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C-Level sales-led exec with 25 years tech sector experience
Ronan Smith
,
Bampton, United Kingdom
Experience
Other titles
Skills
I'm offering
High-achieving, entrepreneurial technology executive with a 25 year progressive track record in building businesses, maximising sustainable sales growth, driving product innovation, leading sales teams, creating differentiated commercial propositions, making markets, building customer first business cultures, managing strategic financial & operational objectives, and leading high performance workforces within a diverse range of global technology & SAAS businesses at C- level including with Trustopia, Pearson plc., RM plc., M.I.T. & Gartner Inc.
Available immediately to bring leadership experience to any CEO/ COO/ MD/ CCO/ Transformation or Innovation role within a Start Up / Scale Up / SME or Larger Corporates needing to drive growth, improve performance or change.
KEY EXECUTIVE SKILLS • Innovation • Building World-Class Teams • Business, Product, Tech Strategy • Obsession with Exceptional Service Delivery • Executive Leadership • Corporate Transformation • Commercial Proposition Development • Brand Development • Market-Making • Profit & Loss Management • Revenue Growth • Venture Capital • Operational Management • Mergers & Acquisitions
Available immediately to bring leadership experience to any CEO/ COO/ MD/ CCO/ Transformation or Innovation role within a Start Up / Scale Up / SME or Larger Corporates needing to drive growth, improve performance or change.
KEY EXECUTIVE SKILLS • Innovation • Building World-Class Teams • Business, Product, Tech Strategy • Obsession with Exceptional Service Delivery • Executive Leadership • Corporate Transformation • Commercial Proposition Development • Brand Development • Market-Making • Profit & Loss Management • Revenue Growth • Venture Capital • Operational Management • Mergers & Acquisitions
Markets
United Kingdom
Language
English
Fluently
Ready for
Larger project
Ongoing relation / part-time
Full time contractor
Available
My experience
2011 - 2020
job
CEO/FOUNDER
TRUSTOPIA.
$39m T/O, 42 Employees, Private
Trustopia.com - a world-first in cloud based, anyone-anywhere-anytime, digital trust and identity risk assurance processing for
any enterprise where faster, more certain and secure real-time decisions about people, customers and documents matter,
including use cases that include: Age Verification, Anti-Money Laundering (AML), People On-boarding, Know Your Customer
(KYC), Right To Work, Security Clearance & Teal-Rime Vetting.
Responsibility:
Founded, Funded, Managed, Led and Grew Trustopia through R&D, Proof of Concept, Tech Stack Build and Commercialisation.
Achievements:
• Founded, Funded, Managed, Capitalised, Grew & Exited this unique People Compliance SAAS business.
• Scaled business through Strategic Planning, Market Analysis, Product R&D, Proof of Concept, Cloud Stack
Design & Build, Investment, Regulatory Compliance and Commercialization phases.
Trustopia.com - a world-first in cloud based, anyone-anywhere-anytime, digital trust and identity risk assurance processing for
any enterprise where faster, more certain and secure real-time decisions about people, customers and documents matter,
including use cases that include: Age Verification, Anti-Money Laundering (AML), People On-boarding, Know Your Customer
(KYC), Right To Work, Security Clearance & Teal-Rime Vetting.
Responsibility:
Founded, Funded, Managed, Led and Grew Trustopia through R&D, Proof of Concept, Tech Stack Build and Commercialisation.
Achievements:
• Founded, Funded, Managed, Capitalised, Grew & Exited this unique People Compliance SAAS business.
• Scaled business through Strategic Planning, Market Analysis, Product R&D, Proof of Concept, Cloud Stack
Design & Build, Investment, Regulatory Compliance and Commercialization phases.
Design, Strategic Planning, R, Cloud, Saas, Compliance, Security, Ceo, Regulatory, Enterprise, KYC, Processing, LED, Founder
2009 - 2011
job
Managing Director
PEARSON Plc.
World Leader in educational products and services to institutions, governments, professional bodies, and
individual learners. The world's largest digital content and assessment business; operating in schools, colleges, and universities and providing online learning services, off-the-shelf software, program development, student acquisition,
education technology and student support services for academic institutions and governments.
Responsibility:
Initially hired as COO by the venture backed board of Melorio Plc (UK's largest private provider of work-based competence and occupational risk services to the public and private sectors) to drive a turn-around change programme including
commercial growth & operational leadership change in response to sudden market place upheaval; on Melorio's acquisition by Pearson Plc., I assumed the role of MD of Pearson Work-based Education ($400m Division) for a 12 month transition
period focused on multi-business integrations.
Achievements:
• Devised and led rapid re-engineering of Melorio's businesses strategy and operations at every level.
• Led & won bid to secure $30m outsourcing of people learning and competence risk compliance for Laing O'Rourke.
• Actively supported sale of Melorio plc into Pearson plc (for $200m) July 2010.
• Instilled an attitude of teamwork and collaboration for productive working relationships.
• Created innovative business solutions to drive the brand to success.
• Increased collaboration with stakeholders and partners to streamline business.
• Improved operational performance in line with strategic objectives.
• Provided exceptional operational delivery across a diverse portfolio.
• Motivated staff to drive delivery and exceed targets.
• Generated £20m in annual savings by implementing new online delivery technologies and reducing resource waste.
• Implemented new team onboarding programme, reducing training time from 4 weeks to 2.
• Improved company customer service rating by 22%.
• Initiated two key partnerships which resulted in 54% revenue growth.
individual learners. The world's largest digital content and assessment business; operating in schools, colleges, and universities and providing online learning services, off-the-shelf software, program development, student acquisition,
education technology and student support services for academic institutions and governments.
Responsibility:
Initially hired as COO by the venture backed board of Melorio Plc (UK's largest private provider of work-based competence and occupational risk services to the public and private sectors) to drive a turn-around change programme including
commercial growth & operational leadership change in response to sudden market place upheaval; on Melorio's acquisition by Pearson Plc., I assumed the role of MD of Pearson Work-based Education ($400m Division) for a 12 month transition
period focused on multi-business integrations.
Achievements:
• Devised and led rapid re-engineering of Melorio's businesses strategy and operations at every level.
• Led & won bid to secure $30m outsourcing of people learning and competence risk compliance for Laing O'Rourke.
• Actively supported sale of Melorio plc into Pearson plc (for $200m) July 2010.
• Instilled an attitude of teamwork and collaboration for productive working relationships.
• Created innovative business solutions to drive the brand to success.
• Increased collaboration with stakeholders and partners to streamline business.
• Improved operational performance in line with strategic objectives.
• Provided exceptional operational delivery across a diverse portfolio.
• Motivated staff to drive delivery and exceed targets.
• Generated £20m in annual savings by implementing new online delivery technologies and reducing resource waste.
• Implemented new team onboarding programme, reducing training time from 4 weeks to 2.
• Improved company customer service rating by 22%.
• Initiated two key partnerships which resulted in 54% revenue growth.
PLC, Online, Turn-around, Software, Development, Growth, Support, Outsourcing, Operations, Compliance, Technology, Engineering, Content, Service, Onboarding, Customer service, Leadership, Training
2008 - 2009
job
GROUP MANAGING DIRECTOR
RM Plc.
$400m T/O, 2600 Employees, Public
RM - UK's premier provider of Ed Tech products and services into Education with operations in UK, US, ME & Asia Pac.
Responsibility:
First executive employee to join the executive group in more than 14 years following CEO departure. Responsible for
Education Resources Division within RM plc - 10 diverse product business subsidiaries (10 MD reports) in 14 locations - each
having a common focus in designing, manufacturing / distributing an array of curriculum based tech products. P&L
responsibility for 55% of the RM's profit.
Achievements:
• Market restructured 3 independent software business divisions into one new RM brand - lightbox - in first 90 days,
resulting in 44 job losses and significant repositioning.
• Won the largest software publishing contract to have been awarded by the DCSF at that time, valued at £55.6m.
Resume - Confidential
• Actively supported the development of a 2012 strategic framework for RM.
• Identified, negotiated and closed two major acquisitions.
• Led strategic negotiations with Lego for continued sole education distribution rights in EMEA to 2025.
• Shared in the team success of multiple product innovation wins at the ERA & Bett Awards 2009.
• Conceived & delivered the RM Real Centre - a permanent, rolling "learning tech space of the future" to alter market
engagement dynamics with RM's partners, teachers, authorities & government clients.
• Achieved YOY growth at c.17%.
• Supported critical investment review by Numis, Q1 09.
RM - UK's premier provider of Ed Tech products and services into Education with operations in UK, US, ME & Asia Pac.
Responsibility:
First executive employee to join the executive group in more than 14 years following CEO departure. Responsible for
Education Resources Division within RM plc - 10 diverse product business subsidiaries (10 MD reports) in 14 locations - each
having a common focus in designing, manufacturing / distributing an array of curriculum based tech products. P&L
responsibility for 55% of the RM's profit.
Achievements:
• Market restructured 3 independent software business divisions into one new RM brand - lightbox - in first 90 days,
resulting in 44 job losses and significant repositioning.
• Won the largest software publishing contract to have been awarded by the DCSF at that time, valued at £55.6m.
Resume - Confidential
• Actively supported the development of a 2012 strategic framework for RM.
• Identified, negotiated and closed two major acquisitions.
• Led strategic negotiations with Lego for continued sole education distribution rights in EMEA to 2025.
• Shared in the team success of multiple product innovation wins at the ERA & Bett Awards 2009.
• Conceived & delivered the RM Real Centre - a permanent, rolling "learning tech space of the future" to alter market
engagement dynamics with RM's partners, teachers, authorities & government clients.
• Achieved YOY growth at c.17%.
• Supported critical investment review by Numis, Q1 09.
Operations, Innovation, C, PLC, Growth, Development, Ceo, Software, Framework, Asia, LED, ME
2004 - 2008
job
CEO
WAVESIGHT.
$70m T/O, 120 Employees, Private
Wavesight - Europe's only designer/manufacturer of wireless radio and fibre infrastructure solutions for the outdoor
transmission of data, voice and video within a sector traditionally dominated by American & Israeli companies.
Responsibility:
Led a venture backed MBO of this company from Scipher Plc., introducing a business plan & private equity
finance package.
Achievements:
• Took frontline P&L responsibility for commercial direction, technology commercialization, manufacturing,
income generation, global partner retention, global partner team management, communications, public
relations & media.
• Repositioned market offer, solution portfolio, technology directions & build out strategy immediately.
• Restructured sales, manufacturing, operations & financial models to support.
• Transitioned all non-core business activity to outsource partners.
• Forged strategic OEM partnerships to increase productivity, reduce cost and improve time to delivery.
• Recruited key management team which resulted in built out of team to 120 people.
• Drove company to product to "de-facto" market dominance within UK defense, local government &
security verticals resulting in an enviable track record in the delivery of hyper-secure, specialized fixed and mobile transmission solutions.
• Sourced an exit option on plan and led business sale in '07 resulting in successful shareholder exit.
• Led a highly successful integration into acquiring group.
Wavesight - Europe's only designer/manufacturer of wireless radio and fibre infrastructure solutions for the outdoor
transmission of data, voice and video within a sector traditionally dominated by American & Israeli companies.
Responsibility:
Led a venture backed MBO of this company from Scipher Plc., introducing a business plan & private equity
finance package.
Achievements:
• Took frontline P&L responsibility for commercial direction, technology commercialization, manufacturing,
income generation, global partner retention, global partner team management, communications, public
relations & media.
• Repositioned market offer, solution portfolio, technology directions & build out strategy immediately.
• Restructured sales, manufacturing, operations & financial models to support.
• Transitioned all non-core business activity to outsource partners.
• Forged strategic OEM partnerships to increase productivity, reduce cost and improve time to delivery.
• Recruited key management team which resulted in built out of team to 120 people.
• Drove company to product to "de-facto" market dominance within UK defense, local government &
security verticals resulting in an enviable track record in the delivery of hyper-secure, specialized fixed and mobile transmission solutions.
• Sourced an exit option on plan and led business sale in '07 resulting in successful shareholder exit.
• Led a highly successful integration into acquiring group.
Security, LED, Direction, Team management, Retention, Ceo, Infrastructure, Support, PLC, Video, Wireless, Technology, Radio, Sales, Finance, Management, Integration, Operations
2002 - 2004
job
COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR - ROW
MASSACHUSETTS INSITUTUE OF TECHNOLOGY.
$1Tn T/O, 13,000 Employees, Non Profit
As the world's most infamous digital research labs; MIT pushes the envelope with a range of research that no single industrial partner
could be able to duplicate, including smart prostheses, virtual worlds, viral communications, advanced sensor networks, innovative
interface design, sociable robots, wearable sensors and the car of the future.
Responsibility:
Fixed term contract to lead ROW research IP transfer & commercialisation into corporates.
Held frontline P&L responsibility for commercial direction, technology commercialisation, income generation, global partner
retention, global partner team management, communications, public relations & media.
Achievements:
• Created commercial IP licensing value proposition, securing MIT board approval.
• Conceived and led development of M.I.T Media Lab Ventures as the global IP licensing vehicle
• Led an entire global identity rebrand - complete physical & virtual rollouts including delivery of complete
marketing collateral suites.
• Conceptualized & launched MIT Open House event series (24 in all).
• Attracting c.4000 global executives onto Boston campus.
• Conceived and led development of M.I.T Media Lab Ventures.
• Managed delivery of multiple direct, high viz global marketing initiatives incl: 300+ Media & TV
engagements yielding exceptional global coverage.
• Delivered $100m ARR in IP licensing relationships including with BBC, Orange, Highlands & Islands
Enterprise, Essilor, AIB, BT, Telecom Italia, Intel, BA, SAP, MOD, Fiat, Finmeccanica, QinetiQ, BAE Systems,
Ericsson and many more.
Resume - Confidential
As the world's most infamous digital research labs; MIT pushes the envelope with a range of research that no single industrial partner
could be able to duplicate, including smart prostheses, virtual worlds, viral communications, advanced sensor networks, innovative
interface design, sociable robots, wearable sensors and the car of the future.
Responsibility:
Fixed term contract to lead ROW research IP transfer & commercialisation into corporates.
Held frontline P&L responsibility for commercial direction, technology commercialisation, income generation, global partner
retention, global partner team management, communications, public relations & media.
Achievements:
• Created commercial IP licensing value proposition, securing MIT board approval.
• Conceived and led development of M.I.T Media Lab Ventures as the global IP licensing vehicle
• Led an entire global identity rebrand - complete physical & virtual rollouts including delivery of complete
marketing collateral suites.
• Conceptualized & launched MIT Open House event series (24 in all).
• Attracting c.4000 global executives onto Boston campus.
• Conceived and led development of M.I.T Media Lab Ventures.
• Managed delivery of multiple direct, high viz global marketing initiatives incl: 300+ Media & TV
engagements yielding exceptional global coverage.
• Delivered $100m ARR in IP licensing relationships including with BBC, Orange, Highlands & Islands
Enterprise, Essilor, AIB, BT, Telecom Italia, Intel, BA, SAP, MOD, Fiat, Finmeccanica, QinetiQ, BAE Systems,
Ericsson and many more.
Resume - Confidential
TV, Many more, LED, Direction, Enterprise, Team management, Retention, Development, Global Marketing, Telecom, Marketing, Technology, Management, Event, C, SAP, Research, Public relations, Design
1999 - 2002
job
GROUP CEO
DIGITAL CHANNEL PARTNERS.
$74m T/O, 350 Employees, Private
DCP - a global market innovator in reengineering & e-enabling business processes and risk models for a digital world. Most
notably, DCP built out first on-line presences for many of the world's leading names - Forbes.com, WWF, Dresdner Bank, BBC,
F1, AIG, HBOS & many others.
Responsibility:
Hired initially as Commercial Director - Global; I was appointed Group CEO within 90 days of joining with frontline
responsibility for 350 People/6 Offices WW.
Achievements:
• Led WW restructure of this distressed company to combat "dot.com" extended trading.
• Repositioned business strategy as a risk advisory ibuilder, resources, people, financials and offering into full service BPO
outsourcing offer.
• Led DCP as the first Irish registered Tech Co to enter and successfully exit examinership (Chapter 11) and managed to achieve this simultaneously in 5 trading entities WW.
• Identified an exit path and facilitated the company's sale to a leading European consultancy group.
DCP - a global market innovator in reengineering & e-enabling business processes and risk models for a digital world. Most
notably, DCP built out first on-line presences for many of the world's leading names - Forbes.com, WWF, Dresdner Bank, BBC,
F1, AIG, HBOS & many others.
Responsibility:
Hired initially as Commercial Director - Global; I was appointed Group CEO within 90 days of joining with frontline
responsibility for 350 People/6 Offices WW.
Achievements:
• Led WW restructure of this distressed company to combat "dot.com" extended trading.
• Repositioned business strategy as a risk advisory ibuilder, resources, people, financials and offering into full service BPO
outsourcing offer.
• Led DCP as the first Irish registered Tech Co to enter and successfully exit examinership (Chapter 11) and managed to achieve this simultaneously in 5 trading entities WW.
• Identified an exit path and facilitated the company's sale to a leading European consultancy group.
Business strategy, Service, Outsourcing, Ceo, Processes, LED
1994 - 1999
job
MANAGING DIRECTOR - UK/IRELAND
GARTNER.
$4Bn T/O, 10,000 Employees, Public
Gartner, Inc. - world's largest information and technology research, risk advisory and events firm headquartered in Stamford,
Connecticut. Gartner clients include many of the world's large corporations, government agencies, technology companies and the investment community.
Responsibility:
Tasked with driving Gartner's subscription-based corporate risk advisory market entry and growth. In a sales-led meritocracy,
laterally appointed MD International UK/Ireland and took up a position on the board of Gartner International.
Achievements:
• Brought the local operation (in two fiscals) from a revenue subscription base of US$200k to US$10m; from
1 to 250 employees; from UK reporting to country level P&L status.
• Achieved #1 Sales Person in the world (fiscal 95) achieving 650% of quota and achieved it two fiscals in a
row (only employee to achieve).
• Achieved #1 Sales Manager in EMEA (fiscal 97) with team achieving 320%+ of quota & net year-on-year
business growth of 170%.
• Actualized strategies to continuously improve positioning including establishing a risk advisory Enterprise
Executive Club for C-Level executives (initial 78 members).
• Managed Gartner acquisitions (fiscal 98) of Irish Public Sector Risk Consultancy & an E-Learning leader.
• Promoted & Supported global tax & treasury restructuring into Ireland (fiscal 99).
• Improved profitability, developing pipeline using multiple sales channels and unique penetration strategies.
• Strengthened revenue base by developing tailor-made sales strategies based on industry trend and competitor analysis.
• Mentored and trained EMEA sales staff to drive productive sales goal setting and field sales objectives
achievement.
• Forecasted EMEA wise product sales and achieved quarterly and annual sales objectives.
• Managed annual $200m platinum sales portfolio.
Gartner, Inc. - world's largest information and technology research, risk advisory and events firm headquartered in Stamford,
Connecticut. Gartner clients include many of the world's large corporations, government agencies, technology companies and the investment community.
Responsibility:
Tasked with driving Gartner's subscription-based corporate risk advisory market entry and growth. In a sales-led meritocracy,
laterally appointed MD International UK/Ireland and took up a position on the board of Gartner International.
Achievements:
• Brought the local operation (in two fiscals) from a revenue subscription base of US$200k to US$10m; from
1 to 250 employees; from UK reporting to country level P&L status.
• Achieved #1 Sales Person in the world (fiscal 95) achieving 650% of quota and achieved it two fiscals in a
row (only employee to achieve).
• Achieved #1 Sales Manager in EMEA (fiscal 97) with team achieving 320%+ of quota & net year-on-year
business growth of 170%.
• Actualized strategies to continuously improve positioning including establishing a risk advisory Enterprise
Executive Club for C-Level executives (initial 78 members).
• Managed Gartner acquisitions (fiscal 98) of Irish Public Sector Risk Consultancy & an E-Learning leader.
• Promoted & Supported global tax & treasury restructuring into Ireland (fiscal 99).
• Improved profitability, developing pipeline using multiple sales channels and unique penetration strategies.
• Strengthened revenue base by developing tailor-made sales strategies based on industry trend and competitor analysis.
• Mentored and trained EMEA sales staff to drive productive sales goal setting and field sales objectives
achievement.
• Forecasted EMEA wise product sales and achieved quarterly and annual sales objectives.
• Managed annual $200m platinum sales portfolio.
Community, LED, Manager, UP, Treasury, Enterprise, International, Public sector, Market entry, Research, Growth, It, Net, Technology, Sales, E-learning, C
My education
Open University UK
N/a, Leadership
N/a, Leadership
Harvard University
MBA, N/a
MBA, N/a
n/a
Masters, N/a
Masters, N/a
n/a
Bachelors, N/a
Bachelors, N/a
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