Flexmanager - general manager

general manager

Work Experience

Senior multi-lingual general manager with extensive experience in business and market development, branding & sales, information technology, logistics, production management, financial management, recruitment, labour unions negotiations, acquisitions & joint ventures, reorganisations and multicultural team building.

Professional Experience

Flynn Concrete Products Ltd, Cavan, Ireland and East Sussex, United Kingdom
Interim General Manager November 2006 –
• An assignment for +/- two years to propel this Irish entrepreneurial company (€18 million, 60 employees) in the building supply industry into the next phase of development by rationalizing the Irish works and integrating a newly acquired UK company.
• Design the organization and select and mentor the management team
• Integrate a newly acquired UK bespoke concrete products company (£4 million, 22 employees) into the Group
• Convert all activities to a three tier marketing/sales driven business unit approach
• Retain profitability at the 20% EBIT level
• Upgrade all systems and procedures, i.e., finance, logistics, production, installation, quality control, etc to present day industry standards

BETA Group of Companies, Tirana, Albania
Interim Managing Director June 2006 – August 2006
• A short assignment to help this young Albanian Property and Development Group (€120 million, 250 employees) to develop in an orderly fashion.
• Revamped and upgraded the marketing and sales department.
• Introduced cash flow planning and operational/financial forecasting.
• Designed the organisation and selected and mentored the new management team.
• Designed and introduced daily/weekly/monthly reporting cycles for all areas of the business.
• Introduced formal project financing via international banks.

Took “time out” (October 2005 – May 2006) to write a management book for entrepreneurs that addresses the transition from entrepreneurial to professional organisation. The book was published in January 2008 by Greenwood/Praeger in the USA.

BOAL UK Ltd, Shepshed, Leicestershire, United Kingdom
Interim Managing Director 2003 – 2005
• To lead, re-direct and control this ailing UK daughter (£36 million, 150 employees) of a Dutch/Belgian Aluminium Extrusion Group during a difficult period of transition
• Designed and implemented a two year recovery plan
• Refocused the product portfolio, increase sales by 15% and reduce customer complaints by 25% (product quality and delivery), introduced key customer approach and improved logistics.
• Achieved break-even situation in 2004 (since 2000 yearly losses of about £0.7 million)
• Sought and obtained financial backing for the recovery plan from a new banker
• Selected, trained and integrated a new management team for sales and operations

BIRDAIR Inc, Amherst NY, USA/BIRDAIR EUROPE STROMEYER GmbH
Interim Managing Director Europe 2000 – 2003
• Advised on the business and fabrication processes in the US for this speciality roofing business, resulted in cost savings of $1.3 million per year in 2000.
• Re-scaled the European Operation and reduced a loss of $2.5 million per year for the previous three years to a break-even situation in 2002 on a turnover of $14.5 million.
• Developed a sales network in the major European countries and dealt personally with major clients, architects and developers (contracts over $2.5 million).
• Developed a business plan for the European market and with the new team generated sales leads to the value of $82 million for 2002/2003.
• Executed construction contracts to the value of $18 million in 2003

Two contract assignments in Ireland,
Interim General Manager 1998 – 2000
• CSA Ltd, Dublin – To refocus this earth sciences and geotechnical consultancy towards a more effective but above all commercial approach.
• Oxigen Ltd, Dundalk, Naas and Dublin – To transform a regional Dundalk based waste collection company, called Wheel Bin Services, to a national Dublin based collection and recycling company with a new corporate image, “Oxigen”, and new service offerings including public-private partnerships contracts for collection and recycling. Introduced GPS Systems for Logistics.

P. ELLIOTT & CO.LTD, Dublin/Cavan, Ireland
Managing Director 1994 – 1998
• Upgraded a rural family building company to a main building contractor (top 15 in Ireland) by implementing good business practices and an aggressive growth strategy
• Recruited and mentored the new senior management team
• Managed turnover growth from £10 million to £55 million in 3 years

BALLAST NEDAM INTERNATIONAL, Saudi Arabia
Project Manager, SAB Phase I 1990 – 1994
• Started on-site development of a £15 billion construction project for the RSAF in a remote desert location
• Selected and motivated a multi-cultural team of 400+ to achieve project objectives under extremely challenging conditions

POWERPRICE Consultants Ltd, Sydney, Australia
Interim Managing Partner 1988 - 1990
• Re-branding and repositioning of this Purchase Management Consultancy
• Developed new marketing approach to target suitable organisations

DE SCHAAP B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Managing Director 1986 – 1988
• Reduced expenses by £1.5 million and negotiated the sale of this food production company to a major competitor for £6+ million after refocusing and re-branding the product range and rationalisation of the production facilities.
• 100+ lay-off's negotiated with national trade union (FNV)

MERCK, SHARPE & DOHME B.V., Haarlem, The Netherlands
Financial Controller 1983 – 1986
• Re-organised and down-sized (-10) the financial department of this multi-national pharmaceutical company without loss of productivity
• Project Leader of the Project Team for the introduction of the new European wide logistics system

EDGARS STORES LTD., Johannesburg, South Africa
Group Training Manager 1981 – 1983
• Design and Implementation of on the job training and executive development programmes for this Southern African clothing retailer with in-house manufacturing facilities.

SHELL South Africa (PTY) LTD, Johannesburg, South Africa
Operations Manager Coal Division 1977 – 1981
• Mineral rights acquisitions, exploration and evaluation of coal deposits in Southern Africa

UNIVERSITY OF THE WITWATERSRAND, Johannesburg, South Africa
Lecturer in Engineering Department 1973 - 1977

EDUCATION
Master of Business Administration (1983) - University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, RSA
Majors in Strategy and Business Policy, Marketing, Accounting and Finance and Logistics
Master of Science in Engineering (1975) – University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, RSA
Major in Computer Science
Bachelor of Science in Engineering (1972) – University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, RSA
Majors in Geodesy, Photogrammetry, Statistics and Adjustment Theory
Ingenieur (1966) - Surveying and Civil Engineering - Polytechnic in Utrecht, The Netherlands

LEISURE
Off shore sailing and writing my second book on effective management in SME’s.