INSEAD

Queen's University

Growth stage CTO/CPO/COO

Palladium acquired onefourzero in April 2023. I was asked to join Palladium on a contract basis, working on the onefourzero integration and joint Product Strategy.

Palladium Digital

Advisory - Product Strategy

Carried out over 50 Interim CTO/CPO, tech DD, and performance improvement assignments. Specialist in Agile Product Management and SaaS Engineering management. Targeting both fractional executive and NED opportunities in SaaS.

Big Band

Fractional CPO, CPTO and SaaS Consultant

Fractional CPTO.

I was asked to lead Product and Technology after the surprise departure of the technical lead, while the company was in negotiations to be acquired. I kept the team delivering, agreed a new data-led roadmap with management, responded to due diligence questions, represented onefourzero in discussions, and dealt with some major customers. The CEO and I developed a great working relationship and she was very pleased with the results I delivered in a changing landscape, part time, within four months. The sale process was successful: Onefourzero was acquired by Palladium on 14th April. 

https://palladiumdigital.co.uk/news-and-insights/palladium-completes-acquisition-of-international-commercial-consulting-firm-onefourzero

onefourzero

Chief Product and Technology Officer

Sprout.ai is provider of advanced AI-powered solutions for insurance claims management. Working with the CEO, CTO and Head of Engineering, developed product strategy including value proposition and development roadmap. Designed BI solution for a PoC. Selected outsourcing partner. Pivotal in rescuing global enterprise customer.

Big Band Ltd

Interim VP Product - Sprout.ai

$100m global vendor of life sciences software. Implemented Product Management in ArisGlobal including collaboration, governance, product strategy, business case, Epics and Stories, Agile backlogs, and roadmap. Heavily influenced Engineering adoption of a Devops culture including modern QA regime and re-implementation of Agile.

Product Management Transformation - ArisGlobal

CTO | CPO | Cloud Infrastructure | Cybersecurity | Customer Support 

Delivered a completely re-architected product and migrated all customers to it. Eliminated testing backlog, implemented Agile. Created and guided the Product Management team and installed best-practice Product Management. Created and ran Customer Advisory Board. Influential in closing new business.

CURO

Chief Technology Officer

Conducted Technical Due Diligence assignments primarily for clients looking to acquire SaaS vendors and businesses substantially based on technology.

Big Band Limited

Technical DD Consultant and Interim CTO

MakePositive was an ISV and Platinum Partner of Salesforce.com. As Head of Product I built a hybrid software products division (UK & India.) Implemented full Product Management Process and delivered three major products to high quality.

Interim Head of Product

SaaS product strategy and roadmap development. Product delivery performance improvement.

Principal Consultant

I founded www.thanksx.net in January 2010 as a social enterprise.

Thanksx.net

Founder and Managing Director

UKprocure connects major buyers to their suppliers through catalogues, electronic orders and eInvoices. Headcount was 15-18 people. UKP’s markets are the NHS, local government, and the private sector. 

As CEO, I retained the existing customers, rebuilt the organisation, and re-launched new business sales. I hired a sales team of 3 and was frontline in all customer pitches, proposals & negotiations. Gained new customers including six leading NHS Trusts, Liverpool City Council and BT. Completely revamped the technical organisation, taking Development inhouse and launching a new platform.

UKprocure Limited

The leading eInvoicing hub in UK Construction and Local Government. I personally closed sales, then hired and managed a sales person. More than trebled Tradex’s revenue. In parallel, developed a plan for entry into other sectors and countries.

Causeway Technologies

Managing Director - Tradex (Interim)

Chief Executive of Legion, a 25 person software vendor. Legion predicts the behaviour of crowds, and is a design safety tool, with customers including the Olympics and TfL. Led product strategy, engineering, and marketing and sales. Put processes and standards in place to support growth. Increased sales by 700%.

Legion Limited

As Oracle UK Business Development Director for the B2B line of applications, I built and led a team of 12 sales and domain professionals. We doubled sales to £18m and exceeded targets by 40%.

Oracle Corporation (UK) Limited

Director - B2B Solution Sales

As EMEA Product Director – B2B Applications, I worked with sales, presales, marketing and consulting teams to build the B2B product line from a minor part of the Oracle eBusiness Suite to a $50m business (licence and consulting) in 18 months. My New Product Introduction process was adopted as best practice by Oracle EMEA.

Product Director - B2B

The BOC Group was primarily a multi-billion £ industrial gases company. I was Group Marketing Manager and representative on the Global Information Management Council. Delivered a programme of specific applications to support Global Marketing. Implemented SAP across Australia, UK and USA. Previously Head of Business Strategy and Planning for BOC Gases Europe. Led the development of 5-year strategy, co-led M&A.

The BOC Group

Manager - Group Gases Marketing

The Australian Gas Light Company is primarily the natural gas utility for Sydney. I held two roles in parallel straddling engineering and business, with promotion after only 12 months. General Manager of a JV providing underground storage engineering. General Manager of a JV launching an ultrasonic gas meter.

The Australian Gas Light Company

General Manager - Joint Ventures

I progressed from Consultant to Engagement Manager. Assignments in major infrastructure investment, demand forecasting and stock control, lean manufacturing, retail and distribution, and financial services.

Example projects: 
	Principal consultant on a project to find cash savings for a troubled MBO, a diversified manufacturing company. Identified very substantial savings in stock through better systems. Coached operations management to implement JIT.
.	Principal consultant on a strategic analysis of a £40m LPG infrastructure investment. Highlighted the project's outstanding competitive position, put forward financing options, resulting in Board investment approval and my next position with one of the JV partners.
.	As senior analyst, helped introduce effective ordering and stock control for a market-leading drinks distributor. Devised controls with Product Management, developed automated forecasting tools, designed a PC system (still in use many years later.) Reduced inventory by 30% whilst improving customer service.
.	Co-led a team of 5 aiming to slash new product cycle time for a medical electronics company. Among other recommendations, reorganisation from a functional to a project-based structure. Market share increase from 6 to 20%.

Boston Consulting Group

Engagement Manager

Responsible for delivering a quality service with $500k of electronic equipment and a crew of up to 4 at offshore and onshore wells. Clients were major oil companies such as Shell and BP. I had one of the best records for uptime, customer satisfaction and safety in the North Sea.

Martin Band