Gary Smith Email & Phone Number

Bangkok, Th

Thailand

Progressing to a much larger DHL Supply Chain / Transport organisation in Thailand, I now oversee a total team of 1100 personnel and 240 partner contractors across 15 sites via 5 direct reports.Since my arrival, I’ve conducted an in-depth strategic review of all Transport and Warehouse operations, created a 5-year strategy plan and delivered a network optimisation process that’s driving major gains in efficiency across fleet, people and distribution locations.

New Zealand

After significant restructuring of the New Zealand organisation in 2023, I was asked to continue running the Transport business unit and to create a dedicated NZ transport network, a key pillar of the business strategy for expansion. Directing a top-performing team of 100+ across 5 hubs and 4 depots, I built a new cohesive, ‘hub and spoke’ national network from the ground up, introducing 55 new fleet vehicles plus a new Transport sales team.Much of my focus was on driving revenue through high-impact business development and during this year we delivered 20% sales growth, winning several major new clients. Overall, I headed the Transport business unit for eight years, during which time we achieved significant EBIT growth, the best in the global DHL business.

New Zealand

After being promoted in 2019 to lead two combined business units - Life Sciences & Healthcare (LSHC) and Transport – I became accountable for 80% of the NZ business revenue, motivating a team of 350 across six NZ locations via six direct reports.Over the next four years, I delivered 40% EBIT growth for both business units, streamlining cost by optimising NZ warehouse operations, eliminating siloes and identifying synergies after I integrated the Transport and Warehouse operations.Major challenges included navigating a demanding regulatory environment from the supply of medical products, which required highly skilled delivery to hard deadlines.During this period, I also owned supply of all healthcare products critical to the New Zealand response to the pandemic, moving test kits, vaccines and ventilators across the country, again to very tight deadlines.

New Zealand

As Senior Transport lead and core member of the senior leadership team (SLT) for the NZ DHL supply chain business, I partnered with the MD to turn around the underperforming Transport business.Highlights included over-achieving against SLA targets after galvanising the team to new standard of performance, as well as increasing team engagement from 30% to 92%. This improvement was at the heart of improvements across the board, including operations, systems, analytics, team performance and financials' providing enhanced delivery for 120+ major clients.

North Island New Zealand

Hired initially as GM of the Wellington transport subsidiary for this New Zealand grocery company, I was then promoted to lead the integrated transport business after we merged it with the Auckland region.Working closely with the CEO and Supply Chain Manager, I built out a new integrated transport network for the whole of NZ’s North Island, motivating a top-performing team of 300+ across 5 distribution centres, 7 transport depots and a fleet of 320, reporting to CEO. Directing 50+ change initiatives across processes, systems, transport fleet and warehouses, I transformed an underperforming business, turning around profit, performance and engagement across a previously disengaged team of 320+. Much of this success came from establishing a people-oriented culture, as well as introducing new standards of data-driven financial management and leadership decision-making.

New Zealand

I first joined this market-leader Australian transport and logistics business as a contract manager to work on the flagship Woolworths account, then was promoted after a few months to oversee all NZ retail contracts, motivating a team of 150+ as a key player on the senior leadership team.Over the next year, I turned around the business unit by transforming the culture, streamlining logistics, introducing operational controls and galvanising the team to over-achieve against SLA and financial targets in a high volume, fast paced environment and after several years of underperformance.

United Kingdom

As the founder of this fast-growth international freight and supply chain business, I developed a market entry strategy that enabled us to scale to a £4M turnover with 60 staff, before selling in 2011. Directing profitable, sustainable scale across territories – including setup of an international freight forwarding hub in Hong Kong - we won several regional business awards and were ranked 2nd in Best UK Small Business Awards.

United Kingdom

Over the course of my eight years with what the Sunday Times named the ‘fastest growing retail business in the UK’, I built a logistics network from the ground up, including systems, warehouses, transport and distribution centres.Appointed to the senior leadership team, my work was at the foundation of rapid but sustainable expansion to 1,100 stores, as we integrated operations of Superdrug, a large UK discount retailer, enabling from 28 to 1100 stores all over the UK.