Graeme Cleland
Colchester,Essex
Summary
Accomplished executive with extensive expertise in operational strategy, full P&L accountability, and cost control. Proven track record in business turnaround, strategic leadership, and vision. Adept at business planning and strategy, growth strategy, and multi-site operations. Skilled in cross-functional team building, training and mentoring, and business transformation. Demonstrated success in system innovation, high-performing teams, customer excellence, and business change and restructuring. Proficient in process and service improvement, performance management, strategic partnerships, commercial contract negotiations, revenue generation, profit margins growth, new business development, entrepreneurship and start-ups. Experienced in sales strategy and leadership, due diligence, M&A activities including business sale/exit. Expertise in operational and cost efficiencies with a focus on stakeholder engagement and shareholder value creation. Committed to ethical governance and corporate social responsibility with a strong emphasis on strategic visioning and innovation cultivation.
Driven professional with keen ability to manage and coordinate executive tasks, ensuring seamless operations. Demonstrates strong communication and organisational skills, with proven track record in project management and stakeholder engagement. Poised to contribute to strategic initiatives and drive operational success.
Overview
14
14
years of professional experience
Work history
Executive Managing Director
ORKIN UK Services
2024.06 - 2026.07
- Leadership, motivation and coaching of a team of 7 direct reports, with a total headcount of 55 FTEs
- Reduced costs by rationalising property portfolio, and standardising work terms and conditions
- Focussed on returning the businesses to profitability, delivered IT systems and change to drive efficiencies
- Retained corporate core Blue Chip Accounts
- Reinvigorated a service first culture
- Improved profitability through new revenues and service improvements.
- Managing Director Albany Environmental Services and NBC Environment.
Director
37 Degrees South LTD
2023.02 - 2024.06
- Delivered capacity and leadership advice following Cyclone Gabrielle in New Zealand (Voluntary)
- Startup CEO for a new model domiciliary and residential care provider.
- Delivered service expansion and improvement plans for a confidential Healthcare client
- Delivered NED advice for an Industrial service provider in East of England.
- Ongoing strategic due diligence and advice assignments in operations across industry.
Chief Operating Officer
Biogroup UK Ltd UK
2022.09 - 2023.01
- Delivered a structured, mile-stoned strategy for a pivot to new market and delivery focus
- Made preparations for regulatory changes to facilitate new focus (UKAS, CQC, MHRA, NeQAS)
- Completed business restructuring and preparations for next strategic focus in new markets
- Delivered 5 Year Strategic Plan, and invigorated the internal commercial focus in preparation for next steps to new markets, including governance and commercial arrangements, with initial tactical plan developed
- Future development plans shelved due to changes in Economic Outlook in both parent holding (France) and local UK
- Initiated and delivered Business Mothballing Plan
Chief Business Officer – 6M Contract
Arctech Innovation Ltd UK
2022.03 - 2022.09
- Responsible for refining and delivering the pitch deck, developing the 5-year Business Plan including the exit strategy
- Completed a governance and core competency review focussed on maximising Enterprise Value to deliver further Fundraise traction as required to progress
- Implemented a strategic relationship process to ensure minimisation of Conflicts of Interest following Spin-Out from the London school of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
- Held key relationships with Brokers and Hedge Funds
General Manager
SYNLAB UK
2018.09 - 2022.02
- Responsible for all aspects of P&L general business management and strategic business development, with full remit for generating turnover of £37m, improving profitability and developing client relationships.
- Parachuted into role as General Manager to rescue the NHS SYNLAB JV Partnership, providing Pathology Services at Scale across the Mid and South Essex STP, and tasked with negotiating lucrative healthcare sector contracts with the NHS, CCG and Regional Commissioners.
- Focused on rapidly halting a slide into P&L losses, stabilising the business and boosting profitable turnover.
- Leadership, management and motivation of a team of 16 direct reports, with total headcount of 500+ FTEs.
- Key member of the Joint Venture Board, engaging with both SYNLAB UK and NHS sector stakeholders.
- Spearheaded the achievement of ambitious KPIs on financial performance, quality metrics, staff metrics, scientific target, service user satisfaction and regulatory performance.
- Achieved first period of profitability for the JV in FY 2018/19, meeting profit targets in FY2019/2020
- Turnover target was £23m and AEBITDA £1m, delivering actuals of £24m and £1.2m respectively
- Targets for 2020/21 are £27m and £2.4m respectively, after Q2 over £900k ahead of target plan
- Drove business turnaround, reducing costs, implementing LEAN methods & reducing staff attrition
- Scaled-up the business from Mon-Fri service, into a responsive, 24/7 business supporting the NHS
- Championed & promoted a culture of continuous improvement, instrumental in business turnaround
- Successfully introduced new demand management, new training and development methodologies
- Led the SYNLAB UK Laboratory Network through Covid-19 operational unprecedented challenges
Managing Director
Taurus Healthcare Ltd
2012.06 - 2018.08
- Responsible for all aspects of P&L business leadership and strategic business development with a Primary Care Provider Organisation, supporting a portfolio of 185k patients across 24 GP practices, t/o of £9.8m.
- Tasked with establishing a start-up business to private primary care services at scale, along with ‘out of hospital’ care to the public.
- Key role in negotiating healthcare contracts with the NHS, CCG & Regional Commissioners.
- Recognised for success by both the NHS and the wider GP Community nationally for being one of the 3 Primary Care innovators by integrating the partnership in a limited liability model.
- Leadership, motivation and coaching of a team of 7 direct reports, with a total headcount of 55 FTEs
- Reduced costs by £2.7m p.a. (from £12m to £9.3m) on a Shared Risk &Reward Model with the NHS
- Secured a £3.3m+ PMAF Contract with NHS England to provide a 7-day primary care service levels
- Boosted profitability, achieving an EBITDA of 22% in the first year alone, and one of 15% in Year 4
- Took the business from £400k t/o to over £3.8m by second year by winning new contracts and clients
- Delivered £406k investment on new IT Infrastructure by maintaining tight fiscal controls and forecasts
- Prior to 2012 I held senior roles with Schlumberger BUPA Home Healthcare and others globally.
Education
FCIM Fellow Chartered Institute of Management - Business and Finance
Chartered Institute of Mangement
LondonNational Diploma in Management - Business Studies
Massey University New Zealand
PRINCE2 - Training
PRINCE2 - Practitioner
Leading Complex Sales
Strategy for Directors, Leadership for Directors - undefined
The Institute of Directors - MInstD, Member
Skills
- Operational Strategy
- Full P&L Accountability
- Cost Control
- Business Turnaround
- Strategic Leadership & Vision
- Business Planning & Strategy
- Growth Strategy
- Multi-Site Operations
- Cross-Functional Team Building
- Training & Mentoring
- Business Transformation
- System Innovation
- High Performing Teams
- Customer Excellence
- Business Change & Restructuring
- Process & Service Improvement
- Performance Management
- Strategic Partnerships
- Commercial Contract Negotiations
- Revenue Generation
- Profit Margins Growth
- New Business
- Entrepreneurship & Start-ups
- Sales Strategy & Leadership
- Due Diligence
- M&A
- Business Sale/Exit
- Operational & Cost Efficiencies
- Stakeholder Engagement
- Shareholder Value Creation
- IoD
- Ethical governance
- Corporate social responsibility
- Strategic visioning
- Ethics and sustainability
- Executive presentation
- Customer relationship management software
- Leadership proficiency
- Quality assurance auditing
- Executive decision-making
- Change facilitation
- International diplomacy
- Department management
- Organisational strategies
- Training and mentoring
- Operation management
- Board management
Hobbies and Interests
Away from the business world I enjoy family time, most sports and wine tasting.
Additional information
- Leads cross-functional teams with an ‘open’ approach, improving overall staff morale
- Accomplished Chief Operating Officer with strong experience aligning business goals with strategy & tactical initiatives to gain competitive advantage & realise business potential, delivering increased shareholder value
- Experienced in delivering profitable growth, building relationships with partners & customers, understanding markets, developing new customers, optimising sales potential, taking out costs and boosting overall EBITDA
Other
UK / NZ Citizen (Dual Nationality)
Timeline
Executive Managing Director
ORKIN UK Services
2024.06 - 2026.07
Director
37 Degrees South LTD
2023.02 - 2024.06
Chief Operating Officer
Biogroup UK Ltd UK
2022.09 - 2023.01
Chief Business Officer – 6M Contract
Arctech Innovation Ltd UK
2022.03 - 2022.09
General Manager
SYNLAB UK
2018.09 - 2022.02
Managing Director
Taurus Healthcare Ltd
2012.06 - 2018.08
The Institute of Directors - MInstD, Member
Strategy for Directors, Leadership for Directors - undefined
Leading Complex Sales
PRINCE2 - Practitioner
PRINCE2 - Training
FCIM Fellow Chartered Institute of Management - Business and Finance
Chartered Institute of Mangement
National Diploma in Management - Business Studies
Massey University New Zealand