barry christie

A newly formed, diversified, creative digital media business, providing multi-channel services to commercial and government organisations, enhancing communication with stakeholders and target audiences.

Borne of an idea, becoming a vision and now delivering innovative solutions to clients.

• Identifying an opportunity, I facilitated award-winning UK professionals to enter the Middle East market.
• Applying over 12 years Middle East experience of establishing and growing businesses to create a start-up business now recognized as the goto business in its sector in Oman.
• Researching and understanding market needs, identifying and negotiating with key service partners to create an unrivalled service offering providing turnkey creative solutions for clients.
• Driving entry to, and business development within the UAE.
• As a special project - developing a disruptive retail orientated mobile app, initially for the Middle East market, but with global ambitions.

A Dubai based media Production Company, $7m turnover, 120 staff, engaged in design and fabrication for the exhibition, events, corporate and retail sectors.

Fixed term contract to review, restructure and optimise business operations, develop and implement strategy to undertake next growth phase, encompassing transition to larger 110k sg/ft factory.

Like many SMEs, the business faced many challenges transitioning in the face of growth, among issues I identified and addressed included:-

• Creation of a business strategy to reflect a changing marketplace and evolving client needs.
• Development and distribution of appropriate financial and operational management controls and systems.
• Phasing of recruitment, securing and retaining appropriately skilled HR assets.
• Creating and communicating a corporate vision with objectives and goals, cascading throughout the business in the form of SMART objectives understood by all.
• Quality control - introducing systems to ensure consistent quality at all stages of production through to delivery.
• Advised on and progressed regional expansion via strategic partnerships.
• Market analysis - understanding trends and evolving client requirements, leading to a consolidation of operations and services.
• Business development and marketing activities, identification and management of new accounts.
• Management of “at risk” accounts, and enhancing cash flow through reduction of outstanding debt approx $300k and reduction of avg debtor days from 120+ to 60.

Family group of companies $14m (300+ employees) encompassing Oil & Gas, Civil Engineering and Car Parking services.
Remit to advise on group strategy, restructure sales function, reduce overheads, improve quality of bids, tender processes, and client deliverables, driving sales growth.
• Reviewed business operations culminating in 18% reduction in management overheads while increasing group sales - 20%.
• Mentoring and training of sales team and support functions achieving improved individual / team performance, bid submissions and team morale.
• Achieved improved margins on sales, with enhanced quality and efficiency of back office support.
• Developed & implemented reporting systems / processes facilitating better utilisation and management of resources.
• Driving expansion of services into new regional markets - identifying prospective JV partners.

(JV partners of NCP UK) providing parking related services and infrastructure throughout the MENA region.
Transferred from NCP to Arady’s employment at request of Arady Chairman.

Led the process of establishing a new JV company (IMUM LLC) between NCP UK and Arady PSC, an Abu Dhabi based private equity company with shareholders comprising regional sovereign funds, Royal family members and high net worth individuals.

• Creation and implementation of a strategic business plan for the MENA region, identifying regional JV partners for parking related businesses
• Developed and maintained a business pipeline, targeting and progressing specific high value opportunities interacting at Board level with clients.
• Evaluation, prioritisation and presentation of opportunities to be progressed requiring board / bid committee approval, highlighting and addressing key risks.
• Undertook specialist parking consultancy projects.
• Identifying and negotiating with consortium / investment partners, facilitating progression of major infrastructure projects with values ranging up to $70m.
• Creation and management of cross functional bid teams (internal and external technical resources), allowing progression of diverse, innovative, technology rich, often capital intensive parking projects.
• Writing and presenting innovative bids, and proposals, demonstrating a complete understanding of client requirements, adding value by skilfully differentiating against competitor offerings.
• Secured strategically important contracts with key UAE clients.

2006 - 2009 Commercial Manager, UK / Dubai
• Market research, analysis and evaluation of opportunities encompassing UK and Middle East. Creation of overseas strategy documents for Board and parent private equity company approval.
• Management / development of UK National accounts.
• Undertook all CRM activity, initiated and led on relationship with Abu Dhabi Government, developing complex tender submissions resulting in winning the largest and most technically advanced parking services contract in the world worth $272m.
• Part of HQ bid team winning BAA Airport bid ($73m), and contributed to numerous complex, technology rich, high value bids for UK Local Government citywide parking management contracts.

2003 - 2006 Commercial Manager, London / Dubai
• Commercial management of UK Airports Division ($190m turnover representing 30% of NCP turnover with 300+ employees). Successfully bid for major contracts at Luton, Stansted, and Edinburgh Airports.
• Established Hospital Services Division, tendering for and winning first major UK NHS contract worth $13.6m.
• Maintained and developed links with Middle East contacts, conducted market research, identified and negotiated with prospective JV partners to re-establish Middle East operations.

2002 - 2003 General Manager, Khansaheb/ NCP JV, Dubai
• Established and managed as sole UK representative, NCP’s Middle East JV with a major local business.
• Implemented and adapted international best practice, policies, processes, and procedures with full P&L control on project to construct and operate car parks in the region.
• Worked with local partners and contractors to develop and operate new built infrastructure.
• Recruitment, training and mentoring of new multi-cultural workforce.
• Identification and progression of new business opportunities.

2000 - 2002 Commercial Manager UK / International
• Preparation of new business proposals related to parking management of clients assets (Airports, government landowning entities and other commercial organisations), contract negotiations and CRM activities based around business models comprising BOT / management agreements / consultancy / JV / Consortium / PPP.
• Instrumental in successful establishment of new “on-street” division and its operational management (now a $490m business.
• Analysis and evaluation of overseas parking opportunities and companies for acquisition (Sweden, Germany, Holland, Greece, Cyprus, Dubai).
• Researched, developed and implemented Middle East expansion strategy.

1999 - 2000 Operations Manager, London
P & L responsibility for NCP’s largest business unit, comprising turnover in excess of $39.5m, 7 direct reports and 200 + staff, creation of budgets and individual / team performance goals.

• Restructured region introducing more commercially orientated and capable retail orientated managers, to achieve demanding financial targets.
• Led sales initiatives targeting corporates with extensive multisite parking requirements, increasing utilisation of parking assets.
• Operational management successes receiving award and recognition at National Conference.
• Led corporate review of regional operational processes, methodologies and documentation implementing new standardised operations nationwide.

General Management of Initial Services largest profit centre, providing manned guarding services for the City of London’s major financial institutions. P&L control of $12.25m, over 300 staff with 10 direct reports.

Typical of many manpower intensive businesses the primary challenges impacting on client retention, contract profitability and business development were the selection and effective utilization and management of staff deployed.

With natural leadership qualities, and great intuition I was able to effect positive change allowing achievement of personal and corporate objectives related to turnover, profit and costs.

• Reorganised management and personnel to create functioning, motivated multisite teams.
• Established achievable yet demanding individual and team goals and objectives to improve performance, reduce costs and facilitate renegotiation of client contracts from a position of strength.
• Created client reporting systems incorporating KPIs to demonstrate progress made.
• Successfully renegotiated contracts achieving enhanced pay and bonus rates for staff while delivering increased turnover and margin.
• Achieved highest % annual contract renegotiation rates in the UK, highest client retention figures and lowest staff turnover figures.
• Constructed bids, tender responses and related presentations to secure additional contract wins.

Following a catastrophic merger of acquired businesses, resulting in a continuing loss of contracts the newly appointed MD set about a top down restructure of the business. As one of 5 newly appointed regional directors I was tasked with restructuring the Midlands region and terminating the hemorrhaging of contracts.
• Undertook a financial and operational analysis of existing operations (7 direct reports, 500+ employees and turnover of $14.9m) and capabilities of management team, resulting in almost complete replacement of management team.
• Devised and implemented a new organisational structure and recruitment of new managers able to effectively engage with clients.
• Implemented a reporting system to understand client issues and methodically devise and implement project plans to resolve issues.
• Proactively managed local sales team, assisting in acquisition of new business
• I successfully terminated the loss of business, and instigated initiatives to increase profitability (including renegotiation of loss making contracts, or in some cases a rationalization of contracts, re-planning vehicle and manpower intensive operations).

Larkins a family owned specialist provider of electronic security systems (CCTV & access control systems), with a growing manned guarding services business.
Business owner as a result of success in core systems business had expanded operations to cater to clients other security requirements, but lacked an understanding of the challenges of setting up and managing geographically dispersed multi-site operations.
I was effectively a troubleshooter, - identifying issues impacting the growth and commercial success of the business and then developing and implementing the solutions to resolve.
• Managed all client account interaction, identifying issues and implementing solutions to address, gaining client confidence retaining and growing accounts.
• P & L control of key accounts, personally managing operations to ensure retention of contracts, involving control of over 150 staff with 4 direct reports.

Gestetner - a leading manufacturer of reprographic equipment.
• Recruitment and management of sales personnel to cover the UK region.
• Market research and analysis creating a database of contacts and opportunities.
• Development of sales plans, budgets and training and development of team members.
• Achieved sales targets within a highly competitive market.

Recruited by the owner of a small manned guarding services business with a vision to create London’s premiere security services business focused on servicing London’s prestigious high profile businesses.

Challenge presented was to address operational issues endemic in the Industry (staff turnover, poor service levels) and to create, develop an organisational structure and related processes to facilitate attainment of corporate goals.

• Recruitment, training and coaching of new senior management team (8).
• Business development, writing of business proposals and related contract negotiations, winning a further 7 new contracts, providing services for clients such as Royal Academy of Arts, Kleinwort Benson Investment Bank, Saatchi & Saatchi).
• Increased turnover from $2m to $6.5m through new and expansion of existing contracts, while reducing staff turnover from 55% to 33%.
• Working with software developers, designed our bespoke management system integrating all elements of the companies operations.

One of the UK’s largest manned security service companies. I had full P&L control of high profile City region including most of the city’s major financial institutions, managing multi-site operations with 8 direct reports and over 200 employees.

The principal challenges faced related to the exceptionally high levels of staff turnover in excess of 60% (resignation / termination). Absence of staff continuity resulted in a lack of site knowledge, increased numbers of incidents and failure to handle these effectively, ultimately resulting in client dissatisfaction and contract termination.

I applied my management skills to address the fundamental issues related to recruitment and management of personnel, systematically building new, well managed teams:-
• Revised recruitment and training practices.
• Established KPI based bonus schemes to incentivise staff.
• Achieved a 28% reduction in staff turnover leading to improved service levels and a resulting increase in client confidence.
• Built strong client relationships.
• Renegotiated and retained all contracts at increased rates, improving margins and turnover, achieving and exceeding challenging budgets.
• Created a virtuous circle of raising individual and team performance, generating improved pay and conditions further motivating staff.

Security Services business focused on Manned Guarding and Cash in Transit operations. Providing services to leading industrial and commercial organizations, with $8m turnover and 300+ employees.
Identified that business growth / quality of services supplied were being adversely impacted by mismanagement and corrupt practices.
• Instigated restructure of management team replacing 20% of operational management
• Devised and implemented new operational processes and reporting procedures
• Introduced KPIs into weekly / mthly reporting facilitating improved operational control and client service delivery.
• Control of CRM reduced annual contract terminations from 15% to 2%
• Successfully managed Trade Union negotiations, achieving a sustainable level of wage rises. Maintained profit margins by renegotiating client contracts.
• Exceeded budgeted growth targets - growing turnover from $2.9m to $8m, through direct operational involvement in business development.
Sold business to Group 4 Securitas