pioneering new projects and initiatives that I know can catapult Vanguard Cleaning to new heights. Systems are a huge part of that, and I’ll be drawing on my experiences in both Operations and Sales at Churchill Support Services to ensure that the systems we integrate are both seamlessly adopted, and that they match with the rigours of the cleaning industry.
Ultimately, though, this directorial role is an opportunity to continue working alongside people who are incredibly passionate and enthusiastic about what they do, and to forge new relationships and bonds with everyone at Vanguard.
Here’s to the future!
In truth, while this is an incredibly important development for the company as a whole, our clients will see no disruption or change to the exceptional service you’ve come to expect from Vanguard. Luke has already begun to taking on responsibilities with Vanguard, and we aim for the transition to be as smooth and seamless as possible.
In fact, as Luke becomes more and more embedded in the way we do things here at Vanguard Cleaning, our valued customers are likely to see an uptick in what they receive, the efficiency of our systems and processes, and how we can continue to refine what we offer.
For Vanguard, this is a massive step forward, and something we’re sure will set us apart in what’s undoubtedly an incredibly competitive industry. We know that, under Luke’s leadership, we can go from strength to strength, and we can provide a service that’s unparalleled across our sector.
The future is exceptionally bright for everyone involved with Vanguard, and we’re incredibly excited to see where the coming months, years and decades take us.
“It’s been a pleasure to have been a part of the Churchill journey, and I’m extremely looking forward to the next part of that journey with a fantastic business in Vanguard.” – Luke Toker, Director at Vanguard
