With 2020 FINALLY over, we wanted to reflect back on a year that I am sure we will never forget. A year of struggle, a year of change but most of all, a year of resilience. In typical Cameo spirit, we will be focussing on the highs rather than the lows and there really have been so many highs!

Off to a Flying Start

Cameo kicked off the year strongly with the launch of Project One, an initiative focussing on all things People, Culture and Ethos. This project encourages Team C to work collaboratively, creating an open and honest working environment. You can read more about Project One here. Since launching this back in January we have also seen Cameo’s first ever social committee, a group of fun-loving eager individuals tasked with organising events and social opportunities outside of the day-to-day working norm. Despite these being predominantly virtual due to the current climate, their efforts have helped Team C stay in touch and make the transition easier for new employees starting jobs at a difficult time. 

A Brave New Cameo

We have seen one of our biggest years of growth here at Cameo with lots of amazing new starters. Special mention to Sam Wallace who won “Best Newbie” in our end of year awards for his fantastic efforts getting stuck into life at Cameo (more on that later). As well as new people we have created new roles and new teams this year! In line with Project One, we have created a Talent and Culture Team. We have also internalised our marketing, creating a Brand Team responsible for social media, creating content and brand management. Since then, we have joined Instagram and doubled our following on LinkedIn. We have introduced fun series such as Cameo Canines (self explanatory) and Knowing me, Knowing you, where we get to know the amazing Team C a bit better.

A year of news, 2020 has also seen a new Managing Director. Joining Cameo over 6 years ago as a project manager, Luke Walker has officially moved into his new role as MD this year. Since coming on board in 2014, Luke has transformed the business, taking us out of the shadows and into the mainstream becoming the leading TPM in terms of service that we are today!

Luke Walker, Cameo Managing Director.

One team that has seen a lot of change in 2020 is the ever expanding Revenue Team. Despite the changes in the climate, they have had a groundbreaking year, maintaining relationships with customers through frequent communication on video calls, resulting in closer working relationships. The team have brought on new channel customers by listening to their requirements & tailoring models to reflect what they are looking for.

After noticing a demand in the market, the Revenue Team onboarded our new Asset Repair Service. This is a sustainable and cost effective process that eliminates the need for spending on new devices, with the potential to bring damaged assets back to life. The Tech and IT industry is not as green as it could or should be and repairing assets rather than immediately dismissing them as obsolete will help improve the carbon footprint produced by IT manufacturers. 

Our Engineer and Repairs Team then implemented Asset Repair, learning and running the process, which is managed from start to finish in-house. Despite the current climate our engineers have worked throughout, continuing to carry out their jobs on site unphased, overcoming adversity. A special thank you to them for exposing themselves during the pandemic. 

Celebrate Good Times

2020 has also been a year of celebrating awards and nominations! Our very own Emma-Beth Anthony was nominated and shortlisted for Women of the Year in CRN’s Women in Channel Awards, which celebrates the amazing women in our industry and their achievements. Emma-Beth has played a huge part in creating an open and honest culture at Cameo, particularly with the recent Project One. Diversity in the workplace is a subject close to Cameo’s heart and Emma-Beth sets a high standard for breaking stereotypes, showing us that IT is not just for men! 

Emma-Beth Anthony.

Another cause for celebration, Testing, Repairs and Inventory Manager, Will Robinson was named one of PCR Magazine’s 30 under 30 rising stars in the UK IT and Tech channel! Will continues to go above and beyond, delivering the difference at Cameo. His heavy involvement in implementing and running Asset Repair has been integral and the success of this service is a credit to his skill in project management. So, not only is this award an amazing achievement but a well deserved one too.

William Robinson.

Giving Back

Whilst it is important to focus on the positives in difficult times, 2020 has undoubtedly been a tough year for everyone. COVID-19 has not only had an effect on people’s physical health but also mental health. Cameo decided that now more than ever it was important to do our part, supporting the efforts of the amazing charity Movember. Movember raise crucial awareness and funds for Mens Health, including mental health, suicide prevention, prostate and testicular cancer. So, Team C set to work, growing 8 questionable mos, moving 802km and ultimately raising £2748!! This was an amazing thing to be involved in and if we have made a difference to even one person’s life, it was worth it. Thank you to everyone who got involved. 

Team C’s Movember effort.

Christmas is a time for giving so Team C decided to help The Leicester South Food Bank who provide emergency food to families in crisis. Employees donated money, raising £260 which was then matched by Cameo, bringing the total funds to £520 to buy essential food items for the charity. 

We have included links to both charity’s below should you wish to donate to them directly.

Leicester South Food Bank: Click here to donate

Movember: Click here to donate

Cameo Christmas Elves.

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year 

Over the Christmas period, we wanted to thank everyone for their efforts throughout the year. We held our first ever Cameo Awards, celebrating the hard work of Team C with categories such as “Unsung Hero” won by Sophie Jones (a very deserving winner) and “Best Mo” awarded to Craig Powis, who grew a phenomenal moustache for an amazing cause. We were also busy filming our first Cameo Christmas Video, a Cameo interpretation of the Christmas classic that is Love Actually. Watch the full video here you do not want to miss this one!

2020 has been a year of struggles, a year of change but most of all, a year of resilience. So, we’d like to thank our customers, partners and most of all Team C for showing resilience throughout. With the UK in another national lockdown going into the New Year, we realise that the next few months may not be the easiest. However we are going into 2021 with the same approach, we have made it through 2020 and if we can achieve all of this during a pandemic… we cannot wait to see what 2021 holds for us.

Happy New Year,

Cameo x