Gary Nicholson

Group Chief Executive at New Zealand Data & Complete Infrastructure Group at New Zealand Data | NZData
  • Claim this Profile
Contact Information
us****@****om
(386) 825-5501
Location
Wellington, Wellington Region, New Zealand, NZ

Topline Score

Topline score feature will be out soon.

Bio

Generated by
Topline AI

5.0

/5.0
/ Based on 2 ratings
  • (2)
  • (0)
  • (0)
  • (0)
  • (0)

Filter reviews by:

Jessica Cooper

Gary brings all the skills and abilities of a driven General Manager. He is relational, forward-thinking and has exceptional expertise in leadership. Gary knows how to bring the best out of his team, by supporting, inspiring and mentoring them. His knowledge of how to monitor the finance side of business, how to build sound business plans with his team makes working with him rewarding and fun.

Jono O'Grady

Gary is a natural business leader with a strong commercial background and the ability to motivate staff to succeed. Gary has a strong set of core personal values that translate into the way he does business. I have worked with Gary for a number of years as a services provider and have been impressed with Gary's ability to define organisational strategy, set marketing strategy, manage teams, resolve conflict, negotiate and develop relationships. Gary takes a holistic view to business that enables others to partner with him to achieve shared goals and objectives.

You need to have a working account to view this content.
Join now
You need to have a working account to view this content.
Join now

Credentials

  • Advanced Toastmaster - Gold
    Toastmasters International
    Jul, 2000
    - Nov, 2024

Experience

  • New Zealand Data | NZData
    • New Zealand
    • IT Services and IT Consulting
    • 1 - 100 Employee
    • Group Chief Executive at New Zealand Data & Complete Infrastructure Group
      • Aug 2019 - Present

      New Zealand’s largest data connectivity infrastructure business focusing on the physical connectivity layer, data cabling, fibre, wireless deployments and datacenter solutions. Additionally, we operate in the digital enablement solutions and services sector providing a broad range of value-based services from digital connectivity solutions, advisory and consulting services providing a complete range of digital solutions and services, plus a managed services division providing a seamless extension of a wide range of managed infrastructure services. My role is to lead a team of technical experts, build amazing relationships with our clients and influence them in how best to build their infrastructure across a very diverse range of stakeholders.I certainly possess a very strong commercial nous and with my knowledge of the machinations of government, both local and central, I am able to bring this knowledge, commercial knowledge, and delivery skills together. Proud to add that I recently won the Toastmasters area public speaking competition in the delivery of fast thinking presentations. (Table Topics)

  • Helping Kids Speak in Public
    • CEO - Chief Enthusiasm Officer
      • Feb 2013 - Present

      Helping primary school-aged children develop the courage and skill to speak in public.Learning communication skillsBuilding courage to speak about the passion in their livesBuilding our next generation into future leaders Helping primary school-aged children develop the courage and skill to speak in public.Learning communication skillsBuilding courage to speak about the passion in their livesBuilding our next generation into future leaders

  • Harcourts Real Estate
    • Australia
    • Real Estate
    • 700 & Above Employee
    • Group General Manager & Business Owner
      • May 2013 - Jul 2019

      Recruited as Group General Manager of Harcourts Team Group to lead and support an already strong group of business owners and branch managers by bringing a fresh perspective of leadership, marketing , recruitment and detailed operational experience to the business.My role is a solid mix of strategic planning, short and medium term coupled with a make it happen operational element. I very much see my role as one of support for all stakeholders in the business, from the directors, providing leadership, growth and an eagle eye on the costs, through to market leading training, marketing and strong support for the sales consultants and support teams.I am constantly looking at ways in which to enhance our market share and above all provide marketing, training and technological guidance for our sales team to ensure that the experience that we provide our customers is the best in the market and ultimately do what it is we stand for, being the ability to negotiate the best possible price for our vendors property with the best marketing and the best method of sale.Working with a diverse range of suppliers is important as it enables the building of marketing support processes to our customers ensuring that we deliver a solid mix of appropriate marketing methods from print to online and video support, and then backfilling the training and collateral to the teams to ensure that they understand it and can maximise its effectiveness in a competitive market,

  • Kirkcaldie & Stains Ltd
    • 1 - 100 Employee
    • General Manager Commercial
      • Oct 2006 - Apr 2013

      Held several roles in the business focusing on growing sales, enhancing margin, minimizing shrinkage, controlling Open to Buy and delivering on trend, on time fashion based quality merchandise serviced by quality, well trained and passionate sales teams.Recruited to establish a high performance merchandise, buying and planning team to provide a broad range of fashion & mid-high end branded products.Established essential operational processes and disciplines to improve effectiveness of supplier initiatives (eg. core range, store performance reporting, promotions management, NPD, distribution, bulk clearance and source-to-store).Established a clear structure both in terms of product planning (good/better/best) and complete category management ranging structure with full detailed open to buy mechanisms and reporting for the buying teams. To support this, I worked both with the promotional teams & supply partners to establish regular promotional activity to increase sales and market share.Having been a supplier myself, I was very aware of the requirements of both retailer and supplier when negotiating supply agreements. These agreements were built on mutual understanding of how to build each others businesses, to ensure profits were guarded for both sides, but able all to establish and build relationships that provided products ahead of competitors, or on an exclusive basis where possible.I negotiated supplier trading agreements resulting in very strong platforms for growth, based on the right products at the right price delivered at the right times and promoted in a “style” that caused the customers to choose our business over others. I set the complete financial planning budget, from sales, margin, markdown control and promo plan out to 18 months providing this to board level.Simply, I am a retailer who understands the impact of online in a dynamic environment and has the ability to drive this through great people.

  • ACCO Brands
    • United States
    • Manufacturing
    • 700 & Above Employee
    • Group Managing Director / Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
      • 1997 - 2006

      As Managing Director/Chief Executive was totally responsible for all aspects of driving a customer-centric business in an extremely competitive and volatile market.By managing and empowering the team at every level, I developed world class products directly with factories in many countries building industry-leading marketing and pricing models to ensure that my products outperformed those of my competitors, in addition, formed extremely strong relationships with a diverse range of customers always with a strong focus on customer development. By every customer having a dedicated business plan and category management plan I was able to demonstrate to my customers that dealing with my company and my team had significant advantages from cost savings to them, higher margins and stock turn plus industry-leading DIFOT (delivery in full on time)I was instrumental in the design and build of a state of the art import/export and local distribution centre that further enhanced our superb customer delivery and product reputation. I was responsible for revenue budget, trading performance, marketing and product mix, sales and marketing strategy, pricing strategy, customer experience and total delivery of “company and results” driven directly through sales, marketing, finance and logistics.Evaluated the performance of all company divisions which included a manufacturing facility, courier business, welding and printing & die cutting operation. Introduced full bill of materials and MRP programme to accurately cost all production to ISO standards before spinning off this business to local investors to enable more focus on a more diverse and cost-effective range from supply partners overseas. I am proud to say that the business that I created and sold to local investors is to this day performing very well and retained all staff in full employment, which was a personal goal of mine

  • Paper Plus NZ
    • New Zealand
    • Retail
    • 1 - 100 Employee
    • National Business Manager/ Marketing Manager & Commercial Manager
      • 1990 - 1996

      Recruited to establish a high performance merchandise, buying and planning team to provide a broad range of products at competitive products across a significant range of products, suppliers and categories.As part of the product sourcing, I established a clear structure both in terms of product planning ( good/better/best) and complete category management ranging structure with full detailed open to buy mechanisms and reporting for the complete buying teams. To support this, I worked with the promotional teams internally to establish weekly, monthly and event driven promotions to increase sales and market share, plus to work with suppliers to assist in promotional support.Having been a supplier myself, I was very aware of the requirements of both retailer and supplier when negotiating supply agreements. These agreements were built on mutual understanding of how to build each others businesses, to ensure profits were guarded for both sides, but able all to establish and build relationships that provided products ahead of competitors, or on an exclusive basis where possible, plus to work with the suppliers to build promotional programmes that “worked” for both our business and that of the suppliers. An example would having food tastings ahead of direct rebates, as at the end of the day the promotional plans are about selling more products, giving the customers a superior retail experience and from this profits follow.I personally negotiated the supplier trading agreements for the entire business resulting on very strong platforms for growth, based on the right products at the right price delivered at the right times and promoted in a fashion that caused the customers to choose our business over others.Additionally I sit on the management board of the company.As part of my responsibilities I set the complete department by department financial planning budget, from sales, margin, markdown control and promotional budgeting with forecasting out to 18 months.

  • General Electric Company
    • United Kingdom
    • Appliances, Electrical, and Electronics Manufacturing
    • 1 - 100 Employee
    • National Business Manager (Country Manager) OSRAM Lamps & Consumer Products
      • Jul 1987 - Jun 1990

      Effectively a National Sales Manager position responsible for full customer development, product sourcing and management, combined with development and implementation of marketing plans for the OSRAM lamp business, both retail and commercial, GEC retail telephones, CREDA heating and ventillation, XPELAIR fans.Formed and enhanced key relationships with major customer groups, architects and specifiers for commercial sector.Drove business via regional sales team, and supported 19 corporate owned wholesale electrical outlets.Responsible for all market pricing, budget preparation and delivery on agressive market share, profit and growth plans.Reported to New Zealand based board of directors with upline visibility to London based global board of General Electric Company PLC

Education

  • Victoria University of Wellington
    1982 - 1988
  • Tawa College
    1978 - 1982
  • Tawa intermediate
    1976 - 1977
  • Redwood school
    1973 - 1975
  • Korokoro school
    1969 - 1973

Community

You need to have a working account to view this content. Click here to join now