SAE Magazine 12-2

Over the relatively more recent past, he continues his rigorous travel regime as the driver and deal- maker for the SAE Institute and Qantm College education businesses. Hawatt makes it his business to know what is going on across his portfolio of responsibility but like- wise in the international news and current affairs. You are left in no doubt that his global perspective and understanding of the international marketplace is acute and one of his key attributes. His entrepreneurial business genes go deep; his late father – who set up a number of small businesses – proffered him some valuable advice in his early teens by which he set some of his own standards. “Paraphrasing, my father once said to me, ‘Don’t worry so much about what is behind you but rather look to the future, set your mark down that road and move towards it so rapidly that others are run- ning to keep up with you.’ I have never forgotten that and it’s largely what I do.” Clearly proud of his achievements, arguably one of his greatest challenges over recent years was to help take the SAE / Qantm business models and structures and drive the redesign, repositioning and redevelopment from their organically grown roots into strategically positioned multi-national models that were poised for increased growth. WhenHawattstartedconsultingforSAE,therewere approximately 20 campuses. Since then and con- sistent with the original vision and mission of his friend Tom Misner (President & Founder of SAE), the business has grown to 57 campuses thus far. While continuing to drive the vision and mission of the SAE Group, what is his next challenge? Hawatt is as bullish as ever about the future and says: “Tom has always spoken about SAE having 100 campuses globally and for my part, I remain focused on reaching that goal. Is there a master plan? “Yes, we have a plan! It is not inflexible but rather conversely adaptable and can be adjusted / tweaked as needs dictate. It is overall a good solid strategy, well thought through and consulted and also well mapped out at all of the critical levels, including a good team of man- agement and staff (most still with us and others no longer there but their contributions nevertheless not forgotten) along with the resources and back- ing of the Navitas Group.” Inspired by author and poet Rudyard Kipling, his famous inspirational poem “If” seems to sum up many of Hawatt’s maxims for life, his blueprint for personal integrity, behaviour and self-development: “If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue, or walk with kings – nor lose the common touch, If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you, If all men count with you, but none too much; If you can fill the unforgiving minute with sixty seconds’ worth of distance run – yours is the earth and ev- erything that’s in it, and – which is more – you’ll be a man, my son!” People that work with Hawatt laugh when they hear him metaphorically repeat again and again ‘If you’re on the wrong train, every station you come to is the wrong station’ but Hawatt really believes it. “To me, it is about boarding the right train from the outset.” He also adds that when you set out to build or develop something you first concentrate on getting the plan and foundation right. As his father reminded him, “paraphrasing, if the founda- tion is faulty, whatever you build upon it can be put at risk so make sure the plan is right and the foundation suits the need.” The philosophical side to Hawatt is as strong as ever. A key question in business is what is the right di- rection to success? Hawatt instinctively knows the right direction – what is your secret? “That’s a good question and I need to think about it for a second! (he pauses) OK, firstly, I have never aspired to be- ing a lawyer or accountant or the like (although I have always been interested in the law, commerce and financial management) and from as far back as I can remember, I have wanted to trade interna- tionally and become an entrepreneur. In my case life direction and the resultant success has come from a combination of things. ➤ On top of the world in Zermatt, Switzerland 22 SAE & SAE Alumni News // Featured Profile Index

SAE Magazine 12-2

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