Following her recent promotion to Commercial Manager at Francois Offshore Catering, Cath Whyte discusses the experience she brings to the position, her immediate priorities and what clients increasingly expect from offshore catering providers.

You joined Francois in 2023. How has your experience with the company prepared you for this role?

I joined Francois in April 2023 and have since worked across business development, marketing and commercial operations. This has given me a broad understanding of our clients’ needs, our services and how different areas of the business work together.

As Bid Manager, I led tender submissions and supported wider sales and commercial activities. I also worked closely with our operational teams on contractual amendments and escalations.

That experience, together with the relationships I have developed with clients and colleagues, has given me a solid understanding of the commercial and operational factors that contribute to long-term success.

What will be your main priorities as Commercial Manager?

My immediate focus will be on understanding priorities, engaging with key clients and colleagues, and identifying opportunities to grow and improve our commercial performance.

I will also focus on ensuring continuity across our existing contracts while developing a clear plan to deliver our commercial objectives.

Having worked within the business for the past three years, I have developed a strong understanding of our clients, services and opportunities. I am looking forward to applying that knowledge in a way that supports our strategic objectives and our commitment to delivering a high-quality service.

What does improving commercial performance mean in practical terms for Francois and its clients?

Improving commercial performance is about ensuring that contracts are managed effectively, obligations are delivered in line with agreed terms, and opportunities and risks are identified early and managed proactively.

For Francois, this means creating greater visibility of contract performance, strengthening our commercial processes, and ensuring that changes, additional requirements or challenges are managed appropriately.

For our clients, it means greater transparency and confidence in the service they receive from us. Ultimately, strong commercial performance supports the continued growth of the business while enabling us to deliver safe, high-quality services that meet our clients’ evolving needs.

From a commercial perspective, what are offshore clients looking for from catering providers?

Clients are increasingly looking for partners that can deliver consistent service quality, operational reliability, cost efficiency and flexibility in a rapidly changing market.

They want providers that understand the challenges of offshore catering and can respond proactively to evolving requirements and regulatory changes.

Francois can continue to deliver value through our focus on partnership, operational excellence and continuous improvement. By combining strong operational performance with a commercially transparent approach, we can help clients achieve their objectives while maintaining the high standards of service and welfare that are so important to offshore personnel.

What do you think Francois does particularly well, and what are you most looking forward to in your new role?

One of Francois’s greatest strengths is its people and culture. Across the business, there is a genuine commitment to delivering a high-quality service and building strong, long-lasting client relationships.

In my new role, I hope to build on these strengths by further developing our commercial processes, enhancing collaboration across departments, and ensuring that we continue to deliver value for both our clients and the business.

I am particularly looking forward to working more closely with our operational teams and clients to identify opportunities, solve challenges and create long-term value.

Having spent the past three years developing a strong understanding of the business, I am excited by the opportunity to contribute to the next stage of Francois’s growth from a commercial perspective.