Team Biography
Hemant Desai
Associate Consultant
Hemant is an experienced and performance orientated Commercial Director specialising in business growth in on-line/E-commerce retail and travel organisations, both as a consultant and senior manager, utilising a blend of strong commercial focus, e-commerce experience, sharp financial acumen and operational understanding.
Delivered a significant record of added value achievements by synthesising complex issues into simple, achievable delivery plans and by driving a focus on customers, quality and results through people. These achievements include: Commercial Management
q Transforming subsidiaries of easyJet into generating in excess of £250m p.a. in revenue and improving profit contribution from around £50m to over £100m p.a. in two years.
q Improving E-commerce Travel Services commission in one area by more than 1600% for a low cost airline based in Eastern Europe.
q Delivering multi-million pound enterprise wide cost reductions for a number of businesses through supplier negotiations and business process re-engineering.
q Introducing management reporting and control processes for fast ferry operator
Strategic Change & Delivery
q Integrating the airlines bmi and BMED (a British Airways franchise) to deliver the largest growth in bmi history.
q Integrating the airlines easyJet and Go-Fly Ltd (an acquisition from 3i and British Airways) in half of the planned time and at two thirds planned budget.
q Seamlessly changing easyJet’s business model from operating a pure Boeing fleet to a mixed Airbus/Boeing fleet well within planned timescales and constraints despite City Analysts placing a significant risk on this programme.
q Restructuring management and services for a fast ferry operator to improve profitability by over £1m.
q Directing a strategic E-Business project for a global direct marketing company.
Business Profile
Thames Clippers | Jan 08 – Apr 08 |
Managing Director (Interim) |
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Ø Improved operating profit by £1m by reducing frequency of services so as to reduce direct operating costs. This also improved customer service delivery. Ø Initiated implementation of organisational re-structuring programme and performance based incentive programme to reduce overheads by 15%. Ø Introduced management reporting and analysis processes to achieve better control of business and strengthen relationship with major shareholders. |
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bmi (British Midland Airways) | Feb 07 - Nov 07 |
Integration Director (Interim) |
Ø Successfully delivered the largest ever business expansion in bmi history through the integration of BMED an airline generating £100m in revenue. Ø Savings of £9m were achieved through group tax loss management. Ø Identified and initiated delivery of synergies in excess of £14m. Ø Managed programme team of over 25 staff to deliver on time and budget. |
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Manchester Airports Group | Oct 06 - Feb 07 |
e-Commerce Consultant (Interim) |
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Ø Developed and delivered initial steps of a direct channel and web strategy through the establishment of a series of commercial trials. These trials more than tripled on-line revenue for the group. Ø Provided key insights to corporate strategy and the set-up of a change programme framework to chief executives office. |
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SkyEurope | Jul 06 – Sep 06 |
e-Commerce Consultant (Interim) |
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Ø Conducted a review of non-flight E-Commerce Strategy (Ancillary Revenue). Ø Identified opportunities in excess of €5m. Ø Managed change process to improve on-line/E-commerce contribution in one area by over 1600% (from €50k to €800k over 3 years) |
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easyJet plc | Jan 01 – May 06 |
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Head Of Ancillary Revenue | Jan 04 – May 06 |
Directed e-businesses generating revenue in excess of £250m p.a. increasing contribution from around £50m to over £100m p.a. in less than two years. |
Ø Re-branded travel product and service subsidiaries to be more closely associated with easyJet brand and to have greater European appeal. Ø Enabled easyJet to be the first airline in the world to dynamically package travel insurance and car rental with flight sales on the web. This more than tripled on-line conversion rates. Ø Developed easyJet marketing strategy to ensure that both flight and travel services propositions were better promoted on and off line. Ø Strengthened direct marketing capability to drive up conversion rates. Ø Restructured commercial agreements with partners to a shared risk and reward model that improved contribution by an average of 10% and introduced income guarantees. Ø Developed in-flight retail to become the 6th biggest in-flight retailer in the world (2005) by improving product range and on-board merchandising. Ø Designed retail focussed training and incentives resulting in easyJet winning best low cost airline in-flight sales person for three consecutive years. Ø Negotiated in excess of £2m from third parties by selling marketing services such as web site advertising and inclusion in easyJet emails. |
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Programme Director | Jan 01 – Dec 03 |
Successfully delivered a number of strategic programmes for easyJet. |
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Strategic Change Programme |
Ø Developed strategy for the introduction of assets (120 Airbus A319s) valued at over £3bn. Ø Designed controlled business changes in order to deliver a significant change in business model from pure Boeing fleet to a mixed Airbus/Boeing fleet. Ø Managed 30 staff in multiple cross-functional and Pan-European work-streams. Ø Maintained confidence of key business stakeholders including national Regulators. |
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Post Merger Integration Programme |
Ø Managed the integration of two low-cost airlines (easyJet and Go) in half of the originally planned time and at two-thirds the planned cost. Ø Generated nearly £30m in synergies as a result of the integration. Ø Accountable for the activities and deliverables of an integration team of over 50 staff. |
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Corporate Growth Programme |
Ø Developed corporate business model and growth strategy. Ø Managed preparations for introduction of Euro in January 2002. Ø Directed a number of strategic systems selections. |
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Enterprise Wide Cost Reduction Programme |
Ø Managed a regular process for identifying business improvements delivering efficiencies in excess of £10m. Ø Led a cross-functional negotiation team to deliver £20m savings from suppliers following the effects on the competitive environment of 11th September 2001. Ø Re-engineered airport ground handling processes to improve efficiencies and delivered £4m in operational savings. |
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PricewaterhouseCoopers | Jan 98 – Dec 00 |
Management Consultant |
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Ø Led teams across the UK and US in developing business start-up plans and securing $10m seed capital for a new on-line corporate travel proposition. Ø Developed a market entry plan for a new freight logistics internet portal and gained initial round of $1m capital from parent company. Ø Designed and managed the business integration plan for the strategic alliance of two major European airlines Ø Formulated a strategy to deliver £5m synergies from integrated European operations for a Pan-European medical supplies company. Ø Developed an Information Systems vision and re-structured project portfolio for a British sports car manufacturer to save £1m in non value added spend. Ø Directed a strategic E-Business project for a global direct marketing company. |
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CSC Computer Sciences Ltd | Oct 95 – Dec 97 |
Management Consultant |
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Ø Led an strategy implementation team for the replacement of a strategic IT system within a global agricultural equipment manufacturer. Ø Managed a business transformation team through the piloting of a new enterprise-wide resource planning system for a major aerospace manufacturer and gained Board approval for full implementation. Ø Advised on a programme preparing a leading utility company for the de-regulation of the UK gas and electricity markets. Ø Facilitated the development of an integrated business solution for enhanced energy management for a leading utility company. |
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Cranfield School Of Management | Oct 94 – Oct 95 |
Ø Studied full-time for an MBA |
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Logica (now CMGLogica) | Oct 90 – Sep 94 |
Information Systems Consultant |
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Ø Designed and developed modules for a number of mission-critical Government command and control systems. |
Qualifications
MBA – Cranfield School of Management
BSc (Hons) Computing & Information Systems (2:1) – University of Manchester
Certified Management Consultant
Diploma in Marketing