growbiz.biz — the people - career summaries

Darren West

• Business start-up and sales growth specialist
• Extensive sales skills, sales recruitment, sales management and training.
• Customer acquisition, retention and relationship management skills.
• International sales experience, especially Internet sales and marketing specialist.
• All aspects of Marketing including Advertising, Promotions, Design and Strategic Market Research.
• Recognises the importance of building sustainable profits, not just turnover, for effective business growth.

Employment History

2005 to date: The Quantum Organisation.

Business Development Specialist specialising in quickly improving sales and profits. Examples:

• Design Agency - turnaround - turned £20k per month loss into £5k per month profit in three months.
• Water Cooler / Vending business - shortened sales cycle time from four months to four hours.
• Mobile phone payment software business - redesigned sales process to double the volume of sales and halve the time to reach those sales.

1995 to 2005: BT plc

• Business Development - Grew revenues from £80m to £107m year 1, £121m year 2.
• Account Director - won global outsourcing contract for £7m.
• Sales Manager - won orders worth more than £9m, led team of 12.

1993 to 1995: Nortel,

• Sales - Won £10m - £25m bids to international telecoms operators.

1991 to 1993: TGK Ltd.

• Worked in Japan on marketing strategy. Fluent in Japanese.

1990 to 1991: Unilever PLC

• Marketing Research on European advertising strategy.

Professional Qualifications and membership

• BA Honours - Engineering, Economics and Management
• Chartered Institute of Marketing - Chartered Marketer (highest qualification in the profession)

 

 

Steve Gledhill

• Team building and motivating sales and marketing teams.
• Delivered international launches of new products, £m sales.
• Experienced business manager for major blue chips managing £m P&L.
• Strategic business planning and development of business partnerships.
• Helped over 20 commercial clients and charities with marketing communications strategy including PR, web sites, email marketing, exhibitions and advertising.
• Considerable international sales and marketing experience with ability to relate at all levels and cultures.
• Experienced, fluent and confident presenter, communicator and writer.

Employment History

1999 to date: Over 20 consultancy and interim management posts. Examples:

• Turnaround of sales of electronics distributor based in Dublin - doubled sales for target business division over 12 months.
• Reorganisation of sales structure and management for fan manufacturer based in Halifax to increase profits and establish long term growth - now exporting to over 12 countries.
• Interim sales & marketing manager for electronics company - introduced major new product, sales and marketing plan and achieved above budget sales over 12 months.

1972 to 1999: IFR, Stevenage (formerly Marconi Instruments)

1998 to 1999:

• Marketing Communications Manager, Marconi Instruments, St. Albans and Stevenage.

1996 to 1998:

• Business Manager, Distributed Products.

1993 to 1996:

• Product Group Manager, Telecoms.

1990 to 1993:

• Sales and Marketing Manager, Microwave.

1983 to 1990:

• Senior Product Manager, Spectrum Analysers.

1972 to 1983:

• Increasingly senior roles in technical sales from UK sales to sales specialist, export manager Middle East and Africa. Successes at BT, IBA, etc. with major UK contracts.

Professional Qualifications and membership

• Polytechnic of Central London. BSc. Electrical Engineering.
• Anglian Regional Management Centre. Diploma in Management Studies.
• Member of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (CEng. MIET).