William Filby
Summary
Results-driven sales professional with expertise in business growth, planning, budgeting, and analysis. Strong negotiation skills support strategic acquisition of new clients while enhancing relationships with existing customers. Experienced in selling premium food and drink products to diverse retail and wholesale markets, utilizing a research-focused approach to deliver tailored solutions that meet customer needs.
Overview
28
28
years of professional experience
Work History
Account Manager
Hellenic Grocery
01.2025 - Current
- Managed high-end food retail, wholesale, and restaurant accounts to drive sales growth.
- 1500+ Authentic Greek, Cypriot and Cretan products including feta, pitta breads, olives, olive oils, honeys, halloumi, gyros, souvlaki etc.
- Oversaw operations for premium Greek food import company, Hellenic Grocery, enhancing product visibility.
- Negotiated notice period of four weeks with potential employers to align timelines.
Director
Surrey Hills Bottling
01.2017 - 01.2024
- Secured investment of £1.5m through EIS and ordinary shares and loans across the six years.
- Provided comprehensive drinks production facilities, encompassing drink development, label design, packaging solutions, and product testing.
- Revenue rising to £342k in 2021.
- Cultivated strong relationships with brewers, driving increased sales and expanding product offerings.
- Oversaw compliant product withdrawal, coordinating with Environmental Health and communicating effectively with affected customers.
- Developed a bespoke cider, label and case for Kew Gardens - 2022, going on to produce two further lines.
- Managed a product withdrawal complying and liaising with the Environmental Health and all customers affected.
Director
The Garden Cider Company Ltd
01.2014 - 01.2024
- Secured retail partnerships with Tesco (80 stores), Waitrose (25 stores), Southern Co-op (15 stores), and LIDL for national promotion, achieving 'Highly Commended Waitrose Treading Lightly' award in 2015 and delivering products to 13 distribution hubs valued at £70,000.
- A second national deal was agreed following this success.
- ASDA - National, The Crown Estate - Saville Garden, Squires Garden Centres - 10 sites, National Trust - 15 sites.
- Grew our membership to over 3000 suppliers.
- Developed eight cider varieties across bottle, keg, and bag-in-box formats for nationwide distribution.
- Navigated a centrally controlled retail market by engaging regional and national buyers and key stakeholders to drive product acceptance.
- Some of the success involved proving the viability of the products in a smaller number of sites before then expanding.
- A concept unique to the UK in a commercial sense, Garden Cider launched to make cider 100% from spare and unused garden and orchard apples, addressing the food waste problems the country faced / faces, providing the public with a way to use their spare fruit. Sustainable and ethically made products.
Commercial Manager
Future Insights
01.2012 - 01.2014
- Managed all events sponsorship revenue, including key accounts.
- Secured sponsorship investments from major companies including Microsoft, Google, Facebook, and Amazon Web Services.
- Led tech startup Future Insights in organizing prominent conferences such as Future of Web Apps and Future of Web Design.
Sales Manager
Carsonified
01.2008 - 01.2011
- Managed all events sponsorship revenue, including key accounts.
- Secured sponsorship investments from major brands including Microsoft, Google, Facebook, and Amazon Web Services, strengthening event partnerships.
- Led operations for Carsonified, a tech startup in Bath, UK, recognized for organizing prominent tech conferences.
Account Manager, EMEA Events
Gartner
12.2006 - 12.2007
- Secured £400k in sponsorship and partnership revenue for IT Channel Vision 07 (Event) within first two months.
- Achieved 90% onsite renewal rate for 2008 ITCV, generating £360k in revenue.
- Gartner is a multinational technology research company providing expertise and guidance to leading companies.
Head of Commercial Development - Insurance Times Events
Newsquest Financial Media
London, UK
01.2004 - 12.2004
- Joined Newsquest as Sales Manager of a new events team to complement the well-established Insurance Times brand.
- Expanded events team from two to five, enhancing sales and logistics capabilities.
- Executed launch of annual awards event generating £530K revenue, annual sailing regatta generating £220K, and one-off strategy conference achieving £500K revenue.
- Initiated multiple smaller events, including seminars and road shows, to engage target audiences.
- Newsquest Financial Media is a media company focused on financial news and events.
Sponsorship Team Leader
SMi Group
London, UK
01.1998 - 12.2001
- Joined SMi in 1998 as delegate team leader, expanding delegate sales operation.
- Directed the activities of 2 sales executives.
- Promoted to Sponsorship Executive in Jan 2000, enhancing sponsorship strategy.
- Advanced to Sponsorship Team Leader in Sept 2000, managing major sponsorship clients and overseeing annual revenues exceeding £400K.
- SMi Group is a company that organizes conferences and events across various sectors.
Education
LLB Honours degree - Law
University of Westminster
Holborn, LondonSkills
- Client management
- Client onboarding
- Customer relationship management
- Sales forecasting
- Sales reporting
- Negotiation strategies
- Account strategy
- Sales and Business Development
- Product knowledge
- Market analysis
- Revenue analysis
- Strategic planning
- Data-driven decision making
- Team leadership
- Brand awareness
Languages
English
First Language
Timeline
Account Manager
Hellenic Grocery
01.2025 - Current
Director
Surrey Hills Bottling
01.2017 - 01.2024
Director
The Garden Cider Company Ltd
01.2014 - 01.2024
Commercial Manager
Future Insights
01.2012 - 01.2014
Sales Manager
Carsonified
01.2008 - 01.2011
Account Manager, EMEA Events
Gartner
12.2006 - 12.2007
Head of Commercial Development - Insurance Times Events
Newsquest Financial Media
01.2004 - 12.2004
Sponsorship Team Leader
SMi Group
01.1998 - 12.2001
LLB Honours degree - Law
University of Westminster