On the Relentless Customer Leader Podcast I interview CEOs, MDs, Founders and Though Leaders to learn more about their leadership journeys and how a focus on customers and their people propelled their success. So far I’ve had the ex CEO of Silicon Valley Bank, ex Konica Minolta MD, a 4X CEO of Major Retail Brands and the CIO of a Fortune 500 company.

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Global expert on customer centricity measurement and how to embed it as a culture.In this role I provide leadership to our team of engagement managers, consultants and trainers to position MarketCulture at the forefront of the business and marketing education, training and consulting industry.Key Achievements:- Led the development of the world's first "Customer Centric Culture" benchmark survey that allows CEO's to understand their organizational strengths and weakness when it comes to customer focus. The Market Responsiveness Index (MRI_ links key behaviors with the key business metrics such as customer satisfaction, innovation and profitability.- Developed, negotiated and signed first major US MRI customer.- Developed a proven integrated program designed to improve an firm's level of external customer focus and profitability.- Developed, negotiated and signed several long term contracts.- Developed new markets with new client wins in the health insurance, manufacturing and medical device industries.

Interstrat was established in 1992 in Sydney Australia as a specialized Marketing Consulting and Training firm. Its primary focus was assessing and developing the skills of professional marketers in Fortune and Global 1000 firms.As the Marketing Director of Interstrat I was responsible for the global marketing strategy and plan. Specially this involved setting up our first office in San Francisco.Key Achievements:- Established first overseas office.- Developed, negotiated and signed our first international client contracts worth more than $1million.- Personally trained more than 2000 professional marketers across a wide range of industries from telecommunications, IT, oil and gas, to insurance, banking and oil and gas firms.- As the primary distributor of the Marketing Excellence Survey (MES) we helped establish this tool as the premier tool for assessing the excellence of marketing teams across the Fortune 1000.- Negotiated successful merger with Gallagher Management, a Boston based Sales and Marketing Consulting firm in 2007.

Writing evidence-based opinion pieces to help CEOs create customer-centric cultures

The Executive Next Practices Forum (ENP) is an established group of Southern California Fortune 1000 C-level and top functional leaders (CEO, CFO, COO, CMO, CIO, HR, Top Functional Leaders) who meet to discuss innovative business and leadership strategies.

As the EVP Programming, I reported to the President of the SVAMA and was responsible for developing and implementing the chapter's overall monthly programming strategy. I led a team of VPs responsible for Panel Programs, Webinars, Monthly Morning Special Interest Forums, Networking events and signature conferences. Each VP led a committee to implement these events.Key Achievements:• Developed and implemented an Annual Program plan and that exceeded our attendance and cash flow targets from 2007-2011.• Personally designed and executed a number of high profile, signature events that attracted upwards of 150 attendees at high profile corporate locations in Silicon Valley• Recruited and developed relationships with key thought leaders to ensure the highest quality programs were available to our members.• Recruited and managed an team of VPs and set-up a programming committee structure to share the work and execute at the highest possible level.• Launched the first webinar program to reach new audiences in a different format.• Implemented a RACI chart system to document all processes and accountabilities to make it easy for new people to come up to speed and add value quickly to the organization.

Overview:•Reporting to the VP of Imaging and Printing Group (IPG) South Pacific, and a member of the IPG South Pacific management team, I was responsible for achieving all IPG sales and market share goals (units and revenue) in both consumer and commercial segments in the Australian and New Zealand markets.•In this role I had a direct reporting team of 12, consisting of all IPG product managers as well as marketing communications, consumer channel and end user marketers. Key responsibilities and Scope:•Revenue Goals: $350MUS per annum (inc hosted lines ex supplies)•Market Share Goals: Maintain Leadership and Grow Strategic Categories•Marketing Budget: $20MUS pa•Management of Field Selling CostsKey Achievements•Exceeded revenue targets/quota and balanced product line performance in both FY03 and FY04, 112% and 116% respectively•Recovery of Digital Imaging category during FY03 in particular the digital camera category in which HP outgrew the marketing in FY03 achieving 180% unit growth•Achieved market share gains year on year in core laser printer categories in both FY03 and FY04 across colour and monochrome categories•Successfully launched HP’s first digital copier line-up in South Pacific•Successfully piloted and launched HP’s print advantage (pay per use) program to the Australian channel•Implemented change management across the marketing function during the strategic enterprise direct program launch in the Australian market during FY04.•Leverage of IPG’s business across Hardware and Supplies•Pragmatic and meaningful collaboration/engagement across other BU’s•Implementation of market driven planning process including PSG•Quickly addressed performance management issues and developed corrective action plans to maintain high levels of accountability and performance•Strong engagement and direction setting with HP’s channel (both consumer and commercial)

Key responsibilities:- To develop, implement and manage the product marketing activities for the Hewlett Packard Mono Laser Printer product range.-Responsible for achievement of quota revenue of approximately $US100 million in FY2001 and attainment of 54% market share in the mono laser market.-To drive the pricing, route to market, product positioning mix elements with responsibility for development and costing of marketing programs.-To protect HP's leading position in a mature market by reinforcing HP leadership and superior value offerings.Key Achievements:-Over achieved laser printer revenue and market share targets for 12 quarters in a row during the period from 2000 until end of 2002.-Executed a trade-in/trade-up promotional campaign that drove positive ROI of $3.6 for every $1 invested-Successfully lobbied for and introduced new entry-level laser printer for the price sensitive segment dominated by a myriad of Japanese manufacturers.-Successfully launched HP's new printing e-services strategy with end customers, the press and channel with the introduction of HP's new Internet enabled high-end printer range.-Developed and implemented two key value added marketing programs designed to increase the value of HP's printer offers and counteract an eroding competitive situation.-Developed a new range of competitive selling against tools and total cost of ownership methodologies to enhance sale force selling efforts.-Designed a new channel partner-training program that provides additional value beyond product feeds and speeds and incorporates true selling skills development.-Won Most Valuable Player (MVP) twice – a half yearly award for the best performer in the Imaging and Printing Group division across all roles.

Key Responsibilities:- To develop, implement and manage the marketing activities for the Hewlett Packard Laser Printer, Scanner and Large Format Printer product lines for Tech Pacific.- Responsible for revenue of $70 million during 1998, $85 million during 1999 and a marketing budget of $400k.- Leveraging HP pull strategies and develop and implement channel push strategies for HP product lines.- Forecast monthly unit sales and set budgets for revenue and profit on a monthly, quarterly and annual basis.- Present HP product strategies to large end user customers, resellers and Tech Pacific sales force.- Responsible for the hiring, management and development of a marketing co-ordinator and two BDMs.Key Achievements:- Increased Tech Pacific’s HP LaserJet market share from 42% in March 1998 to a high of 72% in July 1999 and stable share of ~65% in March 2000.- This was achieved by:- Implementing an aggressive marketing strategy to build barriers around our top 45 existing LaserJet customers and work closely with them to help grow their HP LaserJet business. Example – provided key partners with regular training, product/promotional updates, catalogue funding, online ordering, drop shipment, free freight, extended credit and data feeds for web sites.- Targeting new market segments, such as IT outsourcing contractors and resellers selling competing brands.- Attracting a larger base of smaller specialist and SME resellers by offering more beneficial trading terms and value add than competitors.- Secured the exclusive distribution of HP’s DesignJet Large Format Printer product line – November 1999. (Previously distributed by three wholesalers).- This involved compiling a tender response business proposal that demonstrated our capabilities to handle this business on an exclusive basis.- Exclusive distribution was won based on the depth of our proposed Marketing Plan for the product line and our distribution capabilities.