Marketing Sales

CHRISTOPHER L. LAWSON

**********@*****.*** • Cell: 617-***-**** • Home: 781-***-****

**** ******** • Hanover, MA 02339

MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR/VP

Senior Marketing and Communications Leader with a rare blend of achievement in both client-side marketing communications

management and advertising agency leadership. Brand creator who consistently positions companies and their products for

sustainable revenue growth and heightened consumer engagement. Savvy relationship builder regarded for the ability to lead, inspire

and align clients, executives, strategic partners and cross-functional teams to produce industry-leading, revolutionary work.

Wholehearted leader who fosters collaboration and innovation through all major initiatives.

A REAS E XPERTISE

OF

Marketing Communications • Brand Development • Sales Promotion • Customer Support • Public Relations

Event Management • Corporate Communications • Employee Communications • Social Media • Crisis Communications

P ROFESSIONAL E XPERIENCE

Power-One, Inc. / Phoenix – AZ 2012 to Present

The second largest designer and manufacturer of solar inverters in the world; $1.5B in revenue covering the residential, commercial

and utility-scale solar markets

GLOBAL DIRECTOR, MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS

Global Marketing Communications role challenged to rebuild the company’s marketing communications organization and revitalize

the brand. Manage a $6M annual marketing communications budget covering the US, Europe, Middle East, Africa, India, China,

Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Indonesia and Australia. Directly manage a staff of 12.

• Reorganized and rebuilt a broken marketing communications function in the NA, EMEA and APAC regions bringing in new

talent, instituting processes and procedures and adding external resources to deliver world-class marketing communications.

• Delivered primary and secondary brand research for development of a revitalized brand strategy and refined brand positioning;

brand work that proved to be invaluable in the wake of ABB’s acquisition of Power-One in August 2013.

• Drove the development of breakthrough advertising that distinguished the company in the solar category’s “sea of sameness”.

• Currently co-leading the marketing communications workstream as a key member of the integration team responsible for

integrating ABB and Power-One’s marketing communications organizations and initiatives post acquisition.

Canadian Solar, Inc. / Kitchener – Ontario, Canada 2011 to 2012

One of the world's largest solar companies; $1.5B leading vertically integrated provider of ingots, wafers, solar cells, solar panels

and other applications.

VICE PRESIDENT, INTERNATIONAL MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS

Senior Marketing and Communications role challenged to build brand awareness, drive long-term revenue growth and manage

marketing communications initiatives. Controlled a $13M annual marketing and communications budget covering the US, Europe,

Middle East, Africa, Canada and Japan. Directly managed a staff of 10.

• Championed the development of the company’s online strategy; the foundation will be a robust website featuring Sitecore CMS

with individual regional sites launching in the US, Europe, Canada and China in late 2012.

• Secured 4 additional sports sponsorships in the US and Europe to supplement sports sponsorship activities already underway in

the US, Europe and Japan.

• Delivered primary and secondary brand research for development of a brand strategy and refined brand positioning; brand

platform, tagline and logo currently under development.

• Led one of the company’s most successful new product launches for the industry’s first 3-phase, commercial AC power solar

module.

• Integrated a common model for marketing and communications planning, new product launch protocol, budget tools and regular

communication initiatives for the international marketing team to enhance global efficiencies.

Evergreen Solar, Inc. – Marlboro, MA 2006 to 2011

Manufactured and marketed String Ribbon® solar panels for residential and commercial applications globally.

DIRECTOR, MARKETING & CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS

Spearheaded the company’s re-branding effort from a small green player to a global technology leader in the solar industry.

Transformed a US-based marketing communications effort into a fully integrated global program spanning North America, Europe

and Asia. Oversaw a $2.5M annual marketing communications budget covering advertising, sales promotion, trade shows, website,

social media, PR, employee communications and crisis communication.

• Crafted a brand strategy in a commodity solar panel category that helped the company achieve a 10% to 20% price premium

over low cost competitors.

• Positioned company as a major player in the category through management of an international trade show program that delivered

a brand presence at international solar exhibitions in Germany, Italy, France, Spain and the US.

• Created the company’s online strategy with a dynamic website to gain competitive differentiation, expand customer base and

improve market penetration; additionally provided the foundation for social media strategies

• Orchestrated milestone events in North America, Europe and Asia from customer summits to factory openings ranging in size

from 50 to 500 participants.

Clarke Goward Advertising Agency – Boston, MA 2000 to 2006

Formerly Boston's third largest independent full-service advertising agency.

EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT

Led the daily operations of a 30-person agency, driving new business efforts, managing brand development work for clients and

directing the agency’s marketing and PR activities. Delivered decisive leadership to a 6-person account service group.

• Transformed agency's new business efforts into a strategic formula, yielding an unprecedented 1:5 win ratio.

• Secured $25M+ in capitalized billings through new business wins, including Bob's Stores, FM Global Insurance, Avid

Technology, Cambridge Savings Bank, Harmon Golf, Evergreen Solar, Strongbow Hard Cider, Alaska Wild Salmon, Summer

Infant, Rockland Trust and Vermont Country Soup.

• Envisioned and shaped a powerful brand development model first used in new business activities; subsequently became the

foundation for all client brand development work.

• Acted as the agency's primary liaison for Worldwide Partner membership network of small- to medium-sized independent

agencies linked around the world providing members the reach to compete with multi-national agencies.

• Served as agency representative on the board of the American Association of Advertising Agencies (AAAA) New England

Council.

W.R. Grace & Co. – Cambridge, MA 1982 to 2000

$3.1B corporation that manufactures and markets construction products that protect the world's most important structures from the

elements of nature.

DIRECTOR, MARKETING AND CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS

Directed an international staff of 18 with accountability for managing integrated marketing communications for 5 global product

groups and 32 individual product lines. Led all companywide corporate communications activities, including media relations,

employee communications, crisis communications and community outreach. Managed an annual marketing communications budget

of $10M and a departmental budget of $1.5M.

CHRISTOPHER L. LAWSON • **********@*****.*** • Page 3

• Guided the transition into a fully integrated global resource.

• Conceptualized and executed global brand strategy and operating procedures for planning, budgeting and managing the

company's worldwide marketing communications efforts.

• Built and managed a worldwide Vision and Values Employee Communications Program spanning 40 countries.

• Oversaw annual multi-divisional sales and marketing meetings for the North America, Europe and Asia/Pacific regions, ranging

in size from 100 to 500 participants.

• Neutralized negative attention in the face of environmental issues such as ongoing asbestos litigation and the launch of the book

and movie, A Civil Action, recounting the lawsuit of Woburn families against W.R. Grace & Co.

P ROFESSIONAL P ROFILE

Board Memberships: Past Chairman / Current Board Member – Massachusetts State Science and Engineering Fair

Past Board Member – American Association of Advertising Agencies (AAAA), New England Council

Associations: Member – International Association of Business Communicators

Received certification under their Certified Business Communicator program

Member – American Marketing Association

Education & Training: Syracuse University Graduate School of Sales and Marketing, Center for Creative Leadership; DuPont

Crisis Management; Six Sigma Training

Colby College

Moses Brown School

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