Christopher Harrington
Fleet,Hampshire
Summary
Strategic and results-driven Managing Director and Sales Director with 20+ years of experience in executive leadership, commercial strategy, and business growth. Adept at driving revenue, optimising operations, and leading high-performance teams. Proven ability to scale businesses, increase profitability, and develop competitive market strategies. Strong expertise in P&L management, business transformation, and international market expansion.
A decisive leader, passionate about innovation, stakeholder engagement, and long-term value creation. I thrive in fast-paced, competitive markets and have successfully led teams to achieve double-digit revenue growth and expansion into international markets. My leadership philosophy is rooted in empowerment, collaboration, and data-driven decision-making to drive sustainable success.
Overview
28
28
years of professional experience
6023
6023
years of post-secondary education
Work history
Managing Director and Sales Director
Resorthoppa (UK) Ltd t/a hoppaGo
Woking, UK
01.2018 - 02.2025
- Define and execute business strategy, achieving 50% revenue growth
- Delivered 67% profit growth in an increasingly price-competitive market
- Manage full P&L responsibility, ensuring profitability and financial sustainability, managing business costs during industry downturn
- Spearheaded sales and business development strategies, expanding strategic partnerships in MENA, EMEA, and LATAM markets
- Expanded brand presence in new industry markets, securing high-value contracts worth £9 million
- Oversee business transformation initiatives, improving operational efficiency through increased use of automation and AI, resulting in a 120% reduction in cost to serve
- Developed innovative sales approaches, improving conversion rates by 40% with more automated lead generation and new business onboarding capabilities
- Development of new business pipeline to £14m, with £6m deliverable within 12 months for the current year
Chief Sales and Commercial Director
Maru /edr
Southampton, UK
01.2016 - 01.2018
- Delivered SaaS and consultancy-based solutions to B2B markets, including Travel & Hospitality, Financial Services, Retail, Technology, Media, and Telecoms
- Created and implemented Lead Generation and Business Development strategy, leading to 12% year-on-year revenue growth in the first year
- Developed and deployed sales CRM and marketing systems
- Led new business generation and complex contract negotiations, securing 9 internationally recognized client logos worth £1.1m within 12 months
- Expanded pipeline by 500% to £7m within 12 months
Head of Programme Development
CLT International Ltd
Birmingham, UK
01.2015 - 01.2016
- Led Programme Development department, responsible for sales, programme development, and operational delivery
- Recruited, coached, and mentored staff to drive continuous personal and professional development
- Monitored market and competitor activity to develop and execute tactical sales & marketing strategies
- Managed and developed relationships with key account clients & stakeholders
Commercial Sales Director
UKCG Group Ltd
Belper, UK
01.2012 - 01.2015
- Managed company revenue growth from £18m to £31m
- Developed a strong network of key accounts across 26 EMEA, APAC, SCA, and NA regions
- Increased client base from 40 to 55, broadening and deepening customer relationships
- Led profitability growth from EBITDA £0.5m to £1.1m through infrastructure investment
- Led and developed the sales team across multiple offices in 8 countries
International Commercial Manager
HSBC Bank Plc
Birmingham, UK
01.2006 - 01.2012
- Managed an international client portfolio, achieving 20%+ year-on-year revenue growth
Credit & Risk Manager
HSBC Bank Plc
Birmingham, UK
01.1997 - 01.2012
- Managed credit risk, ensured compliance with internal and external market regulations, analysed credit risk, and monitored exposure
Cluster Branch Manager
HSBC Bank Plc
Birmingham, UK
01.2000 - 01.2003
- Oversaw 7 branches, leading a team of 61 staff and delivering revenue and operational targets
Education
Executive Leadership Program -
London Business School
Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO) -
Scrum Alliance
LLB (Hons) -
Birmingham City University
Skills
- Leadership & Strategy
- Commercial & Financial Management
- Sales & Business Development
- Operations & Performance Optimisation
- People & Culture Leadership
- Communication & Negotiation
Technology & Tools
CRM & ERP
HubSpot, Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics, Zoho, Netsuite
Reporting
Superset, Power BI, Tableau, Datadog
Operations
Zendesk, Freshdesk, HubSpot, Sprinklr, Crisp
Communication
WhatsApp for Business, Twilio, 3CX, Aircall, Ringover
Project Management
Jira, Confluence, Miro
Process Management
Zapier, Scribe, Skore
Timeline
Managing Director and Sales Director
Resorthoppa (UK) Ltd t/a hoppaGo
01.2018 - 02.2025
Chief Sales and Commercial Director
Maru /edr
01.2016 - 01.2018
Head of Programme Development
CLT International Ltd
01.2015 - 01.2016
Commercial Sales Director
UKCG Group Ltd
01.2012 - 01.2015
International Commercial Manager
HSBC Bank Plc
01.2006 - 01.2012
Cluster Branch Manager
HSBC Bank Plc
01.2000 - 01.2003
Credit & Risk Manager
HSBC Bank Plc
01.1997 - 01.2012
Executive Leadership Program -
London Business School
Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO) -
Scrum Alliance
LLB (Hons) -
Birmingham City University