Known for transforming businesses into profitable enterprises through strategic leadership and operational excellence. Seasoned and results-driven Managing Director with a strong background in operations, commercial strategy, and team development. A visionary operations strategist with demonstrated success in translating financial data into actionable insights, negotiating effectively, and resolving complex issues to achieve organisational objectives. Proven track record of optimising processes, reducing costs, and enhancing efficiency across diverse international markets. Proficient in navigating complex global regulatory environments and fostering strong relationships with stakeholders. Highly skilled in aligning business objectives with operational strategies to deliver sustainable results across fast-paced environments.
Initiated, planned, and executed a comprehensive business strategy aligned with both organisational and shareholder objectives, resulting in enhanced profitability and the optimisation of the Brand's market value. Held complete oversight and responsibility for the daily operations of the business, while demonstrating a broad scope of industry knowledge. Key Projects- Relocation of Distribution Centre: • Led the strategic decision to purchase a distribution centre in Milton Keynes due to profitability and cash liquidity. • Secured £4.3 million in funding from NatWest after successfully presenting a comprehensive Teaser Document. • Developed new workflows, equipment, and IT solutions for the Distribution Centre, aligned with lean practices. • Obtained £750k in funding from Lombard for equipment and relocation; completed the relocation within budget. • Ensured cost savings of £400k+/year through HR consultations and revised organisational structure execution. B-Corp Certification: • Researched B-Corp certification suitability by attending web events and consulting with certified companies. • Drove certification process, including assembling a dedicated team by utilising Asana for project management. • Achieved a score of 61 in the B-Corp audit and initiated improvement measures to target a score of over 80. • Ensured transparent company-wide communication about the significance of B-Corp for Sass & Belle. Website Re-platform: • Appointed an industry expert to identify a future-proof platform supporting global business growth and results. • Conducted thorough consultations with department heads and key customers to understand all requirements. • Formed and monitored a Re-Platform Team that secured a £500k capex budget and managed the whole project. • Developed customer journey and Commerce Story Maps, identifying 17 potential platforms and shortlisting to two through SWOT analysis. ITV & ITV Global: • Demonstrated contacts to establish a partnership with ITV for product sourcing, supply chain, and fulfillment. • Facilitated Love Island merchandise orders for ITV in the Nordics, gradually expanding our services every year. • Delivered a comprehensive end-to-end solution, processing over 3000 daily orders with personalised products.
Developed and executed strategic plans that align with the company's goals and objectives, with a focus on improving operational efficiency and effectiveness. Carried out strong leadership to the operations team, fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement. Key projects: Product Workflow Cycle: • Transformed the Design and Product Development team's workflow from offline to an automated solution. • Implemented SAP Business One as the central source for product lifecycle management to boost performance. • Introduced standardised operational processes for routine workflows, enhancing team productivity and clarity. • Executed a New Product Development critical path that increased customer confidence, retention, and loyalty. HR/Organizational Structure • Addressed high turnover rates at the Head Office level by conducting one-on-one consultations with the team. • Championed the creation of the company's first official organisational structure in the direction of HR Manager. • Introduced Breathe HR to streamline workflows, resulting in an empowered workforce with reduced turnover. Financial Reporting • Enhanced financial reporting by combining profit/loss statements with balance sheets for better understanding. • Supported the Head of Finance in identifying manual data sources and developing framework to automate data. • Extended Shaperelite usage to support other workflows, including Invoice Financing, EU Entity Reporting, sales team reporting, weekly Cashflow, and WSSI (Weekly Sales, Stock, and Intake) analysis.
· Provided consultancy services as a lead for: o Jaguar Land Rover- Review of production line from creation of order to assembly, ensuring jobs were delivered on time, first time, in full o Ford- Worked with external component partners ensuring just in time production is maintained at assembly line level o Siemens- Inventory management & tendering services, ensuring stock availability for future orders at the very best price point o Pandora Jewellery- Review of production line assembly implementing new standard operational procedures, ensuring quick on boarding of new staff and ramp up in output o The Range- Implemented new waste solutions which resulted in a reduction of costs initially but was eventually outsourced and delivered a profit o The Range- Migration of what was internal systems and infrastructure to DHL including transport services o Independents- Review of Distribution Centre workflows ensuring bottle necks were reduced and the environment was aligned with future growth o Independents- Quality Control, reviewed current processes and implemented new standardised workflows ensuring consistent output from the workshop which led to good customer feedback o Independents- Implementation of various WMS systems from scratch including iSap, Manhattan, Mercatus and NetSuite · Ability to identify operational “quick wins” ensuring a quick turnaround · Previous experience of reviewing all current workflows from office to the workshop floor through throughput analysis (end-to-end process), ensuring LEAN principles are adopted, benchmark practices are in place leading to future opportunities & profitability · Successfully investigated and implemented IT solutions that work effectively within the operation, including migration of ERP’s and website replatform works
Various roles from GM to Divisional Manager. As a senior manager I was responsible for 46 General Managers, 1600 employees and a T/O of £160m