Cloudapps (May 2019 to present)

VP Sales & Marketing

• Helping Cloudapps build their revenues in enterprise software sales. Working 3 days per week

Smarttradeapp (May 2019 to present)

Non Executive director

• Helping Smarttradeapp grow their UK business through establishing value-added white partnerships with acquirers and payment services companies looking to target small to medium sized businesses.

Founder mba Limited (October 2018 to present)

• Working with companies to deliver high performance wellbeing. mbaltd.net
• Working in advisory capacity for technology start-ups, high growth companies

ACI Worldwide (1^st Jan 2015 to October 2018)   

European Vice President, eCommerce Merchant Sales

• ACI is a world leader in financial payments software. I led a team of highly experienced new business development directors and key account directors across Europe for the last 3 years. This included the integration of the newly acquired PAY.ON sales people into my team with the need to appoint a new leadership structure across 120 existing accounts. This resulted in some great results with the accolade of president’s club for over-achievers twice with new contract sales of $43M v $30M plan
• During this time, I have been responsible for building and growing the ACI eCommerce business which included the integration of 2 acquired businesses into a unified platform and market offering.

Retail Decisions  2011-2014 (Sales Director Europe)  

• The CEO, Paul Stanley, head-hunted me to help him grow the sales bookings over a 3-year period to position for exit. My team grew revenues across the EU from £15M-£30M over the period but more importantly secured long term contracts across new countries that led to a trade sale valued at $205M in August 2014 to ACI Worldwide (21X EBITDA).

MBA Limited 2009-2011  (Owner)

• Having left my last exit, I spent 2 years working with multiple companies developing their sales & marketing capability in a consultative capacity. Assignments were mainly technology and software related businesses. During this time I built a mobile applications business with a technical partner and we produced over 15 mobile applications including the world’s first town based iPhone app which was shown on BBC News. I also co-launched a retail business with my wife which is now one of the most successful wedding shops in the South of England anna-mcdonald.com

Knowledge online 2006-2008 (Managing Director) 

• Headhunted by Pettifer Property and Construction Group, I led a mobile software application small business from start-up to high growth over 2 years until Pettifer Group went into administration in 2008. I found a trade buyer of Knowledge Online in 2 days and we integrated my team in Causeway technologies within 3 months, just prior to Christmas. This was one of my greatest achievements, despite losing my equity, my team were provided with jobs and security for the future.

MOneybox plc  2001-2005 (Managing Director) 

• Headhunted from NCR Corporation, Moneybox was a start-up non-bank cash machine network with profitable revenues in-excess of £43M p.a. floating on AIM in March 2004 and selling to cardpoint plc in 2005. Recruited initially as Sales Director in 2002 and successfully building out the sales team in the UK, I was appointed MD and helped the CEO and board float the business on the AIM within 2 years and ultimately sell the business to a competitor after 4 years. The sales price was £85M representing excellent value for our venture capital backers and an EBITDA multiple of 25 times earnings

NCR Up to 2001 (Account Director)

• Over 8 years at NCR I developed skills in marketing and sales leading to a major account director role looking after NCR’s major financial accounts and reporting to the UK General Manager. Over my 6 years in sales I attended Chairman’s Club for high performers 4 times and was the youngest account director in the team.

Management

• I have run teams in various capacities for over 15 years now and enjoy learning new ways to manage diverse individuals across multiple geographies. As managing director of both Moneybox and Knowledge Online, I had to build multi-disciplinary teams from scratch and grow revenues and profit to help the shareholders float and then sell the business. My biggest asset is ability to harness the strengths of the team, build cohesive units with each individual clearly understanding their role with the business.

Sales

• More recently at ACI, my team’s sales performance was the strongest growth across the company. I was responsible for growing into new market segments, hiring appropriate talent and understanding industry language and business drivers. My style is to understand the key deals that make our plan and produce sales plans that cover our goals and provide contingency plans should any key deals not close. This involves a hands-on approach coupled with rigid pipeline management through the use of salesforce.com and regular sales reviews with my key sales managers.

Communication

• This is my greatest strength which involves communication of the company’s strategy at key events to daily communication to the internal stakeholders in the business and key customers and prospects of the business. I learnt the importance of strong interpersonal skills at a young age having started coaching squash to adults at the age of 14 and travelling the UK National squash circuit from the age of 8.

Leadership

• My leadership skills developed considerably at ACI as I was given the opportunity to demonstrate this skill on a regular basis across the global organization. Regular interaction and presentations to leaders across our Global Product, delivery, service and group functions built up my team’s reputation from being a small merchant business to one of the biggest and fastest growing business units in ACI. I mentored and coached many people from other teams and geographies within ACI and enjoyed seeing the development of these people to the benefit of themselves and ultimately ACI.

References available on request: Paul Stanley, now CEO at GNS is my first choice.

BA Honours | 1991| Aston University

• 2:1 degree in Business Studies

3 A levels and 9 O LEvels |Aylesbury Grammar School

ACI ORHCESTRATE LEADERSHIP PROGRAM 2017