Located in Melbourne, Stuart is a member of Askin Performance Panels leadership team responsible for Group Operations, Australian, and New Zealand. Reporting to the CEO, accountable for the operational performance across the group, covering manufacturing, distribution, quality, OH&S, and the development and re-engineering of current plant and equipment. The role extends in the development and implementation of new technology for the business.

Reporting to the CEO, accountable for strategic growth and execution of Prixcars’ 5 year business plan, delivering our budgeted revenue, and setting the business up for the future. The change in role was driven by the need to focus on business growth, implementation of large contracts, and the development of our new state of the art NSW Storage, Processing and Transport Center.Responsibilities include: business development, commercial, customer service, customer satisfaction, IT, property development, board reporting, annual budgeting, forecasting, restructuring and the consolidation to drive long term service and P&L performance.Achievements include; established growth plans to exceed budget and 5 year business plan, restructured the business, secured a large contract, developed 60Ha green field site from concept to completion. The consolidation, and integration of the transport into VPC operations, identified new market large opportunity for diversification, process mapped for the development of a new ERP system, while on target to achieve 5 year growth plan.

Reporting to the CEO, accountable for the strategic VPC development with full P&L responsibilities for the Australian Operations, encompassing multiple sites in each state through managing a diverse customer base and service offering. Responsibilities include: VPC operational revenue and profitability, board reporting, annual budgeting, forecasting, developing Prixcars’ 5 year business plan for growth. Designing and developing our future facilities for operational consolidation. Implementing operational improvement through the introduction of lean deployment, re-engineering, and restructuring the organisation to the changing business environment. Achievements include; consolidation and Integration of the Transport and VPC Operations onto combined sites, designed and developed 2 green field sites for Vehicle Storage, Processing & Transport, restructured the business following the loss of a major customer, facilitated operational benchmarking studies in storage, processing, paint & panel, developed one operational improvement plan to execute.Identified cost savings in suppliers and services, re-negotiated contracts to deliver savings, introduction of continuous improvement into operations, introduction of lean training for all Victorian employees utilising government funding, established key metrics and guidelines for operations to improve Customer Service Delivery, implemented operational improvement plans, improving customer service delivery.

Full P&L responsibilities: Automotive, Cleantech, and Infrastructure circa $ 120 mil sales pa, 200 plus employees. Created a management team, stabilised the business and employees, provided leadership and vision through change management for diversification away from automotive reliance.Responsibilities include: managing multiple P&L’s, board reporting, annual budgeting, forecasting, executing restructuring and consolidation plans, strategy development and deployment, strategic stakeholder management, customer relationship management, workforce planning.Achievements include: consolidated infrastructure and cleantech businesses into Automotive plant, commenced the change management process, leveraged government and industry support groups for employee training, engaged government and industry relationships for new business opportunities.

Full P&L responsibilities: Accessories and Infrastructure businesses circa $ 25 mil sales pa, 30 plus employees. Reporting to the MD and a member of the global executive management team. The need to consolidate the various divisions, optimise resources, clean up the balance sheets, and explore new business opportunities for long term organisational synergies.Responsibilities include: Managing multiple P&L’s, board reporting, annual budgeting, forecasting, managing 2 operational plants, establishing the Futuris accessories brand, and refreshing the Plexicor infrastructure brand. Restructured and consolidated the business, development of new and existing customers in multiple industries.Achievements include: Consolidated the accessories business, established the Futuris & Plexicor brands to be recognised by industry, obtained PR exposure for the accessories product range, developed new customers and awarded new business of $ 9.5mil.

Full P&L responsibilities: Accessories/Service Parts businesses circa $ 15 mil sales pa, 20 employees. Reporting to the MD and a member of the global executive. Established a management team, take over the Vision accessories business acquired and migrate this in the greater Futuris organisation.Responsibilities include: managing multiple P&L’s, board reporting, annual budgeting, forecasting, managing 2 operational plants. Understand the Vision acquisition including industry, customer expectations, business resources skills, and the product direction. Determine suitability for pillar growth business unit for the future and clean up the service parts business and customer service challengers.Achievements include: understood the business, customer and people challengers, restructured the business development team, stabilised customers and commence a new product portfolio for the accessories business. Understood the historic service parts challengers, put in strategies to work away obsolete and aging stock to reduce working capital and clean up the balance sheet.

Transitional role providing leadership and management through the integration of the Plexicor Australia (acquired by Futuris), customers and suppliers into the Futuris organisation.Responsibilities include: managing the customer and supplier contracts, global supply chain, introductions, negotiations, dealing with the business issues, providing a clean hand over of contracts.Achievements include: clean transition of customers and suppliers contracts into the Futuris group enabling the final agreed (MCK) Plexicor payment to private equity transacted on time.

Reporting to the CEO, and member of the leadership team, having delivered the operational strategy in my previous role, the organisation needed new growth. Leading and managing a team of 5 direct reports, covering our automotive customers and suppliers. The purpose was to diversify our business and reliance on 1 strategic customer Ford, secure Toyota, dynamically grow Holden, and extend our business with Ford. Manage, develop and foster key stakeholder relationships, implement commercial strategies to maximise profitability, drive organisational financial improvements, provide front line negotiation of major contracts, grow and protect organisational profitability through the (MCK) Plexicor sales process to Futuris group.Responsibilities include: lead business marketing, strategic positioning, develop customer strategies to penetrate the industry, competitor, product and commercial analysis, frontline major contract negotiation, global supply chain sourcing, logistics management, manage technical reviews to qualify suppliers. Lead, implement new business awarded into production, drive productivity improving ebit and cash, reduce working capital, clean up the balance sheet and manage the commercials with no surprises through the sales process. Achievements include: rewarded with circa $ 55mil of new automotive contracts, delivered the business strategy diversifying across Ford, Holden, GM, brought on new products and systems, creating Plexicor Australia as an acquisition target, securing contracts off the Futuris group, which lead to the Futuris acquisition.

Reporting directly to the CEO, and member of the leadership team, the business turned over circa $ 60 mil pa, with 5 direct managers, 80 people over 3 shifts. Vertically integrated business covering 3 sites, with HR, production, supply chain, quality, warehouse and distribution reporting directly. Products manufactured for the automotive, industrial and telecommunications markets. Operational strategic planning and execution of strategy was required to support projected growth. The operational business was lean, with half hourly deliveries to customer lines, working on JIT principles, OTD customer service metrics. Responsibilities include: with full P&L ownership, project manage the introduction of a new SAP MRP system, plant and warehouse optimisation, drive productivity from 3 shifts to 2 shifts, negotiate EBA’s, launched a green field site for new contracts, products and technologies, developed operator competency standards, provided leadership through monthly staff and factory communications sessions, lead negotiator on major contracts. Supported board reporting, annual budgeting, forecasting.Achievements include: introduction of lean deployment, removed night shift. Successful SAP operational introduction. Negotiated EBA without 1 missed work day. Launch a green field site manufacturing new product and technology. Optimised plant and warehousing. Introduced operator competency standards. Drove safety awareness and improvement through monthly communication sessions on all shifts. Key supplier negotiator yielding millions in savings. Improved operational performance and profitability for the business.