Experience

West College Scotland

• United Kingdom
• Higher Education
• 300 - 400 Employee

• Director | Lead Official - Developing the Young Workforce, West Region (DYW West)

  • Jan 2016 - Present

  I have been leading the Developing the Young Workforce West Regional Group (DYW West) since Jan 2016. Funded by the Scot Gov following the Wood Commission, we’re hosted by West College Scotland. My role is to develop sustainable links between industry & schools / the college, making young people more prepared for the world of work and help reduce youth unemployment. We can help employers / education with: - talks & tours - careers events - challenges & competitions - work experience - apprenticeships & promotion of - CV / interviews / application forms etc. - STEM - sector awareness - community benefits - corporate social responsibilty - net zero - ageing workforce - young person's guarantee Show less



Renfrewshire Chamber of Commerce

• United Kingdom
• Non-profit Organizations
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Chief Executive

  • Aug 2009 - Dec 2015

  Business membership organisation - 580+ businesses across Renfrewshire - helping them "grow & prosper"​. We provide opportunities for our members to increase their awareness and generate new leads - this is achieved by the many free and paid for events we hold and our marketing channels (web, mag, app, social media, press). Membership also gives access to a host of free products and services designed to save you time and money and help grow your business. UK Chamber of the Year Finalist 2010, 2011, 2012 & 2013. First IIP Gold Chamber in Scotland, awarded in Aug 2015. First Chamber in the UK to be a Living Wage accredited employer (June 2015). Awarded IIYP- Investors in Young People - Nov 2014. The Chamber is extremely well connected across the private & public sector. I lead and run the Chamber. I have a team of 8 including 2 young people aged 24 or less. I have lead the renaissance of the Chamber over the last few years resulting in solid continual growth in membership, turnover and profit. Our profile has never been higher - locally & nationally. We punch way above our weight and have a reputation for getting to know our members and helping them as best we can. We have a reputation for running our own outstanding events - attracting the caliber of speaker usually associated with much larger organisations. Without doubt the busiest role I have ever had and the most varied. I am known as an extremely "hands on" Chief exec and still one of the youngest full time Chamber CEOs in the UK. I personally update all our social media that has definitely helped our profile and business engagement. We also won the 1st BCC Commercial Academy in 2011 for our Chamber iPhone app - at the time the 1st Chamber app in the EU. Now also available on Android. The success of the Chamber is not down to me alone - I have a great team and also a great board. Show less



Forth Wines Limited

• Beverage Manufacturing
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Interim Supply Chain Director / consultant

  • May 2009 - Aug 2009

  Interim contract Forth Wines - helping Kenny and the team reduce inventory, improve service and reduce costs. Had unlimited scope to observe and provide comment on all aspects of the business. I was recommended to Kenny by Steve Thomson, the CEO of Forth Wines owners Matthew Clark (since sold). Steve was my previous boss at both Chivas and Whyte & Mackay. I really enjoyed my time at Forth Wines, a very interesting company with relationships with smaller independent wineries & vineyards all over the world. They had a very strong reputation for quality wines at fair prices - with a family business feel and service that was unrivalled at the time. Show less



RESCU Solutions Ltd

• United Kingdom
• Transportation, Logistics, Supply Chain and Storage
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Partner

  • Oct 2006 - Aug 2008

  Rescu Solutions, a niche supply chain and procurement consultancy, as a Director. Rescu's business / clients included copacking for the drinks/publishing industry - a joint venture with TDG / a spend management service for indirects and traditional consultancy & project management. Our core skills were around the areas of supply chain, logistics, procurement & customer service - it was in these areas that we added the most value, whether it be cost reduction, process improvement etc... Rescu was set up by 2 ex colleagues and directors from Whyte & Mackay (Douglas Reid & Robert Ellis) who asked me to join them as a partner / Director in 2006. Show less



Morris & Spottiswood

• United Kingdom
• Construction
• 100 - 200 Employee

• Head of Supply Chain

  • Nov 2004 - Oct 2006

  Supply Chain optimisation / partnership agreements / preferred contractor programme / designed and implemented web based supplier prequalification service. Set up dept - developed strategy, policies, process & procedures. Assisted in the development of procurement dept. £100M spend Supply Chain optimisation / partnership agreements / preferred contractor programme / designed and implemented web based supplier prequalification service. Set up dept - developed strategy, policies, process & procedures. Assisted in the development of procurement dept. £100M spend



Sky

• United Kingdom
• Broadcast Media Production and Distribution
• 700 & Above Employee

• Senior Project Manager - Supply Chain

  • Jan 2004 - Jun 2004

  Ran a number of high profile projects - new logistics partner project / using domestic power lines to transmit phone signal / Sky data around house / staff mentoring / team development Ran a number of high profile projects - new logistics partner project / using domestic power lines to transmit phone signal / Sky data around house / staff mentoring / team development



Diageo

• United Kingdom
• Beverage Manufacturing
• 700 & Above Employee

• Senior Global Supply programme / change roles

  • Nov 1997 - Aug 2003

  Various senior manager roles: Project Manager / Solution Set Leader / Supply Chain Manager 1997 - Release 2 & 4 - Project Manager 1998 - 2000 - GDSPT - Stream Leader - Partnership Agreements and KPIs / Manugistics roll out 2001 - Rest of World - Supply Chain Development Manager 2002/3 - eTransformation Solution Set Leader I had a fantastic time at Diageo - travelling the world, learning about international business and the different cultures. Main highlight was working as part of the GDSPT - worked hard and made life long friendships. Great global project that made a genuine impact, saving £M's and making the organisation more responsive and agile. Other highlights were the few months as RoW Supply Chain Manager and then a few months in the States working on the Walmart supply chain project. I won the Diageo WoW award (Way of Working) for helping make Dundas House a great place to work. I was very sad to leave Diageo in 2003 - the company offered me roles in Amsterdam and the States as the project came to an end but I wasn't in the position to accept either as Anne fell pregnant with our 2nd son Rory in the autumn. Whilst I was at Diageo, they sponsored me through a MBA at Strathclyde Graduate Business School. I was also lucky enough to be put through the Diageo Senior Management / Leadership programme. Show less



Whyte & Mackay

• Beverage Manufacturing
• 100 - 200 Employee

• Various line / project roles

  • Jun 1990 - Nov 1997

  1990 Operational Planner 1991-2 Business Analyst 1993-4 Senior Business Analyst 1995 Demand Planning and Inventory Control Manager (Invergordon) 1996-7 Customer Service and Logistics Project Manager All roles involved demand planning / forecasting / production planning / customer service / KPIs / industry stats / new product intro / systems implementation etc... I was the main PC user in the business for a number of years - and my interest and knowledge in this area was used to train other staff in Lotus etc.. I was also the main "stats" guy - doing statistical reports such as market shares in UK & abroad for the main Board of Directors (and presenting to them) I had positions for both the branded side Whyte & Mackay and own label side - Invergordon Whilst I was at W&M I was offered a job with United Distillers as their UK Forecasting Manager - this was a senior manager position - at the age of 21 it would have made me the youngest manager at that level in the UK for United Distillers (Diageo) at that time. For personal reasons I had to turn the job down - but eventually was head hunted by Diageo in 1997 - by which point I was 27 W&M was my formative management years - I had a fantastic time at Whyte & Mackay - great bosses with Steve Thomson / Brian Megson / Douglas Reid Show less



Pernod Ricard

• France
• Beverage Manufacturing
• 700 & Above Employee

• Operational Planner

  • Jul 1988 - Jun 1989

  University placement - worked at Seagram Export division in Argyle Street - with Eric Easson / Ronnie Clyne and Steve Thompson. Steve was my boss and after I graduated employed me at Whyte & Mackay. From this I had 17 years in the drinks industry - and the reason I will also be a fan of and support industrial placements / sandwich courses. University placement - worked at Seagram Export division in Argyle Street - with Eric Easson / Ronnie Clyne and Steve Thompson. Steve was my boss and after I graduated employed me at Whyte & Mackay. From this I had 17 years in the drinks industry - and the reason I will also be a fan of and support industrial placements / sandwich courses.