Curriculum Vitae / Résumé

I am an Operations Executive / Consultant that is comfortable operating at the highest levels in large multinational organizations, as well as in small entrepreneurial businesses. My focus is on helping companies formulate and implement their operational strategy. My clients often do not have the leadership in place to implement that strategy right away. In these situations, I operate as the interim leadership to get the strategy underway immediately. Thereafter, I help recruit the correct leadership and step away from the project once the leadership is hired and a transition plan is prepared.

My thirty-five years of international operations experience has been in industries as diverse as Automotive, Defense, Insurance, Marketing,  Media, Retail,  SAAS, Telecom, and Travel sectors. I have worked across Europe, the Middle East, South America, and the USA. I’ve worked for more than twenty years in start-up operational leadership and strategy formulation with organizations such as Alghanim Industries, Amazon.com, Aviva, Belkin, Cognizant, Dunn & Bradstreet, eBay, IBM, last.fm, lastminute.com, the RAC, Spotify, Skype, & Vodafone.

I am also an independent scholar with a focus on the cultural history of honor in warfare from 1755-1815.

Education

I hold PhD and Masters degrees from King’s College London and a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Tampa, Florida.

Work Experience

Yes Energy
2022-Present – Boulder, CO

Chief of Staff & VP, Fleet Operations – I am the Chief of Staff for best SAAS company in the energy industry. I also manage the hardware, program management, and fleet operations teams for Yes Energy’s Live Power product.

U.S. Air Force
2019-2022 – Beale Air Force Base, CA
Historian and Organizational Design Consultant (Top Secret clearance, still active) Worked for the 9th Reconnaissance Wing and the 940th Air Refueling Wing. Worked on various classified projects for both wings.

Zone / Cognizant / BMW UK
2018- London & Bristol, UK
Designed a Digital Asset Management “factory” strategy for Zone to manage BMW UK’s marketing assets and corporate identity portfolios.

Live Power Intelligence
2015-2016 – Princeton, NJ, Boulder, CO & Houston, TX
Interim COO – Helped this business raise venture capital and launch the North American operations featuring a patented product that challenges an established business in the energy information industry. Work included pitching to potential investors, patent reviews, field deployment design, and operational, legal, and financial planning.

Spotify
2014 – NYC, Stockholm, Cambridge, Bogotá
Interim Outsourcing Leader – Helped this music streaming pioneer prepare a strategic plan for evaluating, selecting and initiating operations with world-wide partners. Implemented plan until permanent leadership could be recruited. Involved in all areas of implementation and integration, including technical preparation and testing, reporting standards and protocols, quality assurance, operational processes, legal contracting, and transition management.

intu
2013 – London, United Kingdom
Strategy Analysis and Program Design. I helped this FTSE 100 company with a strategic needs analysis, then helped them design the program to implement the recommendations. Ongoing advisory capacity during roll-out of operational and technical components.

Belkin
2011 – 2012 – Playa Vista, California
Service Strategy analysis, design, and implementation. Presented a new self-service and premium service strategy proposal to the Executive team of this prominent technology company. Obtained approval, started, led and transitioned the program to a permanent team for ongoing operations.

Alghanim Industries
2011 – Kuwait / GCC / MENA
Operations Director / Consultant to a major GCC retailer. Set up a retail electronics e-commerce operation from scratch. Led strategic review that led to the instigation of the project. Led project from inception to launch.

Skype / eBay
2009 – 2010 – Estonia / Luxembourg / London
Led several operational programs for Skype on Customer segmentation, Customer Messaging, and New product deployment for Skype. I worked for eBay on the Skype IPO preparation (pre- Silver Lake sale).

ACCA
2010 – London / Glasgow
Worked for the Finance Director of this worldwide Accounting accreditation provider to provide strategic advice on how to consolidate, improve and implement its customer service, sales and delivery model.
Ongoing advisory capacity.

Paspic
2006-2009 – London
Operations Director – Worked with the Israeli founder of the business to develop funding, marketing, and operational plans for this successful niche travel service.

Last.fm
2006 – 2007 – London, United Kingdom
Helped the CEO, CFO, & COO of this music social networking business grow their customer service, e-commerce, and payments capabilities.

Dia Boutique
2006 – 2007 – London / Dubai
Operations Director – Worked with the Lebanese founder of the business to develop the business plan, design and deliver the website, build the logistics infrastructure and establish world-wide delivery capability.

IBM
Managing Consultant
2004 – 2005 – London, Manchester, Rotterdam
I was a Managing Consultant working in the telecommunications, retail, automotive and financial services sectors. Led major projects at Dunn & Bradstreet (D&B), Aviva, the RAC, and Vodafone.

N Brown PLC / JD Williams
Head of Customer Services
2002 – 2004 – Manchester, United Kingdom
Managed a 1,300 member customer sales and service team for a FTSE 250 catalogue retailer that was making the transition to becoming an internet retailer. Provided full spectrum customer support for other companies as well, such as Toys”R”Us, River Island, and Early Learning Centre.

Lastminute.com
Head of Global Operations / Retail Operations Director
2001 – 2002 – London / Paris / Munich / Capetown
Led the customer service, supply chain, business intelligence, and program management office teams for this pioneering online travel agent.

Amazon.com
Head of UK Customer Services
1999 – 2001 – London / The Hague
First managed the expansion of the distribution centre network in the United Kingdom. Later, led the UK customer services centers in England and The Hague. Member of the Amazon.co.uk executive management team.

RAC
Regional Operations Manager
1998 – 1999 – London, United Kingdom
Led the West London operations team of dispatchers and patrols.

Friends Provident (now FriendsLife)
Team Manager
1997 – 1998 – Salisbury, United Kingdom
Led the new product team in the new business processing area.

Scottish Widows
Registered Financial Representative
1994 – 1996 – London / Glasgow
Provided financial services advice and products to individuals and businesses. FSA Financial Planning Certificate 1, 2, and 3 qualified in the UK and NASD Series 7 and 63 qualified in the USA.

US Army
Captain, Company Commander
1987-1994 – USA, Europe, Middle East.
Also a Platoon Leader and Executive Officer in a forward deployed Cavalry Troop of the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment on active duty.