Non-Executive Director for Consumer Goods Businesses

Consumer goods is one of the three sectors I work in as a Non-Executive Director and Board Adviser, alongside industrial and technology businesses. This page covers what I bring to consumer goods boards: brands, international growth, ownership change and AI, for private, PE-backed and growth boards in the UK and Europe.

I started in consumer brands and have spent my career running and growing businesses that make and sell physical products. That covers product management at Nestlé, Beecham Foods and RJ Reynolds, general management at Henkel in South East Asia and Russia, and a board seat on a Morgan Crucible division as it agreed a £68m private equity backed MBO. Consumer goods boards get challenge from someone who has made the same calls they are making.

What I bring to a consumer goods board

• Brand and category experience. Product Manager to Senior Product Manager on Coca-Cola, Fanta, Lilt and other carbonates brands at Beecham Foods, after starting at Nestlé; later Senior Product Manager for Camel, Reyno and Overstolz at RJ Reynolds in Cologne.
• Ownership change. Non-Executive Director of Holt Lloyd International as the Morgan Crucible division prepared for and agreed its £68m MBO, backed by Electra Kingsway, with a c.15% reduction in manufacturing cost. The business was later sold to AlliedSignal.
• International growth. Built Henkel Adhesives South East Asia from a standing start to c.£30m revenue and c.100 people, including a joint venture in Indonesia. Led Henkel’s adhesives business in Russia from the 1998 crisis, with c.30% revenue growth and €60m of new business in three years.
• M&A and integration. Chairman of Brent International’s £41m European business group, growing through bolt-on acquisitions across six countries; led post-acquisition integration at Henkel UK.
• AI at board level. I run my own AI stack under a written governance standard, and help boards test AI claims, spend and risk before they commit.

Where I can help

• PE-backed consumer goods businesses: testing the value creation plan, margin and cost to serve, and readiness for the next ownership change.
• Founder and family-owned brands: building a board that challenges without taking over, and preparing for investment, growth abroad or exit.
• Investors: market intelligence and pre-deal due diligence on consumer goods and industrial targets.

Case studies

• Holt Lloyd: preparing a Morgan Crucible division for exit through an MBO
• Henkel and Loctite: leading the South East Asia integration of a $1.2bn acquisition

Talk to me

Whether your business is in consumer goods, industrial or technology, if your board is looking for a Non-Executive Director or Board Adviser, get in touch or read more about my NED and board advisory work.