Rob Stevens recognised on Campaign’s prestigious ‘40 over 40’ list

Rob Stevens, MD of Optix Solutions in Exeter has been named on Campaign’s prestigious ‘40 over 40’ list.

Now in its eighth year, this awards scheme is dedicated to giving individuals the chance to inspire and be inspired by other like-minded professionals.

Rob’s accolade came not just because of his current role at Optix which he took on in 2019, but in recognition of his path to his success which includes an extremely dark period earlier in his life, when he became homeless, starving, depressed and seriously contemplating suicide.

However, this experience helped to make him the fearless leader he is today and is the driving force for his commitment to championing mental health awareness and support systems within the workplace. Rob is also passionate in his support for charities, which includes mentoring for social mobility charity CoachBright.

As MD of Optix Solutions and co-founder of recruitment agency Your Digital Future & Tech Future, Rob has been responsible for nurturing the strengths and talents of individuals to help them achieve their best, which in turn has cultivated a culture of respect, empowerment, and collective growth.

His commitment to sustainable growth for the business and the concept of balancing profit with purpose has resulted in a 90%+ client retention record. Rob is not shy in promoting his belief in a more compassionate and effective approach to business management and client engagement.

The Campaign judges said: “A fantastic journey and achievement from a challenging personal start. His strategic vision and ability to foster sustainable growth while prioritising ethical practices demonstrate his commercial acumen and ability to drive business success in a competitive industry.”

Rob is currently working towards offering his expertise on a consultancy basis, as well as freeing up more time to concentrate on his efforts within the charitable and social improvement sectors. He said:

“Since winning this award I've had time to process just how special it is, and I'm humbled by this honour to be in such great company. Campaign and their judges are hugely respected in the marketing, advertising and media communities. Thanks to everyone at Optix for believing in me since I joined the team, we have something really good going on here!”