Seoul Incheon Metropolitan Area
For food and beverage (F&B) and fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) businesses to find success and remain relevant, it’s more important than ever to focus on transformation, innovation, and resilience while navigating the “new normal” of a pandemic-recovering world. Having driven EBIT growth, top-line results, local talent development, consumer marketing, market share, product innovation, sales channel and regional expansion, and operational efficiency for diverse FMCG brands and businesses—from start-ups and private equity firms to industry powerhouses, including the Coca-Cola system, some career highlights include: ⇨ After orchestrating the first-ever launch of an Australian beverage brand (Red Kangaroo) into the Korean market, I overhauled the existing business in Australia and prepared for another international launch in the USA (pre-Covid). ⇨ Transforming RG Brands from the brink of collapse into a leading F&B company in Central Asia with USD $545M annual revenues, we grew total revenue 60% (12% CAGR), gross profit 71%, and EBIT 68%, while delivering the first-ever material dividend for company shareholders. Shopper insights and consumer marketing and were key to ensuring availability of category and brand products to our customers/consumers that satisfied all consumption occasions and preferences. ⇨ Coca-Cola Korea Bottling: Here, I repositioned the company in 2 short years to 9% YOY growth, which triggered its divestment to LG Group in 2007. ⇨ Coca-Cola Amatil: During my 7 years with one of the world’s 5 leading Coca-Cola bottlers, I turned around strategically important operations in Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands. With a coaching leadership style focused on resilience and innovation, my ability to articulate and sell a vision has been key to gaining cultural alignment and developing other leaders for the next level of professional success. I’m active on LinkedIn and would enjoy connecting with you. Please feel free to reach out.
Gategroup is the global leader in airline catering, retail-on-board and hospitality products and services. We provide passengers with superior culinary and retail experiences, leveraging innovation and advanced technology solutions. Serving more than 700 million customers annually from over 200 operating units in over 60 countries/territories across all continents
Developing and Implementing Leadership, Capability and Competency through Organization Review and Recommendations. Created change and improvements though sharing 30 years of Food/Beverage Experience, Industry Best Practices, development of Innovation Capability and providing Management Training and Coaching to PepsiCo's Franchise Bottling Partner MOHA Soft Drinks a company of MIDROC Investment Group
As Managing Director/CEO, I have enjoyed a successful international career driving transformative change in food and beverage companies in both mature and emerging markets, initially with the world’s largest Coca-Cola – bottler, and later with a leading fruit juice, tea and snack company that also owned the Pepsi Cola bottling franchise.
As a result of the travel, supply chain and investment issues brought about by the pandemic I transformed the company from imported branded goods to consulting and delivering Go to Market solutions for companies wishing to take the opportunity during the Pandemic to enter product segments in the Korean market through localized presence and manufacturing. Engaged with a leading Australian producer of Manuka Honey, established bulk import pipeline, created a new brand ‘Manuka Gold’ and setup 3rd party filling and packaging production. ‘Manuka Gold’ is now partnered with a leading online distributor partner and selling strongly on more than 12 major online websites, providing gift solutions to department stores for festive occasions and is forging an ongoing business as corporate well being gifts. We are now in stage 2 of penetrating offline retail stores with unique well being value add honey products. 2015 - July 2020 After identifying and seizing a business opportunity to create a complete, fully integrated export/import business to control and manage the entire value chain from Australian and New Zealand brand partners to Korean retail groups, online markets, and consumers, I proved instrumental in launching 2 beverage brands, several food brands, and a range of natural skincare products in Korea. To that end, I was most recently engaged by one of my start-up clients, the founder of Red Kangaroo Beverages, to spearhead the first-ever launch of an Australian beverage brand into the Korean market. No easy feat, but I quickly delivered on that lofty challenge and was later appointed by RKB’s Board of Directors (BoD) in 2019 as President APAC, during which time I completely transformed the company’s existing business in Australia. By February 2020, business was growing at >300% per month and we continued to sign new distributors and gain shelf listings across Australia.
Focused on strengthening leadership bench strength and creating a strong company culture, I rescued the company from the brink of insolvency at the helm of a 180-degree financial, operational, and culture transformation. Other key success factors were securing a 10-year exclusivity agreements with the likes of Pepsi and Lipton Iced Tea and launching new brands and packaging solutions in key categories. With consumer consumption occasions varying according to demographics, climate differences, and cultural diversity in the regions in which we operated, the trick was identifying new consumption occasions and emerging “virtuous growth” categories in order to develop brands and products that allowed us to enter and capture these opportunities. By increasing total revenue, gross profit, and EBIT by >60%, I turned the company into the leading F&B company in Central Asia with USD $545M annual revenues and delivered the first material dividends to shareholders in company history. RG Brands also gained market share in key beverage categories and access to >40M consumers with 81% increase in distribution—from 27,000 to 49,000 outlets.