Flex Manager
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General Manager / Managing Director

General Manager / Managing Director

Work Experience

Managing Director (Weesp) 2000 – 2002

Started in this position after my return from the UK in August 2000 with full responsibility for the general business and day-to-day operation. Company consists of three separate divisions. Became a shareholder of the holding company W&I Cosmotrade B.V. on 1 January 2001.

• Achieved net sales and profit growth 2001 of resp. 14% and 109%. Developed aggressive growth strategy (3-year plan). Budget 2002: NS +71% and PFO +85%, driven by further headcount reduction (reorganisation), delisting of loss making brands, acquisitions and introduction of new principals / brands.
• Implemented restructuring plan resulting in the merging of three business units into one separate division.
• Negotiated with Revlon Inc. leading to the take-over of their subsidiaries in Netherlands and Belgium.
• Realised geographic expansion into Belgium, initially via partnership with a local distributor and finally through the establishment of an office in Brussels, following the acquisition of Revlon Belgium.
• Initiated development of a new information system (incl. creation of an intranet/extranet environment).


THE GILLETTE COMPANY 1989-2000

Group Business Director Oral-B AMEE (London) 1999-2000
Appointed to this position to penetrate and achieve fast track growth of Gillette’s oral-care business in new economies. Give guidance to and set targets for the London based marketing team as well as the Regional Business Directors and their respective teams in the hubs/satellite markets. P&L statement 1999: Net Sales $52MM– Profit from Operations $9.5MM.

• Achieved a 12% net sales and 40% profit growth in 1999 with a 2% pick up in market share in top 10 AMEE markets.
• Developed tailormade strategy for emerging markets and based on this initiated new product development to capture new users and increase competitiveness in so called down the line segments.
• Reviewed production and sourcing strategy. Established local production via joint venture operations in India, Pakistan and Egypt resulting in an overall reduction of cost of goods and a substantial increase in PC-margin.
• Acquired 2nd brand in India (Prudent) to broaden distribution base and provide funds for further development of Oral-B brand in South East Asia.

General Manager Oral-B UK & Ireland (London) 1996-1998
Promoted to this role to reverse downward trend of oral-care business and reactivate Oral-B brand in 3rd largest market. P&L statement 1998: NS $49MM– PFO $20.5MM

• Achieved average net sales and profit growth across 3-year period of respectively 16% and 25%, turning Oral-B UK into the fastest growing business unit within Oral-B worldwide
• Restructured UK organisation to include Category Management as the main growth driver, achieving preferred supplier status with top retailers (o.a. Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Safeway).
• Completed range review projects with top 4 retailers resulting in new listings and additional shelf space, increasing value share from 19% in 1996 to 27% in 1998.
• Achieved permanent listing of Braun oral-care range in major food retailers (JS, Tesco, Asda and Safeway), giving the oral-care category a new injection.
• Successfully negotiated with Gillette, Duracell and Braun to move sales responsibility for their respective product ranges in the pharmacy channel to Oral-B, resulting in an annual cost saving of £350M, whilst achieving NS growth for the Group of 15% in a declining channel.

General Manager Oral-B Northern Europe (The Hague) 1993-1996
Retained Benelux markets with added responsibility to pursue geographic expansion of Oral-B into the Nordic markets (Denmark, Iceland, Norway, Sweden and Finland), as well as new emerging markets in the Baltics (Estonia, Latvia & Lithuania). P&L statement 1996: NS $22.5MM – PFO $4.2MM.

• Maintained strong growth momentum in The Benelux markets. Achieved 4-year average growth of Net Sales and Profit from Operations of respectively 33% and 133%.
• Turned around Nordic operation from a loss making business into break-even within first year.
• Terminated contracts with existing distributors and set up separate marketing and sales structures in resp. Denmark, Sweden and Finland
• Analysed Nordic markets and pulled out of food sector. Focussed on building dentist usage & recommendation and concentrated distribution in pharmacy / drug channels initially, before rolling out into mass distribution in Denmark and Finland in 1995.
• Established new distributor network in all Baltic markets.

General Manager Oral-B Benelux (The Hague) 1989-1993
Recruited by Gillette to start-up Oral-B business in the Benelux markets. Results cover first assignment as Marketing Sales Manager Netherlands in May 1989 and subsequent promotions to respectively Business Manager Netherlands in January 1991 and Business Manager Benelux in that same year.

Netherlands
• Introduced Oral-B from scratch with zero brand awareness and limited marketing funds.
• Set up a separate Marketing and Sales structure as a division of Gillette Netherlands to service the dental profession as well as mass distribution.
• Developed new premium brand strategy, later adopted by Oral-B world wide as blueprint for new markets.
• Achieved full distribution and market leadership in the toothbrush market in all distribution channels, incl. the dental profession, food, drug and pharmacy, within three years from launch date.
• Grew net sales in corresponding period from $1.5MM to $12MM, whilst achieving a profit ratio of 22% in year 3.

Belgium
• Terminated contract with existing distributors and set up new Oral-B structure as a separate division of Gillette Belgium s.a. in Brussels, to service the dental profession and mass distribution.
• Analysed Belgian oral-care market, revised brand strategy and re-launched in all relevant channels, resulting in a 70% weighted distribution in food/pharmacy sector and a strong number two position behind market leader Unilever.
• Increased net sales from $400MM to $2.6MM in 2 years.






Summary Former Employment History 1981 - 1989

UNILEVER -Lever Detergents Group (Netherlands)
National Account Manager 1987-1989
Ass. Market Research Manager 1986-1987
Ass. Product Manager 1984-1986
Reginal Account Manager 1982-1984
Ass. Sales Planning Manager 1981-1982
Graduate Trainee 1981


Education

1979 Bachelor of Economics HEAO-CE, Hogere Economische School, Rotterdam
1986 Business Management NIMA-C, Instituut Sociale Wetenschappen, Utrecht
Unilever Section Management Development - APN (3 year training program)
Gillette Executive Management Program - EMP - Management Skills / Quality Management
Tom Peters Group - “The Leadership Challenge Workshop” (Palo Alto - US)
EMR - Category Management (London)
Intertrade Management Development Program (DOOR training)


Skills

Dynamic and entrepreneurial manager with a successful track record of starting new businesses and growing established operations in new and/or existing markets. Among strengths are strategic, analytical, communication and decision making skills in both domestic and international business environments.

Languages

Dutch - fluent
English - fluent
German - fluent

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