Wayne Zakers

Statutory Director of 14 Group Companies with fiduciary responsibilities in UK, Denmark (Managing Director) and Spain (Chairman of Board). Reporting to Global CEO, autonomous role as P&L accountable for Europe within international, leading-brand construction chemicals supplier. Three local manufacturing sites, a turnover >$40m, and a team of >150 committed professionals. Restructuring to restore profitability, redefining commercial strategy to create step change opportunities for growth.

Development and implementation of functional excellence initiatives across Europe, Middle-East and Gulf, India, South-East Asia and North Asia operating companies. Restructuring Group commercial structure and approach to optimise resource utilisation and improve customer focus. Creation of Commercial Competency Framework; assessment and training of global salesforce. Brand management, including replacement of uncoordinated local sites with multiple-language Group website.

Leading global export business, marketing/ supplying constructive solutions into Africa, Americas, Soviet bloc, Australasia and Japan. Focused on key target territories, embedding local Bus Dev Managers to work with key distribution partners. Support to Licensees; building senior relationships, maintaining market understanding and trends, and updating technology. Identifying and developing new opportunities for new companies, as stand-alone or joint venture projects, including negotiating Heads of Terms.

Global product management/ development. Grew high margin sales >50% within 2 years. Trained global teams to market & sell to engineers, specifiers and clients. Managed small team of technical specialists to provide high quality support to wider companies/ licensees. Lead for contractual relationships with manufacturing licensee, and with UK licensor for ICCP technology. Improved internal/ external supply chains, leading to >200% capacity increase, large cost reductions and product quality improvements.

Business Manager and P&L responsible for £350m Propylene C3 & Butene C4 Derivatives including plant in Koln, Swansea, and Lavera: Propylene Oxide/ Glycols, Iso-Propanol, Oxo-Alcohols (JV Representative), Iso-Paraffins, Iso-Pentane, Cyclopentane, Iso Amylene. Developing & implementing business strategy driving significant profit/ cash improvements, including renegotiation of €multi-million contracts and co-producer deals. Sold IPA business to Exxonmobil, asset closure, and sale of plant to Indian company.

Leadership of procurement resources controlling €100’s million across Europe; Wingles in France, Köln & Marl in Germany, Geel & Feluy in Belgium, Trelleborg in Sweden. Moving to strategic procurement. Lead procurement interface with jv’s in Veba Germany and Solvay Belgium, integrating into Group contracts. Set up procurement organisation and capability in Erdolchemie Köln, delivering €millions in savings. Developing procurement channels & processes to align with materiality/ importance of spend.

Commercial Manager at an acquired asset, selectively insourcing procurement from site services provider. Renegotiated or in/outsourced procurement of goods/ services to deliver best value to the organisation; conducted in technical/ commercial German. Coordinator of procurement activities across three European sites, aggregating demand & negotiating preferential terms. First use of reverse auction process within European business to deliver material savings and identify new supply options.

Plant management of recently acquired, world-scale Styrene Monomer production unit, including German-speaking shift and day based operations staff. Interface with engineering and technical support to develop options for plant improvements. Costs reduction and assurance of Y2K continuity. Improving safety culture, leading to site's first major turnaround with zero injuries to staff and contractors.

Feasibility and formal Board approval of £100's million sanction case for major asset restructuring in Europe including new world-scale Solvents plants in Hull and Grangemouth. Benchmarking of joint venture solvents plant in Ulsan Korea to improve operational efficiencies and feedstock economics. Development of business case for new technology solvents plant in Indonesia.

Succession of project, commissioning, plant management and engineering roles: Products - Acetic Acid, Acetic Anhydride, Acetate Esters, Acetoacetate Esters, Ammonia, Isophorone, Utilities Operations including Reaction, Reactive Distillation, Cold Box, Gas Liquefaction, Distillation, Furnaces, Steam Boilers, Cooling Towers, Compressors, High Pressure & Vacuum systems, Filtration, Mole Sieves, Sea/ Rail/ Road filling/ transfer/ blending. Experienced Emergency Response and Transport Emergency responder.