Vice President Of Global Product Development
Lake Zurich, Illinois, Us
For ACCO, one of the world’s largest distributors of branded office products, led consolidation of fragmented, geographically-dispersed engineering operations into a new Global New Product Development organization (with new process, product development plan, and sound structure). Directed global new product design and development activities for all document finishing, workspace tools and visual communication categories, overseeing teams in the U.S., U.K., China and Hong Kong. Planned and administered $11 million-plus annual budget. • Established a world-class R&D organization comprising top talent brought in from other industries in engineering and management; delivered 5 new products to market in 12 months.• Defined and rolled out Product Lifecycle Process with clearly defined roles and responsibilities within 60 days of position start date; worked jointly with Legal to outline and roll out IP management policy.• Directed definition and deployment of consistent, comprehensive Visual Brand Language across the Binding and Lamination consumer product categories.• Delivered over 20 new products in 12 months, with some at 30% of bench-marked development time and winning industry awards such as OPI's "Product Innovation of the Year."• Consolidated multiple international product development processes into One Global PLC Process deployed across all functions company-wide. • Delivered savings through value engineering activities, headcount savings through process enabled efficiencies, and an annual savings by establishing formal Engineering Design Center in Asia.• Tripled the value of the IP portfolio by establishing the IP Management Process and Council.