Interim Sales & Marketing Director - OCR (2010-2011)

At OCR (Oxford Cambridge and RSA Examinations), I have redefined the customer management activity to drive closer relationships with customers and created a results oriented sales team. Reporting to the CEO as leader of the 120-strong Sales & Marketing department, I have introduced commercial rigour to the Leadership Team, whilst working collaboratively to bridge departmental relationships at all levels.

• Restructured the business development team to be more accountable
• Brought strategic direction to product development
• Redirected communications to reflect the customer journey
• Introduced measurement processes to assess ROI
• Absorbed the Customer Support Directorate
• Led the team to reconstruct the OCR digital strategy, defined procurement requirements and implemented agile project management techniques
• Introduced new CRM technology to bring deep customer insight

OCR now has a relevant, focused communications activity, a clear brand positioning and a digital strategy to secure on-line presence. In a radical reconstruction of support services, costs have been reduced by 15% and a new revenue stream has been created for schools.

Global Marketing Project Office Manager – Ideal Standard International (2009-2010)

Private equity-owned Ideal Standard manufactures bathroom solutions for the retail and commercial markets. This position supported the Global CMO and CFO, working with 9 country Marketing Directors to centralise budget and build a common pan-European brand strategy.

Transformational engagement with country teams and category teams was vital in order to prepare and present business cases for endorsement by the Board and to secure marketing budget for development of communications.

• Managed the Pan-European Digital convergence for 23 websites and Digital Asset Management project to align the European product portfolio of over 12,000 SKUs
• Reduced European marketing spend by 50% to achieve emergency cost-reduction objectives set by the Board
• Persuaded senior management in several countries to take matrix-style ownership of critical Pan-European B2B and B2C new revenue projects

In addition, I brought new perspective to cross-country projects with the implementation of rigorous project structure and evaluation tools to measure success and budget control.

Interim Group Marketing Director – ATS Euromaster (2007-2009)

Reporting to the UK Managing Director as a member of the Leadership Team, I also had a functional reporting line to the European head office. The role covered marketing strategy for the B2B market (truck, leasing, large business customers and SME) and included full P&L responsibility for the visciously competitive £100m retail market. ATSE is wholly-owned by the Michelin Group.

• Restructured the marketing team and improved operational communications and campaigns
• Recruited specialist Retail and B2B market managers
• Designed, and implemented an ambitious retail strategy for 490 centres
• Improved understanding of the consumer market, customer segments, competitor activity and market trends
• Created and implemented a B2B contact strategy for 40,000 trade customers
• Member of the European Marketing Leadership Team
• Led the development of the fully-transactional Pan-European retail website

This assignment proved to be one of the greatest challenges of my interim career with an increasing focus on winning market share in a declining market.

Interim Marketing Director - Champion Timber (2006)

In a crisis situation following the departure of the existing Marketing Director, I was able to rapidly integrate into this very profitable, third-generation independent trade supplier to stabilize and maintain marketing activity in an extremely competitive market. I finalised the assignment after nine months by recruiting a successor to the permanent post.

Mentor to the Brand Management Team - Wolseley UK (2006)

Appointed by the Marketing Director to work with their six Brand Managers to add new CRM perspective to each trade channel, including Build Center and Plumb Center, I was able to focus effort and introduce new customer engagement concepts. Additional specific responsibility was taken for project managing the repositioning of Plumb Center bathroom showrooms nationwide in a £2m refit; identifying significant opportunities to reduce a £20m shortfall in ytd profits; and overhaul of the £10m per year trade loyalty programme.

Interim Sales & Marketing Manager – Albany Software (2004-2005)

This privately-owned, financial-services software company, which has enjoyed a record of success and profitability for many years, appointed me for six months (extended to twelve months) to create a strategic business plan to double the turnover.

• Created a new Corporate ID and branding for internal and external communications
• Built customer segmentation, predictive modeling and measurement metrics
• Identified new channels to market and helped develop new product opportunities with an industry-changing pricing strategy
• Launched a bold yet robust marketing strategy to take the company from £5m to £12m turnover in one year and continued growth thereafter

There have been implications for all facets of the company structure, customer support and systems, however, the Board and employees achieved a significant shift in confidence and commitment to very ambitious plans for the future.

Customer Contact Strategy Consultant – Nottinghamshire County Council (2003)

I was appointed to work with the Director of Communications to improve customer contact performance and to bring private sector techniques to branding, communications and measurement.

• Managed the analysis and mapping project of all services and channels
• Supported the design of the initial pilot contact centre and CRM infrastructure
• Documented the processes for an 80 seat in and outbound contact centre

Interim Commercial Director – Quantum Gas (2002)

I was placed by Barings to work with the Group Managing Director and Board to review and accelerate the strategy for this independent gas company. The project introduced commercially driven customer management techniques to the sales and marketing team for the first time.

• Intense evaluation of the existing customer base and the highly competitive market opportunity followed by implementation of CRM capability
• Retention and precision-targeted acquisition programme set in place to double the size of the company within two years
• Each phase fully identified and scoped the impact, cost and payback for the organisation prior to implementation
• Based on my recommendations to the Board, the customer service provision was enhanced, along with a complete restructure of the sales, telesales, marketing and service operations into a customer-centric team with planned retention strategy and professional account management
• Created and managed partnerships to explore new channels to market through retail contracts, financial services companies and other third parties

With the operational challenges resolved, the focus of the project migrated to attracting new investment or a strategic partner to extricate the company from financial crisis. I worked with BDO partners to prepare a business plan and to secure external funding to help successfully rebuild the company.

Interim Channel Marketing Manager – Thales Contact Solutions (2001)

Bridging the technologies within CRM, telecommunications and VoIP, Thales was one of the world’s leading exponents of voice and data recording and replay. With all of the major leading banks and contact centres as clients, this role included the profitable expansion of solutions and products globally through an active dealer channel and the management of connectivity alliances with Lucent, Avaya Siemens and other leaders in the field. Directly responsible for 2001 improved net revenues approaching £5 million.

Interim Sales & Marketing Manager – TXU Eastern Energy/Norweb Energi (1999-2001)

Reporting to the Marketing Director, I was appointed as head of a project team to recommend, develop and implement radical propositions to arrest attrition and rapidly acquire new business customers in an increasingly competitive market.

• Scope covered competitor research, product diversification and strategy, branding, pricing strategy, enhanced service delivery definition and implementation, sales channels and partnerships, advertising and communications
• Created several JVs and partnerships with leading providers (business insurance, fleet contract hire, banking, telecoms, business travel)
• Constructed a specialist b2b telesales team and CRM function
• Planned customer acquisitions of 300,000 and increased turnover of £200m within three years
• Successfully transferred knowledge to a permanent Marketing Head
• Brought to market a sophisticated e-commerce portal to enhance the business offering with additional revenue potential of £100m+

I also created two innovative new brands for the consumer division and implemented a consumer loyalty programme that aimed to retain consumers during fierce price competition.

Interim EMEA Marketing Manager – SGI Consulting (1999)

Working with an international team of solution consultants and systems architects to create a new consulting methodology for European and later, global adoption, this project required the construction and diplomatic internal communication of an entirely new solution-selling philosophy. Launched the pan-European advertising and marketing programme to support corporate objectives of $50m second-year sales.

Marketing Project Manager - Norwich Union Investment Funds (1998-1999)

Seconded by EY to recommend and build a comprehensive marketing campaign to support the launch of a new division, initiate new corporate identity, form high-level marketing strategy and build sales capability. Applied experience of Unit Trust product development, industry compliance and implemented cost control procedures. Completed handover to the Sales & Marketing Director and Head of HR within critical time deadlines.

Marketing Workstream Leader - Ernst & Young (1997-1998)

Assigned to work with a team of EY personnel to build sales, service and marketing processes in a new operational division of Norwich Union. Achieved critical deadlines to ensure the client was able to launch on schedule with full capability. Formulated marketing plan and future state business objectives for marketing team. The newly created company invited me to join the team to launch the operation and embed marketing structures.

Channel Communications Consultant/Product Development - Apple Computer (1993-1997)

Revenue Enhancement – EDF (formerly London Electricity) (1993-1997)

Channel Management Consultant – Sony (1993-1997)

Sales Incentives - Coca Cola (1993-1997)

Customer Acquisition and Retention - Alliance & Leicester (1996)

Corporate Banking – Girobank (1995)

Change Management – Abbey National Property Insurance (1994-1995)

Customer Service – Arcadia Group (1994)

Customer Acquisition – BskyB (1993-1994)

New Product & Market Development – Olivetti (1993-1994)