Meet the Team
We’re pleased to introduce you to Emmanuel, our Head of Training and Consultancy at ChamberCustoms. He has a passion for processes, enjoys sharing his knowledge of all things customs, and loves to travel.
Tell us a bit about yourself
I was born in Italy and moved over to the UK when I was 18. In 2017, after over 20 years of living in the UK, I became a British citizen.
I live with my lovely partner Tom, and the two cats Dolly and Oscar, which anybody who's been on a video call with me would have met. Or maybe I should say, they allow me to share the office with them!
Fun fact about me, I learned to type before I learned to handwrite! I must have been around 5, and my mum was using flashcards to show me letters and teach me how to read. I started recognising letters and as Italian is phonetic, if you can pronounce a word, you can write it. Of course, my hand hadn't learned the right movements yet. We had a typewriter, and I recognised the letters and was able to type.
When I was younger, my Dad was into software programming. So I grew up with big computers and big tape reels which took over our living room. My passion for computers and systems stayed with me.
Together with that, my other passion was languages. I spent a lot of time learning English, then Spanish and French, and more recently Portuguese and now Polish.
What do you do at ChamberCustoms?
Together with Liam, our Managing Director, we set up ChamberCustoms. It was a fantastic opportunity to see something start as an idea, not even on a piece of paper, and develop into a company, supporting many customers and employing people. It's just incredible. We created the team during lockdown, and with all the challenges that brought, it’s been great to then hand over what I used to do to, Mitch, our Head of Operations.
So my role today, is that I’m part of the Senior Management team, specifically I lead the consultancy and training teams. I'm always on hand for any technical queries. And oh, by the way, I look after all the systems at ChamberCustoms!
What’s your favourite part of your job?
There are two aspects. The first is working with the team. We have our virtual office, where there's always time for some camaraderie and jokes. Most importantly though, there is support for each other, and we have a true feeling of team spirit. We can do a lot because we are together.
The second is that as Head of Training and Consultancy, I can do the one thing that I like the most, which is to make things easy for people. Through training, I can help people understand the complexities of customs declarations, for example, and I can help them make it less complicated. Through consultancy, I can help companies resolve specific challenges that they have. This is something I really, really enjoy. I don't like to give people fish, I like to teach them to fish for themselves.
What’s the biggest misconception people have about customs clearance?
The biggest misconception that people have about customs clearance is that it's difficult. Customs clearance is complex. But it doesn't have to be complicated. There are a lot of things that you need to know. They ask a lot of questions, but it's not hard.
The way I like to think about customs clearance is… think about travelling to the Caribbean or to the States. When you land, you have to fill in a form to explain what you’re bringing with you, why you're travelling and how long you're staying. The officials also want to ask you some questions to satisfy the authorities that you have the right to enter.
Customs clearance is the same thing - You're explaining why your goods are moving. It’s complex because there are implications if you get it wrong. But once you understand that logic it doesn't have to be complicated.
What advice would you give a business which is considering exporting overseas?
Ah, well that’s easy - spend some time understanding the implications of what you’re trying to do. Talk to some experts. Get all your ducks in a row before you start.
The devil is in the detail. And there are there is a lot of detail. There are a lot of nuances when your customer is located outside of the UK.
What do you enjoy doing when you’re not working?
I sing with The Sunday Boys which is a Manchester based, open-access, low voice, LGBTQ+ choir.
It’s a really fantastic activity, and I recommend everybody gives it a go. Singing with a group of people is really good for the soul. It’s a fantastic way of sharing energy with people.
Finally, if you could choose a superpower, what would it be?
Tele Transportation, because I can’t stand wasting time! Especially sitting in traffic or queuing for security at the airport.
