Thursday 29 November was a BIG DAY at Denegri Towers. My husband Simon was awarded an OBE for Services to the NHS, Public Health and Social Care Research. We in the Denegri family are all immensely proud.
The day involved: a trip to Buckingham Palace – the medal presented by Prince William; a delicious lunch at the Wolseley and a fabulous party at my club, Two Brydges. The whole day was amazing – as it should have been, for an amazing man.
Simon is someone who hates to be the centre of attention but the occasion of an OBE demands that someone be in the spotlight for the day. Before the party, I wrote and spoke to Simon’s colleagues; friends and family, and asked them to give me a word that sprang to mind when they thought of him and how he approaches things.*
What came back was an amazing testament to the man himself and one which echoes clearly what people who have worked with him have told me before about the way he operates.
He’s first and foremost a relationship builder with an uncanny ability to really listen to and connect with people. He’s authentic and yet flexible. Confident and yet not overbearing. He really cares about what other people think, and how to meet their needs, and yet he’s clear about what needs to be achieved to really add value. He’s honest and yet respectful. He’s focused and yet patient. He really understands that the type of relationships he needs to build to do his job are done over a period of time – as a process, not a one-off event. The list goes on!
In short, he’s a model relationship builder and operator. He’s also a big-picture thinker who does strategy brilliantly. He has drive and tenacity in the face of setbacks, and it’s this perfect storm of attributes that have created his success.
Pretty much every job you can think of demands these qualities, and that they be on display consistently, which is a hard ask. Simon does it all. To be awarded an OBE, it means you have demonstrated excellence: in your field; nationally; and as in Simon’s case, internationally.
We are so proud of him and hope that he’ll wear his medal at as many functions as he can reasonably justify!
*A small selection of the words used to describe how Simon approaches things
|
Modest |
Selfless |
Gentle |
Incredible |
Kind |
|
Thoughtful |
Generous |
Authentic |
Expert |
Focused |
|
Insightful |
Eloquent |
Prepossessing |
Influential |
Intuitive |
|
Energetic |
Likeable (hugely) |
Listener |
Loyal |
Interested |
|
Interesting |
Energetic |
Creative |
Stoatin’ (brilliant) |
Persuasive |
|
Smart |
Caring |
Considerate |
Passionate |
Funny |
|
Clever |
Positive |
Smart |
Twinkly |
Superlative |
|
Empathetic |
Meticulous |
Understated |
Committed |
Charming |
|
Lovely |
Engaged |
Genuine |
Daring |
Emotionally Intelligent |
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