This strategic and inspiring leader had an early background of entrepreneurial ventures in manufacturing, and as an agent for FMCG packaging. He was, therefore, an obvious choice to bring his innovative acumen and entrepreneurial drive to the global fresh fruit business. As an MD or CEO – and more recently as a non-executive director – he has accrued more than twenty years of deep industry experience in perishable consumer goods.

His experience lies in both the private and public sectors, and between the developed world and emerging markets. In the process, he has turned businesses compromised by legacy issues into profitable businesses able to compete successfully in first world economies. He demonstrated this as an ex-pat in Belgium where he led a struggling multi-national company back into profitable territory while supplying Europe’s major retailers with fruit imported from around the world.

Known for his strategic insight – with particular emphasis on ‘scenario planning’ – he has helped many businesses in the sector develop and implement strategies to be competitive in the global market. His expertise has also been sought after by companies outside of the fresh fruit industry, namely by grower groups, export houses, shipping lines and various government authorities.

As an ambassador for the South African fresh fruit export industry for 10 years, he led the country’s charge out of a regulated environment into a deregulated international community. He played major roles in organizing and leading the industry internationally in top trade fairs; in negotiations with international government delegations (particularly around market access issues); in facilitating new business in untapped countries with major commercial fruit export companies; and in speaking extensively around the world on value chain competitiveness at the request of various United Nations organisations.

This seasoned operator has a nose for where an organization is not optimizing its performance. Whether it be disengaged employees, antiquated IT systems, insufficient business intelligence, dodgy customer service levels, or simply a lack of strategic direction, he will find it – and immediately rally the top team to go about fixing it. With a strongly democratic style of leadership, this ‘go-getter’ will collect opinion, and encourage team decisions – from the Boardroom through to the executive management team. There is no agonizing over decision-making once the discussions are done with.

Just as this leader toggles easily between the worlds of ‘paying attention to the detail’, but ‘constantly looking at the bigger picture’, so has he been able to slip effortlessly between the worlds of ‘non-profit’ and ‘for-profit’ organisations in the fruit trade chain. This has served him well in how he navigates his way in resolving complex stakeholder relationship matters with the actors that directly influence the performance of company-specific value chains.

This leader’s philosophy is a profoundly simple one: ‘If you take care of your people, your scoreboard will automatically take care of itself’. Being an ardent supporter of Drucker’s famous dictum, ‘culture eats strategy for breakfast’, this people-orientated visionary has routinely facilitated culture change interventions in lacklustre organizations to great effect. Although frequently labeled as a motivational speaker, he is equally comfortable with the pen, having published a book in hard lockdown. His book promotes living a balanced life, and he advocates this very concept in his leadership style – particularly in a fast-changing, post-Covid world that is being driven by a ‘new normal’.

Contact Max MacGillivray on +44 (0)1284 715055 or contact the Beanstalk team directly by CLICKING HERE and quote Reference: 1024334.

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