Robert Smith Email & Phone Number

Wymondham, Gb

Innovation & Growth Specialist, employed by Exemplas, delivering Innovate UK EDGE

Remote

Developing auction software for selling unsold accommodation and experiences

Fronthide Ltd is a family office, investing into environmentally focussed start ups

Norwich, England, United Kingdom

Norwich, United Kingdom

The Innovation Funding Team is part of the University of East Anglia working together with Venture Capital fund managers, investing in innovative growth businesses, through the Low Carbon Innovation Fund (LCIF). LCIF is a VC fund where returns from successful exits are re-invested in future businesses as part of an evergreen legacy fund. The businesses supported are focussed on bringing about a low-carbon future, and can range from early-stage seed investment to later-round investments in more mature companies. The success of the initial £21.3m LCIF, led to the creation of a separate £11m fund named LCIF2.

Norwich, United Kingdom

Invest East is a £1.8m business support programme aimed at ambitious, high-growth small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) within Norfolk and Suffolk, part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund

London

Commercial & Project Director with P&L responsibility for creating a new business unit to convert Lebara’s offline customers to online. Within 6 months, app gained €10m p.a. additional revenue • Defined the MVP (Minimum Viable Product) and launched within 100 days of concept approval. Launching iOS & Android app into 4 European markets • Improved customer engagement, leading to >40% increase in LTV (Lifetime Value) of customers using the app• Delivery of product within short timescales required significant stakeholder management to gain quick approval. Agile delivery was used to test and learn prior to and during development to demonstrate product / feature development was improving customer experience

London & Gibraltar

Set up and operational running of Lebara's Mobile Money product. Lebara's Money App launched in 2013. Within 18 months of launch the platform was processing transactions in excess of €8m p.a. The Money App facilitated international remittance and was the first to market that allowed cash out transactions.Responsible for the day to day operation of Lebara's financial services products. Ensuring Lebara's regulatory compliance and defining and managing Lebara's fraud exposure

• Performed investment appraisals of potential acquisitions for Lebara’s CEO and founder• Reviewed Lebara’s 3 largest revenue contracts and negotiated savings of €1.5m per year• Led a strategic review of Lebara’s sales and marketing strategy to increase customer acquisition• Analysed the financial and operational KPI’s and presented areas of potential improvement to Lebara’s board of directors• Identified operational best practice across the Lebara Group and acted as an internal consultant to country management teams• As part of Lebara’s deal team appraised financial documentation during vendor due diligence process• Undertook an internal data security project to identify and prevent industrial espionage• Audited country operations adherence to local regulations and represented Lebara in legal compliance meetings with the industry regulator

Country implementation Project Manager responsible for rolling out Lebara’s business model in the UK, Australia, Germany and France. The businesses I launched now turnover €350m p.a. • Defined & managed the launch project and recruited operational staff including: Project Manager, Managing Director, Marketing Manager, Sales Staff and Operations Manager• Project managed the technical integration of Lebara’s network into Vodafone’s core network• Negotiated what has become Lebara’s three largest revenue grossing contracts (>€140m p.a) at a competitive advantage to industry sector rivals

Projects included:• J P Morgan Chase: Analysed a back office transition programme’s financial and operational risks • British Telecom: Conducted rapid assessment of BT’s £100m p.a. multi project programme prior to implementing a Project Management Office to ensure BT’s compliance with Oftel regulations. • Fidelity International Limited: Managed a globally distributed team to successfully bid for a £350k web development project and led it through its design phase.

Caribbean Nations

Based in the Grenadines S/Y L Esprit Du Nord was a yacht charter business which took guests on tailored holidays within primarily the Windward Islands.During the 4 years cruised not only the islands of the former British West Indies but also Venezuela, Honduras, Guatemala, Belize, Mexico & The Bahamas. After being struck by lightening in Central America I overhauled the yachts electrical systems in Fort Lauderdale prior to the yacht being sold

Chobham

Designing the next generation of remote control bomb disposal vehicles. Responsible for modelling the robotic manipulator arm

Bachelor Of Engineering - Be, Mechanical Engineering, 2:1

Activities and Societies: Vice President Athletic Union Founder & President Roller Hockey Club

Bachelor Of Engineering, Mechanical Engineering

Education record