Operations Director | Transformation Director | COO
I help organisations move through complex change with a clear head and a steady hand — leading operations and transformation programmes that people actually want to be part of.
About
I'm an interim Operations Director, Transformation Director and COO with a track record that spans Telecoms, Housing, Healthcare, Facilities Management, Automotive, Retail, Professional Services, IT, Utilities, Logistics, Financial Services, Broadcast and Construction — and Interior Landscaping.
Over more than 30 years I've led transformation programmes, turned around underperforming operations, and built high-performing teams for organisations from FTSE-listed corporates to private-equity backed SMEs. I'm as comfortable presenting to an Executive Board as I am on the shop floor of a distribution centre at 6am.
What I care about most is people. Every transformation I've led has succeeded because the people delivering it felt informed, trusted and valued along the way — the numbers follow from that, not the other way round.
Six Towns Consulting is named after the town I call home, Stoke-on-Trent — where I live and where this business is based.
Away from work, I'm a trustee of a local foodbank. I'm generally happiest outdoors or active — football, golf and tennis — and I unwind with cooking, drawing, painting and playing the guitar (to a strictly average standard).
Clients & sectors
A selection of the organisations I've led operations and transformation for, across sectors including:
Operational and cultural alignment of multiple accountancy practices nationwide (PE-backed, c.£15.7m turnover).
Structural change and process improvement: OTIF up 10pts, Average Weekly Value up 14%.
Cost-saving initiatives creating 18 FTE of additional Contact Centre capacity; built the 2025 transformation plan.
Led the transition of the GE Healthcare account into JLL across 45 countries (NAM, LATAM, EMEA, APAC).
Defined and enacted strategic initiatives across process, technology and culture.
Led 1,000 field technicians nationwide; engagement up from 64% to 90%; attrition down 65%.
Led transformation of BSI's Regulatory Services division, realising £69.7M in benefits over 5 years.
Advised the Executive Director of CX through a £60M transformation including a full D365 ERP implementation.
Led Business Improvement across Engineering Services; £13M saved consolidating 10 sites into 2.
Delivered c.£7M in annual benefits across a complex, multi-workstream transformation.
Led transition to a new Operating Model across all corporate support disciplines; built a new KPI suite from scratch.
Built a Gold Standard Service Centre in Bristol; compliance up from 74% to 88%.
Led the Cloud & Hosting strategy programme and Executive Board reporting.
Rolled out a tablet-based assisted-sales tool to 565 stores: +£1.5M profit in year one, call volume cut from 40% to 11%.
Ran Clarks' UK & European Distribution Centres (c.330 staff); sickness down from 9.5% to 2.8%, productivity up 19%.
Testimonials
“I'd like to take this opportunity to say a huge ‘thank you’ to the JLL transition team, and to say how much we appreciated it when you stepped in. Under your management it was soon apparent that clear, precise guidance was being given, and everyone started pulling together in a coordinated way. Your knowledge, leadership and communication skills have made this a very workable few months.”
“During his assignment Chris delivered significant value to our Operations team and the business in general. Field Operations engagement increased from 64% to 90% — the highest result in the company's history — and technician attrition was reduced by 65%.”
“Chris has been a breath of fresh air to work with. He comes with a massive depth of experience, is an excellent listener, an engaging speaker and presenter of ideas, and a genuinely nice guy who gets on well with people at every level of the organisation.”
“Chris' deep knowledge of transformation combined with a sixth-sense for human behaviour and business enabled him to motivate the programme team and secure support from senior stakeholders — all achieved against a backdrop of remote working during COVID restrictions.”
“Chris operated as the glue linking the business to the Transformation programme. His efforts, insight and tenacity were critical in driving change that put the programme on an enhanced footing and regained the confidence and trust of the Executive and Board.”
“Chris demonstrated outstanding people leadership skills, galvanising a team who had been somewhat demoralised and lacking direction — leading the site to closure whilst maintaining high morale and even aiding staff into alternative employment.”
“I have been able to see some of the ways Chris achieves such consistent success: he has an amazing ability to take people on a journey no matter how challenging, he naturally influences C-suite leaders, he breaks complex problems down into straightforward steps, and he always sees the positive in any situation.”
“Chris is a natural leader. He combines operational excellence and commercial focus with a high degree of emotional intelligence. His contribution to Clarks has been nothing short of transformational.”
Contact
Whether it's a transformation programme, an operational turnaround, or an interim or permanent leadership need — I'd be glad to hear from you.
