Enterprise creation, growth and change management, turnaround or trouble shooting as Senior Executive, Non-Exec or external consultant.
Strong ability to master a situation quickly and rapidly become fluent in the key technical, personal and historical aspects of the business. Effective sensitivity to cultural differences and motivation of the business' principals.
Highly knowledgeable in a wide variety of professional disciplines and an expert at organising and directing turnaround situations.
Recognised proficiency in developing or attracting talented management and staff and in directing and motivating this group to work together as a team to achieve what might previously have been considered impossible.
Over thirty years of progressively more challenging and successful experience, as Manager, Project Director, General Manager, Vice President, Finance Director, C.E.O., and Managing Director, in an international environment in companies with a wide range of sizes and in different industries.
Moved to France at the end of 2002. Self-building a new house and helping to run a 210 acre farm. Returning to the UK on a monthly basis providing strategic support as a Non-Executive Director to Capture Ltd., a company specialising in Picture Library software and services based in Goring-on-Thames, and continuing to provide consultancy for Track Maintenance Equipment Ltd. (see below).
Founded this strategic, turnaround and systems consultancy firm that provides support services for small and medium sized enterprises. IBS specialises in company strategic development, interim management and the design, development and implementation of systems that are user and customer oriented but that also facilitate corporate objectives.
Recent Projects Include:
Capture Ltd.
Picture library software and services.
Non-Executive Director and strategic advisor (Currently still working with Capture Ltd. on a personal basis).
Track Maintenance Equipment Ltd.
Manufacturer and marketer of railway track maintenance equipment.
Providing ongoing strategic business and financial advice. Identified product opportunities in a difficult market, developed appropriate engineering designs, built and tested the products including full regulatory approval. (Currently still working with Track Maintenance Equipment on a personal basis).
Primary Books Ltd. (Formerly Foyles Educational Children's Books Ltd.). Chairman.
Franchisor for children's school book fair franchise network with 35 franchisees in the UK and overseas.
Rebuilt Head Office staff, systems and financial controls. Re-motivated a disenchanted franchise network. Negotiated and organised merger of Foyles Educational with Primary Books, its most direct competitor. Raised additional private capital investment to fund expansion. Providing on-going strategic support and advice.
Topas International Ltd. (Became Bluegate UK Ltd.). Project Director.
Specialist software for downstream petroleum storage, marketing and distribution - a system based on an original bespoke system installed in 1981 for which I was the launch customer and principal designer.
Helped Esso Finland over an 18 month period to develop and implement effective manual systems to maximise the benefit from the sophisticated software they had purchased from Topas. Helped to engineer a major culture change and smooth transition.
Provided consultancy services and training seminars for Kuwait Petroleum across Europe to help them to maximise the effectiveness of their software investment.
The Diocese in Europe. Consultant.
Anglican Diocese controlling 800 Chaplaincies in Europe and Eastern bloc countries including 1,000 buildings, 3 Cathedrals and over 3,000 people.
Designed and implemented systems to monitor personnel, locations, detailed licensing and history and so ease the workload of the administrative staff.
Alma Enterprises Limited. Interim Managing Director.
Specialist precision plastics manufacturing and engineering firm making components mainly for aerospace and military applications.
Resolved major management conflict following the death of one of three owners. Re-motivated the workforce and re-built the financial, quality control and workflow systems to overcome cash flow and late delivery problems that were threatening their reputation. Recruited a replacement Managing Director.
Cavendish Management Resources. Southern Region Manager.
"Virtual Organisation" of independent consultants providing venture capital financing, intellectual property development and creative funding options.
Managed the Southern Region for two years providing support and networking services to 60 independent consultants.
Manages and Markets the largest database of information for consumer electronics repair technicians in the world, now in six languages world-wide. Wholly owned subsidiary of a German based, European consumer electronics parts supplier.
Integrated four databases to create a single multilingual database. Developed the systems and personnel to manage and translate all the data into six languages and dramatically increased the size and scope of the database.
Created products to enable technicians to access the data in printed form, on their computer, on-line or on CD. Negotiated and managed distribution in 15 European countries and Australia through local distributors.
Identified a specific marketing niche for a modification of the system in the U.S.A., recruited a local manager and, with his help, developed the project and raised $2 million to launch the system as an independent U.S. Company.
Founder of this general consulting and trading group. Created a number of Joint Ventures, trading and bidding on projects in the Soviet Union.
Designed a range of children's beds and created "PlaySleep Ltd." Launched
the beds at the 1990 Daily Mail Ideal Home Exhibition and IDI '90, they were also
stocked by Harrods for several years.
Engaged in independent management consultancy.
Rebuilt trust and stability in the franchise network preventing several serious threatened lawsuits.
Changed the culture of the company and prevented potential bankruptcy by reducing overhead 40% while increasing perceived service levels to the franchisees.
Subsequently negotiated the company's sale to the U.K. industry leader.
Introduced Disaster Recovery Systems for all the Group's world-wide computer facilities.
Identified the system requirements, developed an RFP, selected a vendor and negotiated the contract.
Completed implementation on time enabling administration staff reductions from 120 to 85 and accelerating receivables cash flow by an average of twenty days.
Rebuilt the company's internal controls and remotivated the accounting and finance department within one year enabling the Group to recover a £2 Million Group P&L provision caused by a previous audit qualification.
Designed, developed and implemented a new integrated, on-line operational management information system that enabled administrative staff to be reduced by 7% while sales doubled over three years.
Directly managed foreign exchange risks resulting in a net profit of over £200,000.
Controlled and managed Group European bank credit lines of over £100 Million with several international banks.
Produced operational and financial proposals for major capital expenditures. Proposals produced included the construction of six 60,000 ton oil/bulk ore carriers, installation of a refinery cat cracker and major refinery and marketing acquisitions.
Evaluated proposals submitted by Group marketing subsidiaries for capital investment and made recommendations to the main Board.
Provided liaison between Group marketing companies and Head Office.
Created new accounting and internal controls and provided special project support to the President during the rationalisation that followed the acquisitions.
Trained the local managers who subsequently took over operation of the organisation.
Created a division to run a new venture consisting of 20 company managed petrol service stations. Managed the division profitably for its first year. Trained local managers to take over the division.
Represented the Company on the Government Allocations Board during the 1973/4 fuel crisis and managed the Company's allocation program.
34 route de Sissac
Peyrat de Bellac
87300
France
Phone: +33 - (0)5 55 68 99 94
Mobile: +33 - (0)6 75 29 63 60
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