Gavin Meeks Email & Phone Number

England, United Kingdom

Shoreham By Sea, West Sussex

An experienced and enthusiastic professional in the strategic development of a global supply base servicing a fast growing SME who leads their market in the wholesale supply of innovative and on trend gifting and consumer products. A 27 year history of excellence in negotiations across an extensive product portfolio. In addition, identifying and mitigating risk across a global supply base defining procurement strategy and compliance across a broad breadth of product categories and manufacturers protecting the brand values of multinational and international retailers and licensed brands.

Shoreham By Sea, West Sussex

Pivotal to defining a supply base fit for purpose. In a wholesale gift company experiencing rapid growth in global markets the supply base had to be completely overhauled consolidating the supply base by 25% in the first year despite growing the product portfolio by almost 35%. With the consolidation of suppliers came the introduction of more robust procedural management of the compliance activity across vendors and fast growing breadth of products being developed. Integrating the Asia operational activity into that of the Paladone head office was key to creating a proficient approach to vendor compliance and their ongoing performance improvement.

City Of London

Responsible for managing the global supply chain team in the procurement and supply of food and beverage ingredients across national and international manufacturing supply base. Working closely with the overseas offices in the U.S. India and China ensuring market intelligence captured to secure the timely and effective procurement of all ingredients so mitigating risk and driving profitability to the organisation with the timely forward commitments on contracts and spot purchases.

Kentish Town, London

Managed the sourcing, purchasing, technical compliance and overseas logistics activity for all Far East imports of this licensed confectionery gift company who are recognised as the market leader in this industry. Kinnerton has wide consumer appeal for its high quality chocolate and biscuit confections supplied to global retailers from their manufacturing hub in Norfolk in the UK.Successfully implemented a strategy to refine the supply base allowing for direct purchasing from all overseas vendors driving considerable cost savings to the business, maximising the profitability of the business whilst allowing for improved vendor management and customer service.

Forest Hill, Se London

Finally the opportunity to open the way to my current career path which instilled the passion I still hold to this day in the gifting industry. Here I now had the chance to knit together the world of compliance (food and non-food) and expand my knowledge and life skills by travelling into China and seeing first hand the manufacturing world in mainland China. Embracing production of non-food products across various product sectors of consumer goods. Process control and the mindset adopted within the food industry taken too another level covering China manufacturing whereby the foundation was established to provide awareness of a whole new culture and business etiquette. Exposure to now developing new product ranges with the supply base managing the commercial product proposition with key UK retailers like Sainsbury's, Boots, Asda and Littlewoods to launch covering at the same time their quality and legal aspirations.

Forest Hill, Se London

With a young gifting business developing quickly, my potential was quickly recognised where greater value could be added to the technical compliance function within this confectionery gift business. Herein I started to audit our confectionery suppliers across Europe working with our UK retail customers on all matters concerning quality, safety and legality of their product ranges. Building their quality management framework introducing their quality manual to achieve national accreditation status.

Forest Hill, Se London

A great opportunity to learn with an entrepreneurial business setting off my career in the world of confectionery gifting. Gaining an insight into production management whereby line set ups managed with contract packers ensuring output managed to meet customer demand.