About Me
I am a commercially focused and entrepreneurial leader with over 30 years of executive experience across FMCG, food manufacturing, hospitality, and B2B sectors and a bit of a foodie in the mix. Formally working as a skilled Chef and entrepreneur, latterly, MD of Tiptree Patisserie (a subsidiary of Wilkin & Sons Group). I have transformed start-ups into SME £multi-million operations, managed multiple acquisitions, and spearheaded national and international rollouts in the UK, China, Singapore and Japan. I bring strategic and operational acumen, financial rigour (P&L, budgets, cashflow), and a hands-on, open leadership style – from boardroom negotiations to factory-floor improvement. Resilient, challenging and people centred, I drive performance, quality, and sustainable growth through periods of change and transformation, with a keen interest in profitability balanced with customer and staff satisfaction.
Work & Experience
Wilkin and sons - Tiptree Patisserie 10/01/2008 - 10/01/2025
Managing Director/Site Director
• Owner of full P&L, performance and board reporting. • Sales focus – to bring on wholesale and corporate retail customers such as Bidfoods and Hotel Chocolat. • Operational focus – responsibility for full bakery and patisserie delivery on time and in full. • Kept company open, through Covid closure by diversifying customer base through sales direct to consumer, delivering in excess of 50,000 direct to home afternoon teas in 2020. Inspiring a team of forty to change and develop new ideas in a noticeably short period to stay in business. • Restored company to profitability post-COVID by 2022. • Supported and nurtured a multi aged team of direct reports in Operations, Sales, IT, Customer Service, Transport, Technical, NPD and HR. Backing a team of 50 to 75 including sales executives, customer support team, bakers, chefs, drivers, production and quality assurance. • Developed marketing strategy and social media presence to fit growth and sectors, www.tiptree.com and www.tiptreecakes.com • Maintained operational accreditation throughout • Oversaw opening, operations and sales through group tearooms in the UK.