David Axon

Expertise

Summary

Experience

• Tookie Limited

  CEO

  1 - 5 Employees 2015 - Current

  Tookie is a Health Care Innovation Business established in 2015. Tookie innovative products are focus on security of Central Venous Catheters (CVC) and incorporating lines for other patient groups – addressing unmet clinical and patient needs. Our solutions are delivered in the form of wearable technology.

  Vascular access is essential and lifesaving therapy, with many patients having lines inserted and accessed on a daily basis to administer medicine and monitor health. Unfortunately complications with central lines are common and well documented, especially that of CVC displacement & gravitational pull, with tubes often snagging, twisting and looping – a large proportion being avoidable. The accidental removal of a catheter from a patient receiving long term treatment can be life threatening. Tookie products not only reduce the likelihood of line fallout and line re-insertions, but they also increase the patient’s quality of life.

• Consilia Partners Limited (CPL) & Consilia Investments Limited (CIL)

  CEO

  6 - 20 Employees 2010 - 2015

  In January 2010 David set up his own company CPL a turnaround and investment firm until 2013, when investment activities moved into CIL.

  CPL focused upon supporting stakeholders to significantly enhance the profitability and value of their investments.  CPL took responsibility for the hands-on implementation of business improvements and accountability for the delivery of results. David personally:

  •       managed underperforming businesses on behalf of shareholders to effect sustainable business turnarounds

  •       undertook a variety of operational consultancy / advisory roles in businesses on behalf of stakeholders to improve business performance and create value in companies across a variety of sectors, sizes and countries

  David worked on a variety of turnaround, profit, performance improvement and operational due diligence assignments, primarily for Investment Houses and Family Offices. Alongside UK/Europe, David focused upon businesses located in UAE, Qatar, Jordan, Egypt and in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), where he was also the CEO of International Advisors located in Riyadh, KSA.

  From an Investment perspective, David, through CIL, invested his own capital and acquired:

  •       three underperforming companies, which have been successfully exited, making a significant return on investments:

  •       HTG – a catering equipment business located in UK; David was an Executive Director on the Board of HTG

  •       Atlantic Polymers – 2 polymer distribution businesses, one located in Germany, the other in Poland; a non-Executive Director on the board of Atlantic Polymers

  •       a good performing business in March 2015 - UK/Canada based speciality textiles business

  During CPL, prior to separation of CIL activities, CPL sought a listing on AIM. The listing was not secured as CPL decided to withdraw at the final moments, even though funding was offered, given that the subsequent AIM demands on CPL would have proven too onerous.

• Celerant Consulting (Hitachi)

  Global Head of Private Equity, Mergers & Acquisitions

  100+ Employees 2008 - 2009

  During this period, David set up a new capability at Celerant, similar to that at Grant Thornton. For new Private Equity clients and corporates, David executed and delivered:

  Ø  Pre-deal: operational due diligence, synergy reviews, development of operational business plans

  Ø  Execution: taking control of the business upon completion of a transaction

  Ø  Post-deal: cost reduction, performance improvement, both in Private equity house portfolio companies and in delivering rationalisation / integration benefits post merger

  Ø  Operational restructuring:  rationalisation and operational turnaround in stand -alone businesses

  Ø  Business operations reviews: identification of cost reduction opportunities (upside potential) and supply chain improvements

  Ø  Performance improvement: implementation and realisation of identified upside opportunities

• Grant Thornton UK LLP

  Partner - National Head of Operations & Post Deal Services

  100+ Employees 2004 - 2008

  David was an Operational (non-Accountant) Equity Partner within Grant Thornton Corporate Finance (Transaction Services) and Corporate Recovery. He established new GT service offerings and capabilities - Operations and Post Deal Services (PDS). Initially such operational offerings were aimed at complementing GT Transaction Services, but subsequently also supported Corporate Recovery offerings.

  David’s team provided current and new clients with a broad range of tailored services designed to help businesses plan and implement deals in a more timely and efficient manner and to maximise the return on such deals.  David worked with Private Equity and Corporate clients, supporting them operationally to achieve successful deals (Mergers & Acquisitions, Leveraged Buy-Outs–MBO/MBI).

   David’s substantial breadth and depth of experience and capabilities across the deal “continuum” enabled him to embed the following new services into GT:

  Ø  Pre-deal: operational due diligence, synergy reviews, development of operational business plans;

  Ø  Execution: taking control of the business upon completion of a transaction

  Ø  Post-deal: cost reduction, performance improvement, both in Private equity house portfolio companies and in delivering rationalisation / integration benefits post merger

  Ø  Operational restructuring:  rationalisation and operational turnaround in stand -alone businesses

  Ø  Business operations reviews: identification of cost reduction opportunities (upside potential) and supply chain improvements

  Ø  Performance improvement: implementation and realisation of identified upside opportunities

   David executed these assignments across a variety of industries (and countries) – e.g. printing & packaging, food production, manufacturing, automotive components, logistics (warehousing & distribution), airline services, inks, retail, healthcare. Furthermore, David led the integration of GT acquisition of Robson Rhodes professional services firm.

• PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

  Director

  100+ Employees 2000 - 2004

  Director within PwC Transaction Services (TS) Operations Team. David developed TS operational / post deal services capabilities. David worked with Private Equity and Corporate clients, supporting them operationally to achieve successful deals (Mergers & Acquisitions, Leveraged Buy-Outs–MBO/MBI). He worked across all phases of a deal, carrying out the following activities:

  Ø  Pre-deal: operational due diligence, synergy reviews, assistance in developing business plans;

  Ø  Post merger: Integration and Taking Control of a business upon completion of a transaction;

  Ø  Post-deal: cost reduction, identifying and delivering performance improvement across companies and in delivering rationalisation / integration benefits post merger; review of PE house portfolio companies in preparation for exit

  David sold project work to clients, executed project delivery and developed new service offerings. This involved assuming responsibility for developing relationships with Private Equity houses in order to gain new operational assignments and secure repeat business as appropriate - an integral step in building a differentiated deal business and maintaining market relationships.

• Renoir Consulting

  Head of Business Analysis

  21 - 100 Employees 1998 - 2000

  Renoir Consulting – a business operational restructuring and performance improvement business, with an impressive track record in delivering substantial financial benefits within prestigious blue-chip organisations, across a number of industries.

  David was Head of Business Analysis, responsible for reviewing and analysing client companies’ ways of working and for converting these Reviews / Tenders into agreed organisational change programmes. This involved detailed analysis (financial and operational) of an organisation, working very closely with client people at all levels, determining appropriate solutions to client issues, and the cost / benefit of Renoir involvement. David’s role was then, effectively, to “sell” Renoir approach to the MD and Board of Directors in the organisation, converting them into profitable revenue contracts.

  His success here relied upon his capability to quickly build effective relationships at all levels, and to quickly understand an organisation, its needs and its culture.

  Such change programmes, for example, focus upon business restructuring, supply chain management and effectiveness, process simplification, supply base management, management control and reporting systems (budgeting, planning, reporting & performance review), throughput capability, overhead reduction and productivity improvement. However, these changes were consistently underpinned with changes in attitudes and behaviours, developing ownership through involvement, to enhance organisational capability to sustain the changes made and results achieved.

  David held a position within the Senior Management Team, playing a key role in determining business policy and overall direction to secure a sustainable profitable revenue base. He was also responsible for the development of a number of key client relationships. Other key accountabilities included the development and delivery of client company training and development programmes and, along with his senior team members, the successful delivery operationally of what was promised to each our clients.

• ParcelForce WorldWide (PFWW)

  General Manager

  100+ Employees 1994 - 1998

  David started as Director of Projects, implementing strategies, developing and implementing major change projects, leading and co-ordinating complex, business-wide transformational change programmes.

  David developed and implemented PFWW integrated planning & performance review structure along with a programme to involve employees at all levels in continuous improvement, incorporating processes to identify, collate and disseminate business best practice across PFWW. This became the sole strategy and approach for driving business change programmes, ensuring we delivered what we promised to our customers at high quality, cost effectively.

  Led the business to deliver profit by restructuring Sortation and Collection & Delivery operations generating over £55million of (unit) cost savings.

  David reviewed and restructured PFWW Strategic Headquarters (SHQ) and Support Services, significantly reducing costs and aligning all resources to Customer and SHQ priorities, delivering a further £5m benefit.

  He was then promoted to Head of Service Delivery Policy & Strategy (& major programme implementation). To deliver a robust operational network, David defined Customer Service policies and network operating standards, evaluating network issues to ensure that they were effectively implemented across each Business Unit consistently.

  David also continued implementing strategic change programmes, including I.T. strategy implementation, across c.110 sites with over 12,000 people. David successfully secured operational consistency and quality across the network. In addition, he carried out a review of business strategies and direction, identified flaws and group synergy opportunities, determined priority action plans he implemented business-wide.

  David was then promoted to General Manager (GM) PFWW South West, one of 8 Business Units (BU) with a turnover of £44m.  Subsequent business restructuring promoted David to GM Logistics & Distribution, covering 32 BUs, 3500 employees and a turnover of £110M.  As the GM, David led and developed a team of 8 Area Managers to deliver profit, cost, revenue, quality and customer service targets across all 32 BUs.  

  David was an advisor within the Post Office Group of businesses for “Achieving Excellence in Leadership “courses, delivered to junior, middle and senior managers across Royal Mail, PFWW and Post Office Counters.

• Various Profit Improvement Management Consultancies

  Managing Consultant

  21 - 100 Employees 1989 - 1994

  During this period, David worked for two business performance improvement consultancy companies, at different levels across a variety of industries. His expertise lay primarily in managing operations across multi-site, geographically distributed companies in retail, leisure, service and distribution sectors. His focus was on changing the way people plan, manage and operate their businesses on a day-to-day basis, including the development and implementation of effective planning and performance review processes, underpinned with supporting KPI structures.

  Ultimately, David led teams of consultants, developing and implementing business change programmes with client companies, through their employees, to achieve step changes in business performance. He delivered specific, measured and sustainable results associated with more efficient use of resources, improved sales effectiveness, overall cost containment and improved quality and customer service, reconcilable to the bottom line. David is an experienced project and programme manager, with a track record of delivering major programmes to time, cost and quality.

  From June 1989 to August 1992 David worked for the UK subsidiary of an American company, IMR (UK) LTD as a consultant, with an 18-month secondment to IMR (FRANCE) SA. He later returned to the UK subsidiary as a project manager, responsible for completion of specific projects.

  In August 1992 David was approached by, and subsequently joined, Peter Chadwick Limited (PCL) (the UK’s largest implementation consultancy) where as an Operations Manager, dealing primarily with client company Board members, David led a number of Senior Project Managers and major change projects at any one time, developing business within a portfolio of companies. Through delivering what was promised, David developed high levels of customer loyalty and increased levels of customer retention to secure the revenue base of PCL.

• Royal Hong Kong Police force

  Platoon Commander

  100+ Employees 1985 - 1988

  Platoon Commander - Anti Terrorist / Riot Platoon

Education History

• Russian, Serbian & Croatian

  University of Nottingham

  1978 - 1982

• Business & Information Technology

  Manchester Business School

  1989 - 1990

Qualifications

Interests and Hobbies

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