ACR Journal

April | May 2020 REFRIGERATION 40 As Arctic Circle looks ahead to further refrigeration innovation, David Todd visited Hereford to meet its newly-appointed Managing Director, Mike Gittoes. Volume 6 No.3 April 1 marked the beginning of a new chapter in the Arctic Circle story, as Mike Gittoes took the reins at the refrigeration company founded by his late father Eddie and mother Debbie 35 years ago. This is no tale of careful succession planning, though, Family Circle as it has been an unconventional route to the role for the newly-appointed MD. Arctic Circle was established by Eddie and Debbie Gittoes in 1985 and, although they worked together, the chances of it ever becoming a second-generation family business seemed remote. “I’m the youngest of three,’’ explained Mike. “My brother works at a university in Brighton and my sister trained as a forensic chemist. I went to university in Bristol and did a business degree and always wanted to set up my own company. I really had no intention of joining the family business and our parents were determined not to push us into it, we had to want to do it. “I left university just as the recession hit and I really struggled to find a job. I went into catering because I had previous experience, re-trained as a chef and was having a great time, working in fine dining, delis and gastro-pubs. I worked my way up to head chef but then had problems with my back and was o‡ work for about six months. “Around the same time, myself and (now- wife) Amy moved back to Herefordshire because Dad’s health was failing and, in July 2013, we both volunteered to work part-time MikeGittoes is the newManaging Director of Arctic Circle EddieGittoes founded the business in 1985 Debbie Gittoes is nowChair after seven years as MD Pressure testing the equipment