Stories of Essex Limited is live – and we’re kicking off with a business that’s taken turbulence in its stride.
In this opening episode of the brand-new Stories of Essex Limited podcast, host Jill Willis sits down with Stefan Payne, CFO of Titan Airways, to uncover the story behind one of the UK’s most resilient airlines. With insight from Doug Bentley of Grant Thornton UK LLP and Adam Jones of Birketts LLP, the conversation lifts the lid on how Essex businesses like Titan are rising to challenges with creativity, agility and a deep-rooted entrepreneurial spirit.
The Story Behind the Numbers
Titan Airways sits at #29 on the Essex Limited Top 100, making it one of the highest-turnover privately owned companies in the county. But the real story is in the way Titan continues to evolve — from flying Premier League teams and film crews, to executing a complete pivot in the wake of Brexit.
When post-Brexit regulations shut them out of the intra-European cargo and passenger markets, Titan didn’t downsize. Instead, they spun up an entirely new EU-based airline in just three months — a feat that would typically take a year.
Entrepreneurial Spirit in Action
So, what makes that kind of response possible? For Stefan, it’s all about attitude, agility and collective ownership.
The Titan leadership team operates without rigid departmental silos — instead, everyone is invested in finding solutions, innovating together, and pushing what’s possible.
“We don’t do structure for structure’s sake. Everyone takes responsibility. If we can make it work, we do.”
This nimbleness has helped Titan weather COVID, Brexit and wider market shifts — and it’s made them a magnet for top talent. But that flexibility doesn’t mean a lack of purpose. Titan’s culture is intentional and values-led — so much so that they’re still debating whether to put their values on the wall, because they live and breathe them every day.
Lessons from Titan for Growing Businesses
From fleet management and talent retention to margins, cashflow and culture, this episode dives deep into the operational realities behind one of Essex’s most dynamic firms.
Key takeaways include:
- Why entrepreneurial thinking must exist across the whole senior leadership team
- How agility and experience helped them navigate post-Brexit fallout
- Why values-led recruitment is more important than CVs
- How Titan balances caution with bold moves for long-term sustainability
Listen here 👇👇👇 (or wherever you get your podcasts)
Watch here 👇👇👇
About Stories of Essex
Produced by Attract & Engage, in collaboration with Grant Thornton UK LLP and Birketts LLP, Stories of Essex Ltd is a podcast series created to give a platform to the voices behind the Essex Limited Report — the top 100 privately owned businesses in Essex.
We go beyond the balance sheet to understand what fuels success, growth and ambition across the region.
Follow the conversation on LinkedIn:
Attract & Engage Ltd
Grant Thornton UK LLP
Birketts LLP
