Belgium
Personal Statement: I am a dynamic individual with strong organizational skills and a natural ability to lead people. Having lived and worked abroad, I adapt easily and thrive when working with people from a variety of cultures. I am a solutions person and will breakdown complex scenarios into manageable tasks and work with an analytical, yet hands-on approach. During my career I have fulfilled multiple roles within the organizations I have worked for, sometimes simultaneously. I have worked in companies with relatively flat structures, which has meant that my roles have had broad responsibilities touching all business fields including Sales and Marketing, HR, Finance, Logistics, Warehousing, Operations, Quality Control and Product Development. I have been described as having a “get-things-done-attitude”. Experience and Personal Skills: # 15 years’ experience in international business. # Global strategic responsibility over multiple business units, product ranges and industries. # Leading and managing a team of 10+ sales directors, sales managers and agents. # Complete leadership of a USA based sales- and distribution center. (25 pax) # Full budgeting and P&L responsibilities. # CAPEX decision-making. # Strong organizational skills. # Process mapping, design and optimization. # Experience in the streamlining and integration of a company following an acquisition. # Product range assessments, efficiency exercises and optimizations. # Setting up a new business unit along with its primary systems and processes. # In-depth experience in the global flooring industry # Extensive market and industry knowledge related to polymers (PP, PE, PET, PA), extrusion, recycling, technical fabrics (non-woven and woven), yarns (monofilaments and tapes) and fibers
In my consultancy business, I work on projects in business development and strategy related to flooring, polyolefin fibers, technical textiles, and artificial grass and sports surfaces. My role includes strategy and business development aspects, offering practical insights to improve operational efficiency and business success in these industries.
Using time to reconnect with myself and my family and reflect and think about what I want to do next in life and more importantly how I want to do that. Embarked on a 4-month world tour with my family, experiencing diverse cultures and witnessing some of the most stunning sights while creating lasting memories together.
As the Global Sales Director, I oversee all strategic activities of the business units Fabrics and Yarns. I am responsible for setting out the rolling 5-year strategic plan and overseeing its execution, ensuring the alignment of our long-term vision with practical, day-to-day operations. I lead a team of around 10+ sales directors, managers and agents with whom I manage an international customer portfolio of around 100 customers. The majority of business partners are medium to large industrial companies, often part of corporate international group structures. The total turnover exceeds well over 200 mio USD. I also manage and lead the Mattex sales and distribution center (25 pax) in the USA where we organize our American activities which accounts for 50% of our business. The other main markets are Europe, Middle East and Oceania. In my role I report directly to the CEO and on quarterly base to the board. I am part of the executive committee. One of the most challenging periods I navigated was during the COVID-19 pandemic. I successfully managed the distribution of volumes amidst the pandemic-induced shortages in goods and transportation crises, characterized by limited availability and increased costs. My focus was on ensuring customer satisfaction by providing necessary volumes, prioritizing key markets at the right time. This strategic approach not only met customer needs but also allowed the Mattex Group to capitalize on the surge in global demand, resulting in improved profit margins. Throughout this process, I maintained a strong ethical stance by prioritizing the strategic significance of customers and markets. Simultaneously, I grappled with a significant rise in transport rates.
As the Regional Sales Director, I hold the final responsibility for the annual budget, its creation and ongoing management. I also play an important role in guiding and overseeing all commercial processes. Specifically, my responsibilities cover Fabrics and Artificial Grass Yarns sales in the Middle Eastern regions, Africa, CIS countries, Asia, and Oceania, for Fiber sales, I assume a global role. Directly handling certain accounts and countries, I rely on a team of agents, distributors, and local Mattex representatives for others, all of whom report directly to me. In this capacity, I remain engaged across all three business units of the Mattex Group. I report directly to the group CEO for Mattex Geosynthetics (Fibers) and to the Business Unit Director for Mattex Fabrics and Mattex Yarns. Overall, my responsibilities encompass an annual sales turnover of approximately $100 million USD. During a period of deceleration in Fabrics and Yarns in 2017/2018, I effectively redirected significant volumes to China to ensure optimal machine utilization and operational efficiency. Collaborating closely with the local sales manager, we transformed the Chinese market, which had previously held limited strategic importance for Mattex, into a significant sales territory. This resulted in a fourfold increase in volumes, leading to a growth in turnover from $1.5 million USD to $6 million USD. This successful transformation culminated with the establishment of a local sales office in Shanghai. In fulfilling my role and responsibilities, I dedicate over 50% of my time to global travel, taking me to various corners of the world. I embrace the challenge of collaborating and interacting with individuals from diverse cultures and backgrounds, adapting to local business dynamics.
In my role as the Area Sales Manager for polypropylene staple fibers, an industrial raw material used across various industries, I managed specific customer accounts across Europe, the Middle East, the Far East, India, and African markets. My responsibilities included maintaining relationships with existing customers and expanding our presence in new, untapped markets like China, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Russia, all of which have now become successful ventures. My role involved various aspects of commercial operations, such as negotiating prices and volumes, managing payment and delivery terms, and establishing off-take agreements. Additionally, I was responsible for marketing and product development efforts. I organized trade fairs and exhibitions, including handling stand design and marketing materials. I took a hands-on approach and established a strong network within different departments, including product quality, research and development (R&D), technical sales, and customer support, contributing to product improvement and development. Furthermore, I was involved in the development and implementation of an in-house designed Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system, where my main task was to assess current commercial processes and convey the desired platform to our IT specialists.