Ben Couzens - Business
Developement
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A Business
Development Manager
with outstanding success in Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia, USA and Middle East in turnaround,
start-up, international business creation, professional services, technical
and IT innovation, offshoring, and building world-class teams. Industries
include Oil and Gas, Civil and Structural Engineering, ERP, IT, Software, Financial Services, Consultancy, Manufacturing,
Telecom.
Combining
innovative Business Acumen with Technical Flair has driven my outstanding
success in Business Development, Management, Professional Services, Project Management, Consultancy,
IT, ERP, SAP, Financial Services, Banking, Engineering, Manufacturing, Oil and
Energy working in Europe, Eastern Europe, Russia, Kazakhstan, USA, India,
Philippines and UAE. I particularly enjoy building and leading international
teams ranging from a few to a few hundred but am equally comfortable working
alone.
- Largest Sale - largest
personal sale was USD $23,000,000 consultancy fees
- Sustained
Sales - USD $70,000,000 consultancy fees targetted, sold,
contracted, delivered, invoiced in 7 years with 30%
profitability
- International Scope
- Excellent local knowledge and empathy with Europe, Eastern Europe,
Russia, Kazakhstan, Philippines, India, UAE, USA
- Large Teams
- Built and directed teams from the smallest to 300+
- Target Clients
- Engineered Products, Consultancy, Software into Oil and Gas,
Financial Services, Manufacturing, Retail, Beverage, Telecom,
Automotive, Manufacturing, National Government
- IT - Information Technology
- 25
years experience ranging from "hands-on" IT, to IT team management, to directing an
IT/IS staff of 300+
- IS - Business Information
Systems - business systems developer, bespoke software, packaged software, ERP, SAP
- ERP - Enterprise Resource
Planning - SAP - implement, support, sell $70m in 7 years, directing
team of 100 SAP implementers
- IS - Engineering Information
Systems - finite element software developer, leading-edge 3D graphics
developer, automated design engineering systems
- Engineering Design Software -
design, develop, implement, support, sell - won and directed outsourced
software maintenance for Ministry of Transport
- Retail Banking Software -
design, develop, implement, support, sell in 400 banks worldwide
- Financial Consultant - certified
as Financial Consultant by SAP Berlin, Senior Manager Coopers & Lybrand,
Partner Deloitte
- Structural Engineer - military,
transport, bridges, finite element analysis, theatres,48 storey
building, prisons, hospitals, housing, roof structures
- Civil Engineer - Petrochemical
plants, power generation, bridges, railway, motorways, aviation,
military. Chartered Civil Engineer
- Oil and Gas Facilities -
Petrochemical plants, oil fired power stations
- Oil and Gas Upstream -
subsurface integrated studies, project management, consultancy sales, resourcing
- Nuclear Power - IT strategy
- Manufacturing - management,
machine design, software automated manufacturing
- Strategic Management -
implementing mergers and acquisitions including board strategy, hands-on
implementation of global mergers and monopolies commission
- Project Management - major Civil
projects, major IT projects, oil and gas consultancy, financial services.
PRINCE2 Certified Project Manager
- Program Management - complex
international systems implementations
- Professional Services & Consulting - Partner Deloitte,
recruited and trained 100 consultants, Deloitte EMEA Leader, Senior Manager Coopers & Lybrand,
freelance consultant
International work experience building teams and businesses includes
-
Africa:
Angola (½yr), Tanzania
-
America:
Guatemala, Honduras, San Salvador, USA (½yr)
-
Asia:
India, Indonesia (½yr), Kazakhstan, Oman, Papua New Guinea, Philippines (½yr), Russia, UAE
(1yr), Vietnam (½yr)
-
Australia
(1yr)
-
Central and Eastern Europe:
Croatia (½yr), Czech Republic (9yr), Estonia, Hungary (½yr), Poland
(2yr), Romania (3yr)
-
Europe:
UK (resident), France (2yr), Germany (½yr), Switzerland (½yr), Sweden
2012
February to now
Puma-Energy (Trafigura)
Global Head of ERP
Puma-Energy
(Trafigura) is implementing Navision Microsoft Dynamics
NAV ERP throughout their global downstream oil and gas business in
refining, storage, distribution, aviation and retail. Products include fuel
oil, diesel, petrol (gasoline), LPG, lubricants and bitumen plus retail
goods in retail shops in service stations.
Employed by
Trafigura as Global Head of ERP for Puma-Energy reporting to the CIO, Ben is
directing the delivery of Microsoft Navision NAV 5 in 30 countries including Angola, Australia,
Belize, Caribbean, Congo, Corpus Christi, DRC, Dubai, El Salvador, Estonia,
Geneva, Ghana, Guatemala, Honduras, Indonesia, Ivory Coast, Mozambique,
Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Puerto Rico, Singapore, South Africa, US Virgin
Islands and Vietnam.
Ben has
personally directed NAV ERP delivery in country in Honduras, Guatemala, El
Salvador, Estonia, Tanzania, Angola, Indonesia, Vietnam and Australia and
Papua New Guinea.
Ben’s responsibilities have included directing Accenture, Logico, Tectura
and KCP and their subcontractors, and local planning and budgeting. Ben
recruited, trained and directed local teams, both contract and permanent.
Ben has
directed the analysis, design, Agile development and deployment of NAV
customisation in Australia since 2012 including the development of new NAV
modules for Retail, Fuel Card and POS integration.
2010 to 2012
sparesFinder Global Head of Channels
sparesFinder provide consultancy and SAP/ERP integrated software for MDM
data cleaning. Clients include: Coca Cola, Glaxo Smith Kline, Heinz, ICI,
Lafarge, Nestle, PepsiCo, Ryvita, Rolls Royce, RS, Staples, Tate & Lyle,
Unilever, British American Tobacco, Gallaher, Philip Morris, BHPP, Newmont,
AGIP, Apache, BG, BP, Britannia, Centrica, Chevron, Conoco, Exxon,
Halliburton, Kerr McGee, KOC, Marathon, Marafiq, Natpet, SABIC, Sahara,
Shell, Talisman, Tasnee, TMK Ipsco, Wilson.
-
Building new channel relationships with major global consultancies
-
Established new market for sparesFinder in UAE
- New
clients include Etisalat telecom and ADMA
2008 to 2010
Knowledge Reservoir Oil and Gas Consultancy
Services and Business Development Europe,
Africa, Middle East
-
Sold and contracted €multi-million
global consultancy agreement with OMV
-
Achieved pre-qualification
registration with ADNOC group.
-
Established UAE market presence
including Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Qatar
-
Built relationships with global oil
companies including Afren,
Anadarko, Apache, BG, BHP, Centrica, Chariot, CNR, ENI, Enquest,
Fairfield, Falkland, Firstoil,
GDF, Hess, JKX, Maersk, Marathon, MND, Nippon, OMV, Petro-Canada, Petrom,
Pioneer, Premier, Serica, Shell, Silverstone, Sterling, Talisman,
Venture,
Xcite, Crescent Petroleum, Dubai Petroleum, ADNOC, ADCO, ADMA, ZADCO, ADOC, Total, Oxy, Qatar
Petroleum, RAK, KOC, Kuwait Energy
-
Took over accounts and territories
from several departing colleagues
-
Successfully rescued Project
Management of £multi-million field development project which was in
trouble with unhappy client and uncontrolled expenditure
-
Project Managed large integrated
field development studies including Geology, Geophysics, Reservoir
Engineering, Simulation, Modelling
-
Formal
reference available on
request
2004 to
now
Independent Consultant
-
Consultancy in Prague, Paris and London included interim strategic
consultancy to global leaders of world brand Tobacco Company
BAT
and strategic consultancy to global leaders of
Areva world-leading Nuclear Energy
company, in English and French.
-
Benchmarking IT functions to global
financial best practice standards
- Strategic consultancy including
designing and implementing an exit strategy for a Prague company
- Strategic consultancy including
designing and implementing a successful Prague company start-up
2003 to 2004
Misys International Banking Financial Services Software T/o £1bn
Global Product Services Director
Selected
to
to introduce
and implement wide ranging change and to direct 300 staff worldwide developing and supporting software
- Reversed collapsing
global blue-chip Customer Satisfaction rating from “very dissatisfied”
to “very satisfied” within first six months
- Reversed client defections to competitors by
building personal relationships of trust with board members of client banks
- Provided key account pre-sales and sales support
- Introduced
ITIL IT Service Management
- New strategy for 24/7 follow-the-sun customer
support
- Initiated, championed
and directed rationalisation of offshore development in Philippines and
India increasing capacity, improving quality and reducing cost
- Instigated and directed
convergence of leading financial software packages building continued
market leadership into the next generation of products
1996 to 2003
Deloitte & Touche Global
Auditing and Consulting T/o $12bn
Partner in charge SAP in 17 countries
Selected
to develop create new Consultancy service line in Czech Republic
- Established Board Level
relationships, personally selling projects up to $23m
- Reviewed staff and
business unit, transforming strategic direction and driving consultancy
fee sales revenue from
$100,000 p.a. to $3m p.a. within 12 months
- Achieved recognition of
global quality, enabling the business unit to join European consultant
sharing policy, generating additional $6m pa fees
- As
Engagement Partner directed Project Management of complex international
systems implementations with lead responsibility for all client interactions
- Devised and implemented
international recruitment policy, recruiting, training and deploying 100
consultants from 14 nationalities throughout the region
- Commissioned publicity
video in which clients generously praise the quality of the team and
project delivery
- Clients included Telecom, Mobile Telecom,
Automotive, Beverage
- Oil company clients included MOL
Budapest and INA Industrija Nafte Zagreb
- Appointed to devise and
lead strategy to develop and consolidate internal and vendor relationships
throughout Europe, Middle East and Africa
- Championed SAP global
business development strategy during holding company separation, whilst
integrating Andersen Business Consulting teams
- Successfully
implemented these combined strategies, achieving revenue of $11m pa within
15 months, totalling $70m in 7 years at 30% profitability
1995-1996
Coopers & Lybrand
Global Auditing and Consulting T/o $8bn
SAP Consultancy Service Leader
Invited
to establish SAP Consultancy in Czech Republic
- Performed strategic
review, developed and won approval for business plan, achieving $1m
revenue sold, managed and delivered within 12 months
- Initiated Central
European cooperation enabling unified market approach
- Clients included Telecom, Electricity, Gas,
Retail, Automotive, Financial Services
1995
SAP R/3 Academy,
SAP Berlin Germany
Residential training in the SAP R/3 Academy in SAP Berlin Germany. SAP
certified by examinations as SAP Financial Consultant.
1993-1995
PE International
Consulting T/o $300m
Project Director
- Developed
and presented bid, sold and delivered $2m+ project to create National
Market Information System in Romania
- Recruited and directed team of 20 consultants, and
created local office and company presence in Bucharest
- Selected and contracted local software companies
and established post-project system longevity
- Collaborated with
telecom and data services to connect 200 markets
1992
– 1993 Warwick
University. MBA Master of Business
Administration
1986 – 1992 Bowater
Global Manufacturing T/o $3bn
European Development Director
MiTek Inc T/o $150m
Approached to turnaround the company
- Reviewed strategic
position, proposed business transformation, piloting new technology and
winning board approval for fast track implementation
- Successfully returned
the company to premier international competitive position, initiating and
implementing fundamental changes in 300 customers
- Direct personal intervention to retain threatened
key accounts and win new clients
- Designed and commissioned hardware accelerators
used by 300 customers, providing them with a tenfold increase in
productivity
- Designed and commissioned innovative time license
hardware to lock proprietary software
- Designed and implemented automated machine tool
control systems
- Designed and implemented radical software
innovation providing significant competitive advantages
- Directed pan-European
teams of software and manufacturing technology developers, achieving sales
of $45m pa sales within 2 years
- Implemented
acquisitions in Europe and the USA, including integrating operations of
$150m pa global competitor
1985 – 1986 Skanska
Engineering Company T/o $17bn
Technology Director DATECH Software Sales
Approached to create new IT software
sales company
- Built new business
achieving profit with £1m sales within first 12 months, building
foundations for £10m sales in subsequent years
- Specialising in highly technical software such as
Chemical Engineering, Petrochemicals, Finite Element Analysis, CAD
1982 – 1985 M H Anderson Consultants
$500m Technical Consultancy
Head of IT & Software
Development
- Promoted to lead a team
of 20+ analyst programmers developing engineering and financial software.
- Sold and managed outsourcing contracts for the Department of
Transport, including a helpdesk and nationwide support.
- Designed, coded, implemented and supported
advanced finite element analysis software and 3D graphics
- Designed, coded, implemented and supported
innovative new engineering design software
- Managed the design, development, implementation
and management of business systems, timesheet systems, billing systems
1981 – 1982 Harris & Sutherland Consultants
$70m Engineering Consultancy
Senior Engineer
(also seconded ‘78–‘79)
- Led design teams for
military and civil projects,
bridges, finite element analysis, theatres,48 storey building, prisons,
hospitals, housing, roof structures
- Designed programmed and implemented
software for seismic building design
1975 – 1981 John Laing
($1bn Engineering
Company)
Project Engineer (UK and
Poland)
- Managed projects in petrochemical
plants, power generation and transportation, including engineer in charge
motorway bridges M63 and M25.
1975 British
Antarctic Survey
-
Selected and employed as geophysical
surveyor by British Antarctic Survey.
Polar expedition 18 months at South Pole cancelled by Government funding
cuts
1974 Geoscience
Consulting
-
Selected and employed as geophysical
surveyor by British Antarctic Survey.
Qualifications
1971-1975 MA Engineering
Cambridge University
1992-1993 MBA Master of
Business Administration
Warwick University
1980 Chartered
European Engineer. Chartered Civil Engineer
Special Commendation for
Excellence from Institution of Civil Engineers
1990 Chartered
IT Professional
1996 Certified
Financial Consultant
SAP Academy Berlin
2006 PRINCE2
Certified Advanced Project Manager
2007 Non-Executive
Director
Cranfield University
(Residential Training)
Languages
French
- business, Polish, Romanian, Czech - useful
Personal
British. Married,
3 children. Willing to relocate. Enjoy
travel.
Currently UK location provides
easy travel to Heathrow, London, Bracknell and Reading by train and motorway.
Also own a holiday home 15 minutes from Prague Airport.
“Ben is the best boss I ever had.”
Attila Feher, Senior ABAP developer, reported to Ben at
Deloitte & Touche
“Ben
is a bright, energetic, client focused, "can do" professional. He recruited
then mentored and grew a body of professionals into a seasoned team of
professionals, who shared his vision and unwavering passion to quality and
client service. I had the pleasure of having him as my colleague and seeing,
"up close", his single-minded focus on client service and quality.”
Azam Sher. managed Ben indirectly at Deloitte & Touche
“Ben
was responsible for our implementation of SAP - the most comprehensive in
CEE - including a total BPR. He is a great guy to work with and very
professional. Due to his skills we managed to succeed. My best
recommendations!” Dennis
Thaagaard was Ben's client
“Ben
stood out as an exceptionally visionary and energetic leader, rapidly
growing his SAP consulting practice into the largest and most profitable
service line in our region. At the same time Ben demonstrated tremendous
"people skills", generating enthusiasm wherever he went and gaining the
support and respect of clients, colleagues and staff alike.” Steve Knabe worked directly with Ben at Deloitte & Touche
"I was impressed by Ben's
capability to build successful consulting business from zero to multi million
business. He had vision and made it into a reality.”
Egils Simanovskis, SAP Senior Consultant
reported to Ben at Deloitte & Touche
“Some
people understand technology, fewer understand technology and have the
skills to deliver, rare are the individuals who combine the two with a deep
understanding of business issues. Ben utilises this valuable combination of
skills to great effect. Together we developed a business plan for SAP
services, Ben made sure he delivered...” Mats Beem managed Ben at Coopers & Lybrand
"Ben Couzens is a brilliant man. He has
the ability to grasp incredibly complex systems-related
issues, and to connect powerfully with human beings in
meaningful ways -- a person who is a rare combination of
technically gifted and interpersonally skilled.”
Lenann McGookey Gardner, President, Lenann McGookey
Gardner Management Consulting, Inc.
“Ben was my boss for almost 6 years at
Deloitte&Touche. Ben was a exceptionally great manager and
excellent leader. He inspired us all to do our best and earned
our respect almost immediately with his depth of knowledge,
experience and patience. Always able to motivate people and
lead them to success.”
Frantisek Honsa, Manager for SAP, Deloitte & Touche
reported to Ben at Deloitte & Touche
“I worked under Ben at Deloitte in
Prague and found him an excellent manager with an enviable
understanding of the Central and Eastern European business
environment.”
Dan Taylor, Senior Management Consultant, Deloitte Central
Europe, Prague, Deloitte & Touche reported to Ben at Deloitte
& Touche
“I was impressed by Ben's capability to
build successful consulting business from zero to multi
million business. He had vision and made it into a reality.”
Egils Simanovskis, SAP Senior Consultant, Deloitte
reported to Ben at Deloitte & Touche
“I fully subscribe to my Deloitte former
colleagues comments on the Internet, with Mr. Couzens I had
the best and happiest time in my entire professional life. We
regretted very much his departure from DTCE because without
him good projects became scarce.”
Cristina Chiriac, SAP Senior Consultant, Deloitte reported
to Ben at Deloitte & Touche
Click
here for 
I enjoy
my family, socialising, sailing,
cycling, rambling, opera, travelling and experiencing new national cultures.
I am a violinist in Reading Symphony
Orchestra, I am the
Cambridge
University and Daily Telegraph expat
mentor for Prague
