Ralph CALMES

Chief Executive Johnson Matthey

Greater Paris Metropolitan Region

About

Vice President and General Manager for Global businesses, largely experienced in B to B. I have a passion for business transformation, highlighting their potential, accelerate their development, having innovation at the heart of everything, questioning constantly the status quo. Proven expertise in strategy buildup and its deployment, product portfolio management, industrial asset optimization and M&A (Merger and Acquisition), having the ability to trigger each growth potential. I have been exposed to a variety of segments all along my career, to name a few, plastic injection, automotive, building materials, mining, polymers, filtration, agriculture, and cosmetics. My first P&L management starts in 2012 and its scope will gradually increase to finally manage the largest contributive Division of the Group in 2016. I have all along the years developed my negotiation skills which will embrace M&A, union labor, large Key Accounts. Developing my teams has always been of the essence of my day to day work, delegation and courage will characterize my management. My values are : Delegation, ethics, creativity, questioning the status quo, innovation in each and any front, energy and enthousiasm and results. Proven expertise : Global General Management. Multi cultural Management. M&A Commercial Innovation Operation Optimisation. Logistic / Purchasing Management of large industrial projects (including green field)

Experience

  • Johnson Matthey (Greater London, England, United Kingdom)
    • Chief Executive
      Oct 2021 - Present · 4 yrs 9 mos

      Hydrogène / Fuel Cells / énergie renouvelable / catalyse / Strategy set up, execution plan on its way (development of the workforce, multiple JDA signed, acceleration of the industrial foot print, collaboration in codevelopment)

    • Managing Director
      Nov 2019 - Oct 2021 · 2 yrs

      Precious Group Metal and Services. 4 key areas : Metal Refining, recycling / Trading / Catalyst / Industrial 2 000 employees, operations in UK, US and China Main achievements £700m of cash generation in Year 2 / improvement of the EBITDA by 70%

  • Imerys Performance Additives (8 yrs 11 mos)
    • Global VP General Manager
      Jul 2016 - Nov 2019 · 3 yrs 5 mos

      In charge of Talc, Mica and Wollastonite minerals worldwide together with the newly formed Recycle Polymer business unit. 4 Business Units : Europe / Americas / Asia Pacific / Recycling Polymers More than 1 500 Employees (mostly in Europe and the US) 28 Industrial facilities , including mines and processing plants ( NA, Europe and Asia) Serving close to 3000 customers in a variety of sectors such as : building materials, paper, polymer, ruber, agriculture, cosmetics. Results : Set up of the Division as it was a creation. Accelerate sales reaching 600M€ of revenue with an average growth rate above 5%. Improved the Current Operating Income by more than 20% achieving more than 100m€ (becoming the largest profit contributor to Imerys). Foster innovation for new products to represent more than 20% of the revenue. Maintain the cash generation profil of the business. Additional Achievements / responsibilities and challenges: Part of the team that has developed the Global Imerys strategy. Multiple Merger and Acquisition projects managed all around the world, with one that transforms ( Regain Polymers, the largest recyclers in the UK). Two green field initiative developed in Asia. Integration of some newly acquired businesses notably in the US and Mexico. Preparation of the « Chapter 11 » filling of some of our NA entities.

    • EMEA VP and General Manager
      Jul 2014 - Jun 2016 · 2 yrs

      In charge of Talc, Mica, Diatomateous earth, perlite and Kaolin minerals assets in EMEA. 2 Business Units : Talc and Filtration & Additives EMEA More than 900 Employees (mostly in Western Europe, Turkey and Zimbabwe) 15 Industrial facilities , including mines and processing plants. Results : Accelerate growth to reach 250 m€ of revenue with an average growth rate above 7% Change the profit profil of the business achieving 20% on sales. Innovation corresponding to more than 20% of the revenue, over 60 innovative projects managed per year. Cash generation improved by more than 20% Additional Achievements / responsibilities and challenges : Transforming the two entities in the first 6 months to create a single one. Portfolio management : divestment of our Zimbabwean asset. Back office synergies initiative (customer service, logistic, accounting) 20% savings. Creation of 3 Businesses : Recycle polymers (development of pilot unit in the UK), Cosmetics (Growth acceleration above 10%) and Agriculture.

    • EMEA GM Filtration and Additives
      Jul 2012 - Jun 2014 · 2 yrs

      In charge of Diatomateous earth, perlite and being the trading entity for other Imerys Division in EMEA. More than 450 Employees (mostly in Western Europe, Turkey and Zimbabwe) 8 Industrial facilities , including mines and processing plants. Results : Significant sales acceleration by more than 10% achieving close to 150 m€ of revenue. Current Operating Income above 30m€ with an average growth rate above 20%.

  • Multiple roles related to Purchasing, Supply Chain and Project Management at Imerys
    2003 - 2010 · 7 yrs

    Supply chain and Purchasing director 2007 - 2010 A team of 5 purchasing managers, 2 logistic managers and 1 person dedicated to production and sales planning. Locally an additional workforce made of logistician and purchasers ( 20 people) Results : Coste savings above 10% on the period Optimisation of the working capital by 20% Senior Purchasing Manager Imerys Corporate 2004 - 2007 Design of processes and procedure for the purchasing activity for the group Division purchasing organization design and setup Initiate and animate several global purchasing initiatives (chemicals and packaging)

  • Valeo (3 yrs 10 mos)
    • Manager of Purchasing Department
      Jul 2002 - Jul 2003 · 1 yr 1 mo

      Continuity plus the addition of two of our production facilities (France and CZ) Adding 4 category purchasing managers (plastic / tools / electronics). A spend of more than 100m€ in production plus the 250m€ describe here after.

    • Project Purchasing Department Manager
      Jun 2001 - Jul 2002 · 1 yr 2 mos

      A team of 5 Project Purchasing Manager together with Quality control. (250m€ of spend projected in production).

    • Project Purchasing Management
      Oct 1999 - May 2001 · 1 yr 8 mos

      Largest Plate form W84 (Renault Megane clio and twingo) combine with a NA project