Jonathan Mitchell Email & Phone Number

Paris, Fr

Hong Kong And China

Today, Arjowiggins is a world leader in the production of speciality Green Tech materials to replace single use plastic in food packaging, luxury packaging, consumer electronic packaging and labelling. Based in China and Hong Kong (mostly at a manufacturing facility in Zhejiang province. I managed the firm through a transitional phase and change in business model before its new owners assumed full control in 2024. I then became a Non-Executive Director of the company. Selected Achievements: • Negotiating with the Fedrigoni Group a commercial alliance and funding for an acquisition vehicle, in return for a call option to subsequently assume control, which they have exercised. • Leading the legal programme to complete the stages of this transaction successfully in China, Hong Kong and Europe. • Designing, delivering and completing the leadership transition plan as a key part of the investment exit, including upskilling Chinese senior managers to adopt strategic roles, actively participating in decisions on the firm’s future. • Shifting the business model change to invoicing from Hong Kong and leading a marketing/brand relaunch following the carve out. • Becoming a Non-Executive Director of the company in January 2024.

United Kingdom

Mitchell Acoustics has a mission to elevate every consumer's listening experience by bringing the rich, immersive quality of stereo sound back to home audio, combining the convenience of wireless technology with the superior sound quality traditionally associated with high-end stereo systems.Mitchell Acoustics is poised to become the Smart Home Audio brand of choice.

One Young World is a UK charity whose mission is to create a planet where leaders with integrity are empowered to build a fair, sustainable future for all. One Young World identifies and connects young leaders from every country, inspiring them to increase their social impact; building their skills and capacity; and elevating their profiles locally and globally. Its flagship programme is an annual summit gathering 2000 18-30 year olds from 192 countries at a different location every year. One Young World’s agenda fosters an understanding of future strategic priorities (such as the UN’s Development Goals). It has improved the lives of over 41 million people producing a Social Return on Investment of $16 for every $1 spent, a total of $1.3bn of social impact in 2022 alone. Selected Achievements:• Providing guidance and advice to ensure effective management and governance of the Charity.

Greater Paris Metropolitan Region

In 2019 the former Arjowiggins’ parent company, Sequana Capital, went into administration after a protracted legal dispute. This imperilled the successful Green Tech strategic pivot I was leading (see below), and required new answers to this unprecedented situation, soon to be compounded by the COVID 19 Pandemic, Brexit and soaring energy prices. The newly formed Arjowiggins Group, following an MBO carve out, operated production facilities in the UK, China and Spain with an annual turnover of €140m. Selected Achievements: • Navigating the competing legal and social priorities of the French and British administrators to buy time enabling engagement with potential future backers for the business, and the examination of radical solutions. • Leading an energised team and engineering an MBO as the optimal way of continuing operations, negotiating with the Scottish Government’s economic development agency, banks and successfully leveraging my excellent client relationships to secure financial support, finalising a package administrators accepted in late 2019. • Managing operations throughout the COVID crisis, juggling disparate and rapidly changing restrictions in multiple jurisdictions for a highly interconnected group while keeping some degree of operation. • Continuing to successfully progress the Green Pivot strategy and ensuring it maintained momentum despite the corporate disruption and unprecedented international economic turmoil resulting from COVID-19.

This was a successful strategic pivot using Green Tech to turnaround the division’s performance, based on the dual track, “Transformation A/Transformation B” concept incubated at Harvard University. • Transformation A: Increasing the market share and profitability of a legacy business, while;• Transformation B: Launching a disruptive innovator approach to eventually replace the host, using existing skills and new ideas to win adjacent markets.This was a profound culture change where the legacy business, for decades a highly successful “cash cow” would morph into the parent of the firm’s new major offer. I succeeded in winning the company’s support at all levels for this change. Selected Achievements:• Tripled EBITDA in the legacy business by successfully implementing widespread industrial restructuring, navigating the politics of closing a French production facility, and returning the firm to a cash-flow positive position. • Communicated a compelling business transformation plan (“The Blank Sheet Project”) which retained employee engagement, low attrition and focus throughout this often unsettling journey for the Division’s staff.• Ensured this message fit the cultural, legal and employee relations of staff based in seven factories from the UK to Brazil, China, France and Spain, keeping a “one company” focus despite the rapid pace of change. • Launched, first as R&D projects, then a pilot and finally production, the Green Tech pivot, paper based alternatives to plastic, primarily for oxygen and grease barriers in food packaging and as a base material for printed electronics. • Harnessed the skills of the whole business in a successful profitability drive (“MAD”: Make a Difference) and a sustained campaign to garner ideas on new markets, processes and savings.

I was also in charge of luxury packaging and supply chain.

Restructuring of business model & channel strategy in line with trends, needs and profitabilityDevised fresh product positioning, range structure and communication strategy

My international business career started as European Brand Manager, then European Marketing Manager, for Black & Decker Europe. This included launching a new brand and range, leading a multi-functional Global Business Team and promotion to manage the European Pricing function as we prepared the business for the launch of the Euro. This was followed by a move to Lyon as Marketing Director for Black & Decker / Dewalt, France, where despite a very mature market I grew operating income growth by 45% and gained four market share points by a strategy combining re-energising the sales force with a greater focus on strong brand and product communication campaigns. I subsequently became Trade Marketing and Key Account Director for all of EMEA, a 400€ million market, growing Key Account sales by 21%.

Cesem, European Business Administration

Ba (Hons), European Business Administration