Profile

A proven track record of success in a variety of positions in B2C and B2B sales, marketing, profit centre management and general management in downstream oil and gas companies across Europe and the Middle East

A self-starting, results driven, bottom line focused manager, with a continuous customer focus. Experienced in change -, crisis -, reorganization -, risk – and HR management, trouble shooting and increase of shareholder value

An excellent team builder and coach who stimulates staff to generate ideas that can be converted into profitable action.

Can operate comfortably in diverse and multi cultural environments in joint venture and other governance structures.

Personal core values: honesty, integrity, professionalism and win-win.

Languages

Dutch: native, English: excellent, German: good, French: good

Education

HAVO - 1976

Training

Attended numerous courses, both professional and personal development courses, e.g. general and financial management, network planning, marketing communications, lubricants academy, computing, etc.

Career History

Oil Products Business Solutions BV

(A consultancy firm

in The Netherlands)

September 2004- till date

Senior consultant

Successful projects:

·         Commercialisation of an e-learning academy

·         Arranging finance for Iranian automotive company

·         Found an informal investor for international manufacturing company

·         Retail study for Russian oil company

Pars and Shell PJSC (An exciting down- stream new market entry joint venture in Tehran,

Iran - Shell share

49%)

November 2001 - September 2004

Chief Executive Officer and member of the Board

Responsible for setting-up the company with full bottom line accountability.

·         Established and maintained a profitable Joint Venture in tough trading conditions

·         After deregulation of the market, accelerated the introduction in the automotive segment and firmly established the Shell brand in the consumers mind

·         Recruited and trained staff in sales, customer service, finance, quality management and supply chain and imbedded the core Shell values

·         Established the office and IT infra structure in line with US export control regulations

·         Successfully implemented financial controls, Health Safety & Environmental requirements and General Business principles via Board resolutions

·         Developed and implemented, manufacturing, supply, marketing and sales plans in line with Shell's best practice

Shell Overseas Services Ltd

(A holding company

of business activities

in Saudi-Arabia,

based in Riyadh)

August 1999 - November 2001

Consumer Marketing Manager Middle East and South Asia (MESA) countries and member of MESA Commercial Leadership Team

Managed a cross nations team with a responsibility to deliver a GM of $ 59M

·         Successfully managed a mix of joint ventures and publicly listed companies in which governance issues play a vital role in managing the organisation in order to achieve targets.

·         Developed, signed off and implemented coherent marketing plans for each of the key markets, which resulted in an increase in gross margin of 4.5%; particular focus was given to transfer of best practice and integrating the marketing strategies across international boundaries

·         Revitalised the passenger car motor brands across the cluster that was recognised as a global best practice; key elements included re-positioning the brand, researching desired consumer benefits, creating and testing the communications strategy, identifying channel expectation and resulted in a shift from a product led approach to a consumer led branded approach

·         Lead vital project that reduced the significant re-filling and counterfeiting levels across the region

SASLUBCO (Joint

venture in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia - Shell share 50%)

July 1995 - August 1999

Marketing and Sales Manager and key management team member

Responsible for turnover of > $ 60M with a GM of more than $ 19M. Leading a team of 21 sales and marketing professionals.

·         Repositioned two core products resulting in significantly increased profitability (unit gross margin +9%, share of brand preference +9% and market share +2%)

·         Successfully launched 5 new products and re-launched 3 products for domestic and newly developed export markets

·         Cost effectively restructured and expanded sales force cost and implemented new remuneration system in multi-cultural traditional environment

·         Negotiated as operational leader of "Business Framework Implementation" in Saudi Arabia, working relationship with Shell's minority Riyadh-based joint venture and regional cluster management to improve financial results, develop joint marketing plans and overcome political/cultural barriers for future co-operation with significant success

Shell Bulgaria AD

(Integrated oil

products new

market entry based

in Sofia, Bulgaria)

April 1994 - July 1995

Lubricants Manager and member of management team

Temporary assignment to convert a Local Representative Office to a 100% Shell managed company.

·         Recruited, trained and developed new national and regional sales force which met three-year sales and profitability target within 12 months

·         Established full scale Shell controlled distribution network 

·         Identified and trained local successor

Deutsche Shell AG (based in Hamburg, Germany)

January 1993 - April 1994

Retail Project Manager

Represented Deutsche Shell on European convergence project "car wash"

·         first European brand manual for "Reflex"

Responsible for launching Shell Helix, Shell's new flagship brand of motor oils

·         Developed positioning, pricing, marketing and sales strategies for launch

·         Coordinated with respective departments to ensure the implementation of the strategies, which resulted in DM 6.3 million extra gross margin after 1 year

Shell Nederland Verkoopmaatschappij

January 1992 - January 1993

May 1987 - January 1992

Project Manager Fuel Cards

Responsible for sales and marketing of EuroShell fleet cards (a fuel credit card for car fleet operators). 

·         Launched aggressive prospecting campaign, resulting in 4% increase in gasoline volume sold via fleet cards

·         Introduced the EuroShell private label card (a debit card for private motorist); 6 months after the launch 35,000 cards were issued (15% above plan) 

·         Initiated and championed retail quality improvement projects, reporting directly to Retail Director

Retail Account Manager

Successfully sold fuels and lubricants to around 40 gas stations and 30 workshops (including 2 key national accounts) in the greater Amsterdam area.

·         At the time there was considerable public attention towards Shell gasoline stations due to Shell's presence in South Africa and on numerous occasions stations were attacked by pressure groups, resulting in exposure with media and municipalities in order to placate the issues

·         Gained various new customers and did not lose any contracts to competition resulting in minimum annual volume increases of 2% 

·         Acted as interim regional manager for the last 7 month

Shell International Petroleum Maatschappij

May 1983 - May 1987

June 1980 - May 1983

July 1976 - June 1980

Head of Learning Centre for personal computing 

·         Set-up high profile training centre as part of a user support centre. 

·         Introduced and developed classical classroom training and individual videodisc self study courses. 

Assistant office equipment

·         Successfully introduced the first personal computers, initially for technical applications, but later also for office tasks such as spreadsheets and word processing 

Various administrative jobs