AMDS SUPPORT SERVICES

Alan is an experienced senior manager with a track record of success in the implementation of strategy, utilising sales and marketing for national and international growth, and the design and delivery of management development to realise improved business performance. Skills that are underpinned by postgraduate qualifications in both science and management. He has deep experiential understanding of what it takes to transition from public sector to private sector along and broad-based project management skills. A successful leader with the drive and determination to realise exceptional team performance he is an advocate of lifelong learning with both coaching and mentoring experience.

After completing a PhD in Pharmaceutical Chemistry researching potential new heart drugs he joined the Royal Signal and Radar Establishment at the start of a 23 year career in the management of research and technology. Initially working as a research team leader he later took on the challenge of managing a portfolio of research programmes in the fields of Radar and Electronics where he successfully transformed a suite of established programmes to meet evolving customer needs and stopped a significant decline in Government funding. It was during this period he was awarded an MBA from Warwick Business School. His experiences on the MBA programme led to his next career move as he switched from account management of R & D programmes to the implementation of strategic change.

As a member of a small central change team he project managed: the design and delivery of a management development programme, (an evolution of which was recognised by a National Training Award), the implementation of a new reward and recognition package for 3000 staff and the achievement of Investor in People status. On the conclusion of the initial change programme he moved back to the customer interface this time as the Programme Manager for the UK’s Naval weapons and signature ranges. During his two year tenure he negotiated two long-term service contracts that secured over 70% of a £25 million turnover business. In recognition of his work in the maritime environment he was invited to become the programme director for the UK’s defence test and evaluation ranges with responsibility for a £100 million income stream. He led a team of senior managers, financial and commercial professionals, and project managers that exceeded income targets by more than 15% two years in a row.

In his next role Alan was asked to combine his leadership and marketing expertise leading a senior team in the company’s first attempt to win a test and evaluation services contract in the United States. He successfully negotiated a 20% share of a $1 billion 15-year contract to provide support to the United States Navy with a US prime contractor. Although ultimately unsuccessful the bid allowed him to gain an understanding of the legal, financial and security frameworks of operating a company in the USA as well as identifying opportunities for pursuit in defence and homeland security valued at $5 billion.

At the conclusion of the US bid programme Alan’s focus returned to the UK and the strategic challenge of identifying opportunities to take over the management of Government science and technology outside of defence. He also developed the company’s market entry plan for the forensics, nuclear and contract pharmaceutical research and technology markets in the UK. Included in the entry strategy was a recommendation to acquire two or three high growth suppliers to these sectors one of which was taken forward; while in one other case he negotiated an alliance which gained a 10% share of a major forensic services procurement from a baseline of zero.

In his final role Alan returned to the provision of test and evaluation services managing all aspects of sales and marketing in an £80 million turnover business struggling to maintain income due to the combination of UK military operations and the recession. By realigning the product portfolio and creating a small team from within the business to focus on four key areas income was stabilised in year 1 and exceeded target by 12% in year 2. Since January 2010 he has been developing his own web-based business with the first product due to launch in Autumn 2010, project managing the completion of a house-build in France against the background of the builder going into receivership and providing advice and consultancy in the European defence market.