Managing Director

Our client is the largest independently owned international, domestic and commercial moving and storage group in the UK. It has some 40+ operating depots across the country and has numerous international reciprocal partnership arrangements in place. It has sales of around £60 million and employs 1000 people. They now wish to appoint a new MD to succeed the present incumbent, who is retiring in mid-2010. The new MD will report to the chairman and will lead the executive team.

The key issues facing the new MD will be the drive for growth, with the goal of doubling the size of the network over the coming three years, and the greater focus on the winning of corporate account business for the group. The organisation has an unusual business model so therefore you will need to be a highly effective influencer and communicator.

You will ideally be used to running multi-site operations in a service sector environment, possibly in the removals' sector, or perhaps from a logistics or similar transport/supply chain environment. You will most probably have a business development background, from which base you have built a successful career. The key skills needed are the ability to grow a business and to manage differing stakeholders effectively in the process. Knowledge of franchising arrangements, whilst not strictly applicable to the organisation, would certainly be helpful. You will be the custodian of the brand and will thus need to have great empathy for brand values and the experience base to nurture the brands growth in a demanding internal customer-led environment.

Key requirements:

• multi-site service sector business manager

• possibly from the removals/shipping sector

• may be working in logistics/supply chain

• business development background

• knowledge of franchising arrangements helpful

• commercial minded and fully p&l literate

• highly effective leader, influencer and communicator

• strong interpersonal skills, displaying charisma and gravitas

• high levels of personal and business credibility

• able to manage multiple stakeholder groups

• will possess the drive and ambition to succeed