Sandhurst, England, United Kingdom
A board-level creative and commercial marketer with over thirty years of experience within the cycling, action sports and outdoor market with a track record for delivering growth, profitability and return on investment. Although a brand and marketing man at the core, I have broad Swiss army knife of leadership experience and skills across all essential business areas including sales, new business, finance, IT, e-commerce and operations; having working in retail, distribution, global brand and agency businesses. As a driven hands-on brand and marketing man, I pride myself on delivering integrated marketing communications and commercial brand and product propositions that directly build and enhance brands and their sales. Equally at home in the board room as I am at events and shows; leading by example, talking to consumers, customers and the media, actively building brands and driving sales, relationships and advocacy. With significant international industry experience, over the last two decades, I have been fortunate to work with some of the world's leading cycling and action sports brands, developing product ranges and national marketing activities, vastly improving B2C and B2B communications. I have a track record of developing strong commercial partnerships with customers and suppliers to deliver sustained profitability and growth. A key part of the management team whose leadership saw SHIFT’s revenue grow 3x in my tenure and Madison’s revenue grow from £32m to £142m, as well as turning around both the reputation of the company and growing the sales and profitability of the business. As a team leader, I am confident, self-motivated yet humble, delivering clear direction and leading, developing and motivating teams to deliver business growth in line with the commercial strategy. With a broad range of marketing experience from PR to media, from digital first to print, from brand management to sourcing and project development. I am highly adaptable with a broad skill and experience set that is easily transferable and am always excited by new challenges. Ultimately, I am an extremely hard-working leader, with a broad range of experience, always looking for the next business, brand and opportunity to build.
• Acting as COO, driving significant business growth tripling revenue and increasing profitability, within this well-known agency business. • Led the team through the COVID pandemic, maintaining business growth at a key time; increasing efficiency, despite many challenges. • Responsible for the commercial performance of the business, its client services team, including all client management and PR functions. • Leadership of our media planning and buying team responsible for significant global digital and specialist media budgets. • Responsible for the commercial development of the business and client relationships across the majority of the client base. • Direct consultancy with leading global brands on their product positioning, distribution, planning their channel and consumer marketing. • Selected, implemented and developed new technology integrations and migrations to increase productivity and efficiency.
• Briefed to drive and refocus the UK business direction and radically change business culture following the recent departure of the MD. • During my tenure we reduced legacy stock levels, increased profitability by two points and placed nearly 20k helmets in 1 month. • Part of a small team of Global strategic market leaders planning international launches, events, campaigns and integrated activity. • Restructured the marketing team to create direction and function, with a ground up rebuild of the company’s marketing plans. • Responsible for all aspects of marketing from brand, to product; speaking to both consumer and retail audiences. • Ensured that all activity was sense checked to make sure that it not only elevated our brand, but that it was key to making this global brand the rider’s brand of choice, within budget. • Initiated a focus on the consumer journey, from acquisition, along their journey to purchase and beyond at every touch point.
• Full P&L responsibility for 80% of Madison's brand portfolio and revenue from approximately 70 distributed brands. • Managing a large team of both office and field-based brand managers and technical representatives. • Supplier liaison, brand acquisition, brand and portfolio management, marketing and go to market commercial planning. • A key member of the board of directors that have grown Madison by 20%+ YOY since 2005 to £142 million at the end of 2014. • Working as a partner to a diverse range of brands from large international corporations like Shimano and GoPro, through to a variety of smaller specialist brands within the outdoor, cycle, snow, motocross, run and action sports sector. • Organised and led the Neutral Service mechanics team for all cycling events at the London 2012 Olympics, including a legacy project. • Managed the promotional schedule for all our brands, including email marketing, direct mailshots and brochure content and production.
• Management and planning the execution of all aspects of the company’s B2B and B2C marketing plans; optimising the £2.25m budget. • Transformed the way Madison marketed it’s brands (owned and 3rd party) driving significant growth and positive media coverage. • Increased investment in real customer facetime; with a new trade show format that is now the most attended event in the UK industry. • Working with the CEO and other directors across all aspects of the company’s strategy and operations. • E-Commerce planning and delivery to meet the company’s needs as it moved into new markets and sectors. • Working with IT and 3rd parties to develop new e-commerce and marketing websites as part of the company’s planned change of ERP. • Part of Madison’s management team that has achieved sales growth of £40m in under 5 years.
• Took over a long-neglected function, restructuring and resourcing it carefully to match the company’s fast growth. • Worked with the brand managers, our suppliers and sales to learn and implement their needs for marketing support. • Changed the company’s reliance in the value of product and brand to one of growth using effective marketing. • Management and development of our B2B website, accelerating channel intake growth from 0 to 70% of orders within 4 years. • Managed a team of eight staff based over two locations, including recruitment and payroll.
• Responsible for stock purchasing of all cycles, parts, accessories and apparel for both stores. • Implemented set range plans and a supplier rationalization programme to increase profit levels. • Re-organised, formalised and simplified company processes and reduced stock levels. • Helped design, build and install a purchase order, EPOS and stock control system using Microsoft Access. • Increased branch sales by 200% within two years to over £500k at the point of departure. • Worked to create a more modern, comfortable retail environment by implementing a gradual shop fit programme. • Responsible for the day-to-day running of a large independent retail business; managing three full-time and four part-time staff. • Introduced and implemented a basic marketing plan for the business to grow shop awareness and sales.