Professional summary
- 19 years of experience as CEO, Chairman and Board Member of global companies, private and public, up to 17,000 employees and 300 m of EBITDA
- CEO positions in logistics and supply chain optimization, automotive assembly, industrial real estate and B2B ecommerce driven technology distribution. Board experience in the same fields, as well as IT, MRO distribution and automation
- Creation of six successful events of liquidity for private and public shareholders
- Seasoned executive with a true passion for the development of best-in-class enterprises, generating superior levels of shareholders wealth
- Strong track record with demonstrable and repeated success in complex business and cultural transformation projects
- Extensive capital markets expertise
Professional experience
Connect Group PLC, London, UK
(Aug 18 – Nov 2019)
Chief Executive Officer and Member of the Board
Connect Group PLC is a leading publicly listed UK distribution and logistics provider, specializing in early distribution and parcels & freight of irregular dimensions and weight.
- Successfully renewed the lion’s share of large publisher contracts with enhanced terms
- Improved the profitability of Smith News by 12%
- Initiated significant SG&A rationalization through zero based budgeting and offshoring of process functions
- Realized significant cost savings through lean engineering, six sigma and continuous improvement
Industrial advisor to large-cap Private Equity Funds
(Nov 2016 – 2018)
Buy-side due diligence
Due diligence and buy-side advice related to acquisitions in the field of industrial real estate, warehouse automation, B2B services, software and technology, ecommerce, supply chain optimization and distribution, with a number of transactions successfully concluded.
Premier Farnell PLC, London, UK
(April 2016 – Nov 2016)
Chief Executive Officer and Member of the Board
Sold to Avnet
Premier Farnell PLC is a global, high-service manufacturer and distributor of technology products and solutions for electronic system design, prototyping and piloting. It operates in 32 countries globally. Premier Farnell has a multi-channel distribution approach that ensures the availability of the latest technology products, services, and development software.
- Sold the business at a 77% premium
- Increased constant F/X EBIT YOY by 24%
- Identified and implemented 13M GBP of new annualized cost savings for the company
Neovia (previously Caterpillar Logistics Services), Dallas, TX
(Aug 2012 – Nov 2015)
Chief Executive Officer and Member of the Board
Sold to Goldman/Rhône
Neovia is a specialized provider of complex value chain optimization services and supporting IT. Neovia was a subsidiary of Caterpillar that was spun off in 2012 when Caterpillar sold 65% of the shares of the company to private equity investors. After a complex carve-out, it has since operated as a standalone company that is the global market-leader in its segment. Neovia currently is present in 26 countries globally. The company experienced a successful event of liquidity in 2015.
- Carved out a subsidiary of Caterpillar and created a fully stand-alone company without any further reliance on support of the previous parent company
- Increased EBITDA by 23% between the spin off in mid 2012 and 2014, net of an investment of 25M in SG&A not in place at the point of the carve-out
- Reinvigorated the business development activity with a YOY organic revenue growth of 17.8% (Q2 2015 versus Q2 2014, constant F/X)
Interline Brands, Jacksonville, FL
(Dec 2012 – Sep 2015)
Non-executive Board Member
Sold to the Home Depot
Interline Brands is a leading distributor of MRO products to institutional, residential and multi-family customers. The company was taken private in 2012. Under the guidance of an active board, the company successfully achieved:
- Profitable revenue growth with a 19% EBITDA increase between 2012 and 2014
- Simplification of multi-channel sales strategy with strong focus on e-commerce
- Implementation of a very effective new CRM with tangible results on organic growth
Americold Realty Trust, Atlanta, GA
Americold Logistics, Atlanta, GA
(2008 – 2012)
Chief Executive Officer and Chairman/Member of the Board
Americold Realty Trust is the world’s largest owner and operator of temperature-controlled warehouses for the storage and handling of frozen food products with 184 facilities internationally.
- Initiated and managed a significant number of change initiatives to put the company on the path to achieving a best-in-class status with a strong customer centric focus
- More than doubled the EBITDA to a level of 275M
- Increased EBITDA margin by 6.4% through productivity gains and SG&A optimization
- Implemented a new fully integrated ERP platform
Syncreon (previously TDS Logistics), Auburn Hills, MI
(2000 – 2007)
Chief Executive Officer and Member of the Board
Sold to Walsh Western
Syncreon is a specialized provider of complex assembly and supply chain services to the automotive and the technology industry with 60 facilities in 11 countries. Transformed a local company into a global company with the achievement of world-class levels of quality in verticals.
- Increased the EBITDA from 5M to 94M
- Increased EBITDA-margins by 8% through productivity improvements and pricing discipline on new contracts
- Repeatedly recapitalized or sold the company during CEO tenure
Syncreon (f/k/a TDS), Hasselt, Belgium
(1997 – 2000)
CFO -> (multi) Plant Manager -> Managing Director Europe
BNP Paribas, Brussels, Belgium
Branch manager corporate banking
Leader of a branch focusing on corporate lending and other banking services to medium sized and large companies such as foreign exchange, commodity hedging, M&A and asset management. Received most successful branch manager award in second year of employment.