David Atkinson Email & Phone Number

Sydney, Nsw, Au

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Led national field sales team, responsible for achieving market share & channel sales results, accountable for national retail group growth and delivering E2E executional excellence aligned to the national channel strategy, this involved:•Effective leadership, recruitment & onboarding, coaching and development of the national field team.•Reviewed strengths & suitability of individual team members to identify core group to be retained and developed and successfully reshaped team over 3-year period with 66% of new high performing targeted staff recruited.•Establishing a new high performing culture, underpinned by a team charter of behaviours and beliefs.•Delivering record sales and distribution results whilst improving culture and team engagement •Integrated category and customer marketing plans into a national “go to market” field team strategy, enabling the team to execute high value activities that maximized sales, market share and profitability.•Examined independent grocery business to understand current strategy and identify gaps and areas for improvement including creating a more unified direction for the team delivering channel back into growth for first time in many years & achieved nett sales growth of $5million over the following 3 years•Utilised expertise and experience within the team to be aligned to new strategic approach focusing on excelling at fundamentals of sales process and maintaining singular strategic direction.•Implemented 22/23 channel strategy delivering +6% growth creating a partnership relationship with key MSO groups in independent sector creating strong market positioning, this resulted in:•Delivery of 2.5 x sales target (2024)•Distribution results are at the highest level in 10 years.•Introduced pre-sell concept preceding Metcash Expo which led to close alignment between account team and field team and delivered strong sales uplift of 220% in 2023 and 250% sales uplift during 2024 Metcash Expo Pre-sell campaign period.

Sydney, Australia

Led a field sales team of 134, consisting of 5 x State Managers, 6 x Regional Managers, 1 x Customer Relationship Manager, 2 x Sales Administrators & 120 x Area Sales Managers in National Operations focused role accountable for integrating category and customer marketing plans into optimised sales results, this involved:•Creation, development, and implementation of the national go to market field team strategy, enabling the team to execute high value activities that maximise the sales performance, market share and profitability of KC brands.•Spearheaded a comprehensive change management restructuring initiative, successfully reducing in-house field team headcount from 134 to 36 and integrating a third-party merchandising solution, this involved:o Partnered with HR, Sales, Finance Directors to align project stakeholders on required outcomes of the project.o Implemented a skills assessment and selection program across entire field sales team.o Ensuring the transformation process upheld the dignity and respect of all team members.•Providing leadership and development of the in-house field sales team and strategic management of the 3rd party field merchandising team•Proactive customer engagement to identify their needs, fostering team recognition of genuine interest and commitment to supporting customer success across territories.•Achieved significant increase in sales following +15% increase in displays built, resulting in additional sales growth.•Achieved +16% increase in store coverage by improving productivity levels built on focusing on the rationale for targeted call approach to achieve closer alignment with client needs and expanding the market. •Achieved additional distribution which led to $700k improvement in on-shelf availability.•Contributed to a +.7% growth in market share (CY19)

Milsons Point, New South Wales, Australia

Led a state team consisting of 2 x Regional Sales Managers and 2 x Pharmacy Sales Managers and 22 x Area Sales Managers, through implementation of my state business plans maximising sales, profit, and market share objectives.•Selecting, recruiting, onboarding new sales talent with a view to creating leaders of the future •Flattened hierarchy and created a new open and transparent ways of working.•Successfully motivated a lethargic field team that had lost its way, into an energized and accountable team that delivered consistent improvement each month, this involved:o Repurposing the sales approach and identified areas of complacency and uncertainty of strategy and purpose.o Coached, mentored, and developed individual team members to enhance performance.o Challenging team to determine commitment and future fit.o Spent time in the market understanding the key customer issues to get a clear understanding of the areas which needed to be addressed.•Expanded NSW pharmacy business by +11%, through implementation of NSW strategy compared to a previous growth pattern of 3-4% •Focusing on larger groups and unlocking blocked relationships through improved services levels•Improved business performance priority results by +43% in first 6 months •Increased market share in 5/7 categories via targeted growth strategy implementation across the entire NSW market •Implemented monthly gap plan sales initiatives that addressed any deficit to budget to achieve proactive outcomes and bringing accountability to the team.

Sydney, Australia

•Led team of 27 direct reports including 12 x Van Sales Reps, 8 x Area Sales Managers, 2 x Field Sales Managers, 1 x NAM, 1 x KAM, 1 x BDE, 1 x Business Operations Manager, 1 x Asset Manager & managing 15 x distributor partners, covering the internal and external sales team in virtual GM role for the NSW/ACT region, this included:•Recruiting, training, coaching & mentoring team members to develop an improved business culture.•Delivered profitable sales & market share growth through a direct & indirect sales model consisting of an in-house & multiple distributor partner sales teams. •Enhanced sales & operational expertise, establishing ability to overlay knowledge, experience and skills of this unstructured market & maintain existing business & win multiple new business contracts.•Negotiated new contract agreement with Taronga Zoo for the largest ice cream contract in Australia negotiating a better agreement based on service. •Increased effectiveness of the sales approach, based on commercial ROI & ceasing focus on areas which did not provide a return.•Undertook ROI review of business to investigate & delivering decision to remove loss making activity. Including deciding on Royal Easter Show contract was not profitable due to high level of cost for being on site and increased profitability in year 1.•Converted distributor agreements to negotiate in a partnership arrangement and negotiating agreements jointly to ensure all special site agreements included sharing investment cost & removed additional add on deals which had been endemic in the industry •Developed and implemented the state growth strategy, enabling the sales and distributor sales teams to focus on the key profitable sales levers resulting in:o Sales improved by +2.7%, Profitability up by +15%, Share up by +4% vs LY.o Delivered $2.5m in new business vs $2m annual budget.o Successfully negotiated & re-engineered terms with key accounts, increasing profitability.

Sydney Area, Australia

•Senior member of the sales team responsible for achieving beer and cider volume, through the effective management of key strategic pourage rights and sponsorship contracts. I successfully implemented my club channel strategy, anchored on two work streams, retention of existing key customers and winning key competitor contracted business. •Created and developed the Club Channel strategy and aligned the sales teams to execute the implementation of the strategy•Established buy in from Sales Leaders to ensure major club accounts within sales territories were supported by the sales teams including transitioning the clubs from being entrenched “Tooheys New” accounts to introduce craft beers such as James Squire to reflect external market trends•Invested and built a James Squire lounge in Penrith Panthers club which enabled the opportunity to introduce new craft beer direction this included training bar staff with positive storyline to discuss the new craft beer and the special rustic area to enjoy the new brand•Successfully increased value growth +3% for my channel whilst total market declined at (2.4%), •Utilised strong commercial skills to renew 100% of all partner pourage rights contracts, whilst actively negotiating new multi-million-dollar sponsorship and pourage rights deals•Effectively developed and executed NRL sponsorship plans, gaining alignment from key executive teams to my innovative approach & strategy, resulting in immediate financial benefit•Successfully pitched and won the Canterbury Bankstown group of clubs and a sponsorship agreement with the NRL football club this business had been contracted with the competitor for 28 years.

Nsw/Qld

Led a team of 24 reports including, 2 x Field Sales Managers, 20 x Area Managers, 2 x KAM’s and managing Distributor partners across NSW & QLD inclusive of:•Driving increased brand availability, sales growth, distribution across the impulse channel network•Leadership responsibilities included my in-house sales team and the management of 30 wholesale business partners to achieve stretching sales targets.

•My remit included leadership of the NSW/ACT business unit to achieve sales targets through indent and at once orders in swim centers & retailers through the NSW/ACT sales team.•National Account Management responsibilities included Rebel Sport, David Jones, Big W, Lowes and 2 x company owned flagship stores

•Managing key accounts and the on-course channels in my region to achieve sales and profitability targets, whilst developing and motivating my team (7) to deliver profitable sales in their managed territories.