Curriculum Vitae for Nigel Vaughan
SummaryFocused on creating shareholder value & driving growth in businesses through developing new strategies & enhancing operational effectiveness. Widely experienced in mentoring key executives, based on a significant personal track record of success:
Over thirty years of international Board level experience (UK plc, US multinational, investor backed enterprise & a private German group) in both an executive & non-executive capacity.
Success in both large & small companies, including substantially growing companies within the plc sector and building an early stage business that was sold for $100M after 7 years.
Significant skills in growing companies internationally, building teams, making acquisitions and implementing change management so as to maximise shareholder value.
Hands-on experience in all disciplines & team development allows rapid contribution to new and complex situations, plus ensure that key projects are delivered on time and to budget.
Non-Executive Career
Board Advisory Roles: October 2003 to date
- Chairman of leading-edge semiconductor Design Company (www.sondrel.com) operating internationally (teams across Europe, China, Israel & USA), attracting US corporate partner.
- Non-Executive Director of international technology company (www.quantex-arc.com).
- Advising Boards (both private and plc) on business and strategic development to maximise shareholder value, typically retained by 3 or 4 companies at a time (e.g. www.ilika.com).
- Advisory Board member, regional accountancy & professional services company (www.inspire.uk.net).
- NED for 3 years on the Board of John Heathcoat & Company (Holdings) Limited, a highly successful, 200-year-old textile manufacturing group (www.heathcoat.co.uk).
- NED on the Board of Lamina Dielectrics Limited for 7 years, originally appointed by 3i Group plc to represent their interests (www.lamina.uk.com). }
- Retained advisor on business & strategic development, e.g. chair of working group developing options for the next growth phase of an international institute (www.warsashacademy.co.uk).
- Mentor on internationally recognised high growth businesses programme (www.setsquared.co.uk).
- Advising institutional investors regarding potential acquisitions and / or investments.
Added value
- Guided a business whose growth had stalled into profitably growing almost sevenfold in three years.
- Significantly contributed to the transformation of a client company by helping it to re-engineer all of its business processes and re-direct its market focus.
- Transformed the international business development processes of a plc, providing a sound platform for international growth based on strategic account management.
- Developed a series of business plans to provide executive teams with a clear direction and key implementation actions, plus comprehensive investment rationale for growth funding.
- Resolved serious Board and Shareholder disputes, organising share buy-backs, Board restructuring and enabling the company to return its focus to its core business activities.
- Lighter touch advice to a wide range of businesses in diverse sectors where being able to tap into my significant international business experience helped the team resolve key issues.
- Rapidly assessed the strategic options for a plc who were under shareholder pressure to make a decision about the future of a subsidiary.
- Assessed an acquisition target for a major Private Equity firm by examining the business model, market, team and likely development potential, resulting agreement not to proceed.
Executive Career
Krohne (German Group): UK Managing Director – July 1998 to
September 2003
- Scenario:
Private, German, process control group, UK one of 4 R&D / manufacturing “centres of excellence”. - High degree of autonomy to address major, long
term problems.
Actions: - Defined strategy, translated into outstanding new products via best practice development processes.
- Cost reduction & product improvements, plus cellular production and outsourcing.
- Defined financial and task orientated targets (e.g. levels of customer service).
- Restructured management and recruited key managers (Finance & Production).
- Significant sales to Japan & USA, including 3rd party
branding of Krohne products.
Achievements: - Sales doubled in 2003 alone, with gross margins and profits significantly increased.
- Delivery times down from 14 weeks to 3, at 98% on-time performance.
- Best practice installed in Research & Development, Manufacturing & Administration.
- New ERP system implemented.
- Sifam (Private Company): Managing Director – Nov. 1991 to June 1998 Scenario:
- Shareholders: 70% institutional, 15% founding family & 15% management options.
- Business: Fibre Optics, Meters and Moulding.
- Lack of strategy & management skills meant Sifam
had drifted. In the 2 years prior to my joining, core
product sales halved & no new products were developed. Losses were high & morale low.
Results: - After 1 year, Sifam was profitable & an excellent management team built.
- Plastics became UK’s technological leader in multi-shot moulding. Embryonic fibre optics business sales growth accelerated rapidly.
- Increased profits facilitated 3 acquisitions and a
new factory.
Exit: - I proposed that each business be divested individually and a Finance Director be recruited to implement the exit programme as the incumbent wished to retire.
- My recommendation was accepted, the FD recruited & corporate advisors appointed. The exit plan was completed in 18 months, allowing me to exercise my share options.
- When I joined, Sifam’s value was <£1M, with no recovery prospects. I accepted the challenge. The final exit realised £70M.
Racal: (UK PLC) – 1982 to 1991
- Sales & Marketing Director, Racal Recorders Ltd - August 1982 to August 1985
- Sales & Marketing Director, Racal Instrumentation - August ‘85 to October ‘91
- From break-even to one of the highest net R.O.S. in the Racal Group.
Gould UK (subsidiary of US Corporation) – 1972 to 1982
- Sales & Marketing Director 1.5 yrs
- Product Manager 1.0 yr
- Sales Engineer 1.0 yr
- Production Manager 3.5 yrs
- Electronic Engineer 3.0 yrs
