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Supply Chain Sales

Location:
Indianapolis, IN
Posted:
February 16, 2014

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Resume:

TROY CHRISTENSEN

Cell: +1-262-***-****

acco17@r.postjobfree.com

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

Over 20 years of experience at senior executive level in mergers and acquisitions, corporate restructuring, business

process engineering, information technology management, international tax, financial reporting (GAAP, SEC, IFRS),

decision support analysis, supply chain optimization, internal control management (SOX), international treasury

management, executive team development, corporate financing, strategic planning, corporate secretarial / board

management and government relations.

• Turnaround expert with repeated success in multiple industries and markets, expanding international

footprints, building shareholder value, developing and repositioning business strategy and executing long term

sustainable change in very short periods. Proven track record of relentlessly driving bottom line results.

• Strategic and financial leadership developing strategic plans, garnering stakeholder support and executing

the plans through leveraging organizational talents.

• Business development leader improving business through dozens of acquisitions, divestitures and joint

ventures operating transaction through post merger integration.

• Project management advocate spearheading numerous PMO’s responsible for million dollar projects

improving organizational business processes and creating strategic advantage; including 3 full scale ERP

implementations.

Leadership History

Gilchrist and Soames CFO / COO 2013 2014

Constellation Brands:

Accolade Wine CEO / CFO 2010 2013

Constellation Australia and Europe President 2007 2009

Constellation Europe President / CFO 2006 2007

Barton Brands CFO 1999 2006

Canandaigua Wine Company West Coast Controller 1997 1998

Farley Foods Vice President Finance 1995 1997

Sweetheart Cup Director of Operational Finance 1991 1994

Ernst and Young Senior Auditor 1988 1991

Chief Financial Officer / Chief Operating Officer 2013 Current

Gilchrist and Soames, Indianapolis, IN

Gilchrist & Soames, $65MM in sales, is a leading provider of cosmetic grade toiletry collections for world class hotels, exclusive

resorts, and distinguished spas, inns, and bed and breakfasts. Specializing in servicing the luxury market, Gilchrist & Soames’

products can be found in over 90 counties.

Objective:

The business, owned by Private equity owned, has seen experienced slowing growth slow, margins dropping by a

quarter, earnings declining at 9% CAGR and cash flow challenges. The business requires a 2 year strategy of driving

significant improvement in performance in order for a successfully exit, including revamped go to market strategies,

restructured operations, upgrading business processes / systems, improved supply chain and implementation of change

management.

Responsibilities / Accomplishments:

• Responsible for all Finance, Human Resource, IT, Operations and the Global Supply Chain.

• Implemented Go to Market strategy forecasted to double US independent channel net sales growth.

• Developed framework for new business process and financial platform to enable scalable growth while

implementing business intelligence tools to improve organizational efficiency

• Developed and implementing business strategy which would double sales growth, double operating income and

drive substantial cash flow to the business over 24 months.

• Established new supply chain, operations, human resources, finance and IT strategies.

Chief Executive Officer / Chief Financial Officer

Accolade Wines, Sydney AU 2010 – March 2013

Previously Constellation Brands International platform. Accolade is the World’s fifth largest wine company, $1.0 Billion in net

sales, operating in 80+ countries, 1,600 employees and operates in five core global geographies (UK, Europe, North America, Asia

and Australia). Reporting to the Board of Directors and responsible for bottling facilities (4), wineries (11), and vineyard

management producing in excess of 40MM cases of wine.

Objective:

Separate divested business from Corporate parent with limited disruption. Build Accolade into a high performing

organization, triple EBITDA, enhance the strategic proposition and reduce idiosyncratic risk in order to find a

successful exit in five years.

Responsibilities / Accomplishments:

• Created a new name, vision, mission, strategy and culture for the organization. Developed new executive

management team and target operating model allowing the business to grow globally leveraging existing

capabilities through centres of excellence.

• Obtained asset back financing achieving low interest rates and flexibility to grow through acquisition.

Developed and deployed international currency strategy.

• Successfully exited Corporate parent establishing independent operating systems and infrastructure while

combining the processes and systems of the two largest platforms to achieve synergies within 6 months.

• Created operational joint venture contributing $20MM of annual EBITDA through collaborative contract

production, selling surplus assets and outsourcing combined supply chain through a 3PL / 4PL.

• Acquired North American platform for $30MM, integrated the business and restructured the operation

allowing the new platform to contribute $15MM of annual CAM in just two years.

• Implemented a business transformation project which consolidated Accolade’s fragmented back office into a

single instance ERP platform with an advanced planning system (Infor) and trade promotions management system

(Demantra). The programme cost $20MM, earned a 1.5 year payback after implementation and provides a

scalable business platform required to drive international growth.

President / CFO

Constellation Australia and Europe, Adelaide AU and Guildford UK 2007 – 2010

+ 1.0 Billion business which includes the largest wine company in the UK, largest composite wholesaler in the UK and largest

wine company in Australia. Responsible for sales and distribution into Europe, UK, Ireland, Australia, Asia, Middle East and

Africa. Responsible for bottling facilities (4), distribution depots (8), wineries (10) and vineyard management of 300K tonnes of

grapes.

Objective:

Constellation Brands shifted their business strategy which required the consolidation and ring fencing of their

international assets. Objective to integrate the Australian and European platforms, restructure the operations,

significantly reduce costs, mine synergies and develop a compelling commercial strategy for exit.

Responsibilities / Accomplishments:

• Responsible for sales and distribution of Constellation brands into Europe, UK, Ireland, Australia, Asia, Middle

East and Africa. Responsible for bottling facilities (4), distribution depots (8), wineries (10) and vineyard

management of 300K tonnes of grapes.

• Radically restructured the business, dramatically reduced costs, shed unproductive assets and monetized surplus

inventory. Reduced total headcount by 1/3, generated $75MM from asset sales and improved baseline

performance despite organizational disruption of impending transaction.

• Developed management plan and compelling business case for exit. Led the divestiture process culminating in a

sale to Private Equity firm, CHAMP, for $300MM. Continued as CEO of new business.

• Integrated disparate supply chains through a collaborative S&OP process which improved inventory management

and drove $10MM of one time cash flow. Implemented Lean manufacturing techniques into operations reducing

costs and earning a number of supply chain awards for the European operation.

• Developed new Gaymer Cider strategy which delivered 24% increase in sales and 109% increase in EBIT over

four years leading to a profitable exit of the business; sold to Cantrell and Cochrane for £45MM.

• Drove favourable public policy results through lobbying and public affairs project developed and executed in the

UK and Australia coordinating with lobbying and public relation firms.

President / Chief Financial Officer

Constellation Europe, Guildford UK 2006 – 2007

+ 1.0 Billion business which includes the largest wine company in the UK, second largest cider business in the UK and the

largest composite wholesaler in the UK. Responsible for all sales and distribution to United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland,

Europe, Middle East and Africa through a staff of 2,100. Responsible for Production facilities in UK (2) and South Africa (1),

wholesale and distribution operations in UK (8 depots) and sales and support functions in Ireland, United Kingdom, South Africa,

Russia and Netherlands.

Objective:

Transform business from price driven trading culture into best practice FMCG business platform through margin

expansion. Find alternative solutions for non core businesses that would contribute to shareholder value (e.g. cider and

wholesale). Aggressively grow European platform.

Accomplishments:

• Led a £100MM, 2 year project to build a “Greenfield” production facility that became Europe’s largest bonded

warehouse and bottling facility. Accolade Park is 858,000 square feet, holds over 57MM bottles of wine and saves

the business £15MM annually. This operation has secured many awards for safety, environmental and operational

best practice.

• Developed and executed a comprehensive route to market strategy including consumer and channel

segmentation, product and brand strategy, price and promotion strategy and talent management. Through this

effort, the UK moved to #1 wine supplier from #5 per supplier scorecard ranking, built 5 of the top 12 brands in

the UK market and grew a stagnant European business by 33 CAGR for 6 consecutive years.

Directly

responsible for Matthew Clark, the UK’s largest composite wholesaler selling €650MM to the UK on trade

through a network of eight depots. Spearheaded a strategic review of this business culminating in a JV with Punch

Taverns, the UK’s largest Pub Company at the time. Sold 50% of the business to secure new routes to market

while capturing £8MM of synergies allowing the business to survive the GFC and outlast their rivals to become

the UK’s leading wholesaler.

Chief Financial Officer

Barton Incorporated, Chicago IL 1999 2006

$1.5 Billion producer and distributor of Beer and Spirits products primarily in U.S. and Canada. Responsible for all Finance and

Information Technology, staff of 120+

Objective:

Develop business capability and IT scalability to grow beer and spirits business. Secure long term future for Mexican

imports and grow Spirits business through acquisition.

Accomplishments:

• Finance lead creating the USA’s largest imported beer business, Crown Imports, through a joint venture with

Grupo Modelo. The combined business sells in excess of 100 MM 9l cases and has $1.0 billion in net sales.

• Proposed and led transition to IT shared service function consolidating Constellation’s United States business

onto a common ERP platform including four wine divisions, beer division and spirits division. Created IT

Governance model for shared service to support global business; shared responsibility for CIO.

• Spearheaded operational joint venture with Diageo that leveraged Canadian Whiskey Production and

Californian bottling footprints for both businesses saving $10MM annually.

• Proposed and led planning and development phase of Constellation’s Strategic Sourcing Initiative. This

project consolidated global procurement and saved $34MM over the three year measurement period.

West Coast Controller, Canandaigua Wine Company (Eventually changed name to Constellation) 1997 – 1998

$1.0 Billion producer and distributor of Wine. Division of Constellation Brands, Incorporated. Responsible for all Finance and

Information Technology in the West Coast operations.

Vice President Finance, Farley Foods USA, Chicago IL 1995 – 1997

$300 Million producer and distributor of confectionary products, subsequently acquired by Favorite Brands International, then

Nabisco. Responsible for all Finance, Information Technology and Office Admin; staff of 55.

• Developed and executed strategic plan and transformation program enabling business to be sold at 3X the price offered

just two years prior.

• Successfully integrated five disparate businesses onto a common platform as part of the Favourite Brands PE

confectionary roll up in order to quickly establish a common face to customers and achieve revenue synergies.

Director of Operational Accounting, Sweetheart Cup Company, Chicago IL 1991 – 1994

$1.0 Billion producer and distributor of paper, plastic and bakery products to serve national distributors and the consumer market.

Responsible for all operational accounting at 17 facilities; staff of 70.

Senior Auditor, Ernst and Young, Chicago, IL 1988 – 1991

Public Accounting Firm providing audit, tax and consulting services

Education

Kellogg Graduate School of Management, Northwestern University, Evanston Illinois 1997

• Masters of Management; Finance, Marketing, Management and Strategy

Northern Illinois University, DeKalb Illinois 1988

• Bachelor of Science: Accounting

DePaul University, Chicago IL

• Various classes towards Masters in Information Technology

Certification

Certified Treasury Professional 2003

Certified Management Accountant 1997

Certified Public Accountant 1988

Board Representation:

Wine and Spirit Trade Association – Board Member

2006 – 2008

Charity Board Membership: Sarah’s Circle

2003 – 2005



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