Product Development Team Leader

Christopher J. New...

Windermere, FL ***** • 407-***-**** • ******@*****.*** • www.linkedin.com/in/christopherjnew

Senior Executive focused on P&L enhancement, Innovation, Consumers, Customers, Competitors, and Costs. Strong cross-functional expertise encompassing P&L management and all core business functions, including Strategic Planning, Product Development, Sales, Marketing, Operations, and Finance.

Proven ability to identify and capitalize on market opportunities to drive strong contributions to the P&L by increasing revenue, market share, net income, EBITDA, and net cash from operations. Owner of the P&L, skilled communicator, transformational change agent, team leader, and trusted advisor able to gain consensus among diverse internal and external stakeholders. Background with P&L management includes start-up, high growth, turnaround and mature organizations, including leading global companies/brands, such as Ansell, LifeStyles, PepsiCo-Tropicana, Cadbury Schweppes, Galaxy Nutritional Foods, and James River.

P&L Improvement While Stabilizing Complex Geographic Portfolio – As Division President, brought maturity and management skill to quickly elevate the capabilities of the Ansell North and Latin American Regional SWGBU team. Improved P&L performance by improving product mix, trimming costs, structuring, and reversing several unprofitable key account businesses valued at +$10M Gross Sales, now contributing positive EBIT +30% of Net Sales annually. Established clear visibility to Latin American distributors’ internal P&Ls, and royalty payments, launched new products, and significantly accelerated growth of the SKYN Brand while establishing a road map for expansion throughout the region. Transformed Brazil P&L improving EBIT from -$1.5M to +$4.5M in 24 months, while driving Net Sales by +20% annually.

Leveraging Business and Product Development – Co-founder and CEO for a premium beverage company fulfilling unmet consumer needs. Secured “method of use” patent, built entire value chain, created first-ever raw fruit to “not from concentrate” nectarine juice conversion process, and raised $25M in working capital. Launched product portfolio, generating 2012 Net Sales of $15M with +40% gross profit and $1.4M Net Cash from operations.

Creating Business Revitalization/Revenue and Profit Improvements – As CEO, transformed the P&L by revitalizing stagnant business growth for producer of non-dairy food alternatives. Implemented financial restructuring, created international distribution agreement with leading cheese company, brand restaging, diversifying SKUs, and driving marketing, which recaptured +25.7% Net Sales growth and delivered $2M in Net Cash from operations within one year.

Leading Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A)/Change Management – Division President and a key member of the Executive Leadership team responsible for value creation and divestment (preparation, road show, & closing) from Ansell to LifeStyles Healthcare. Led Quaker/Tropicana go-to-market post-integration strategy/team for the PepsiCo acquisition, which delivered $400M in synergies and savings over three years. Raised $25M to fund NBI JUICEWORKS, LLLP. Formulated investment platform with deal search criteria in the consumer space of healthy ethnic food/beverages, with a focus on roll-ups and spin-offs. Conducted M&A due diligence, valuations, post-merger integration plans, and business growth forecasts (bottom-up and top-down). Strong focus on M&A, business consolidation, accelerated growth strategies, and product innovation.

Developing and Implementing Strategic Planning for Improved P&L Performance – Spearheaded for both small and mid-scale P&L ownership: a) LifeStyles five-year strategic plan and $77M annual operating plan for Total Americas; and b) Tropicana’s Immediate consumption divisions’ three-year strategic plan and $1.2B annual operating plan.

Expertise that Quickly Drives Competitive Advantage and Builds Stakeholder Value

Leadership & Teambuilding

Profit and Loss (P&L) ownership

Revenue & Profit Growth

Strategic Planning

Business & Channel Development

Sales & Brand Management

Portfolio & Change Management

Innovation/NPD

Global Mindset

Start-ups, Turnarounds

Restructuring, Exit Strategies

Raising Capital

Performance Optimization

B2B, B2C

Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A)

A Career of Leading Companies to Sustainable Growth and Profitability

VALUE DRIVEN SOLUTIONS CONSULTING GROUP – Windermere, FL 2023- Present

MANAGING DIRECTOR

Value Driven Solutions is a leading consulting firm specializing in Supply Chain, Operations, Procurement, Finance, Technology, and Leadership Solutions providing advisory services to private equity firms, and performance-improvement support to portfolio companies. Senior executives and private equity investors worldwide rely on Value Driven Solutions to enhance enterprise value, expand margins, improve capital efficiency, reduce working capital, optimize supply chains, and prepare companies for sale.

CYCLONE PRODUCTS LLC – Windermere, FL 2021 - Present

Cyclone Products LLC offers innovative & disruptive superior value propositions in the CPG space of food, beverage, and nutritional supplements, thus creating transformational sales, profits, and ROI for investors.

INTERIM CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER (CEO)

NEW BUSINESS INSIGHTS CORPORATION (NBIC) – Windermere, FL 2001 – Present

Boutique consulting firm specializing in business consolidation, marketing optimization, transformational growth, and product innovation.

MANAGING PARTNER

Founded and managed a multinational client-based consulting firm to provide expertise in marketing, growth strategies, M&A, P&L enhancements, and NPD to B2B and B2C companies. Client base across diverse industries, in the areas of Plant Based Nutraceuticals; Fish Oils; Pet Food; Functional Nutraceuticals in powder and gummy formats; N95 Masks Medical Industry and Sensual Wellness category; Natural Baby Ointments & Lotions; Food Sweeteners; developing market disruption strategies for international entries to North America.

Some of the Clients included the following: Cyclone Products (food/beverages), Ansell Healthcare (protective gloves), Sara Lee (food), Muller (dairy/yogurt), Galaxy Nutritional Foods (nondairy cheese alternatives), PCE (investment banking), Growth Ventures (marketing services), EarthStone (cleaning products), Northland (juice/beverages), and others.

Formulated investment platform with deal search criteria for target companies and private equity groups.

Conducted M&A due diligence, valuations, post-merger integration plans, and business growth forecasts.

Strong focus on business consolidation, accelerated growth strategies, and product innovation.

LIFESTYLES HEALTHCARE LLC– Iselin, NJ (Divested by Ansell to Humanwell/Citic Consortium) Q3 2017 – Fall 2020

PRESIDENT SXWELL USA, LLC TOTAL AMERICAS DIVISION

Since divestment, developed and implemented a transformational growth and P&L improvement strategy resulting in: Total Americas achieving +11% CAGR Net Sales and +21% CAGR EBIT. Record retail market share and exceeding category growth by +10ppts. E-commerce sales improved from <$1M to +$6M, driven by Amazon. Full P&L responsibility for $77M Net Sales, GPADE 60%, and EBIT 30%.

Accelerated strategic brand SKYN velocity growth from +9% to +25% through improved positioning, POS visibility, and enhanced USP.

ANSELL HEALTHCARE PRODUCTS INC – Iselin, NJ Q2 2013 – Q2 2017

Global leader in protection solutions. Ansell designs, develops, and manufactures a wide range of premium quality hand and arm protection solutions, clothing, and condoms.

VICE PRESIDENT SALES & MARKETING – TOTAL AMERICAS SEXUAL WELLNESS GLOBAL BUSINESS UNIT

Full P&L responsibility for $58M Net Sales, GPADE 50%, and EBIT 25% ending 2017. Created and quickly implemented action plans driving the growth of the SKYN brand, providing visibility and progress toward the Latin American region go-to-market roadmap, refreshing the Lifestyles brand portfolio, improving customer service performance, creating leadership behaviors that positively impact culture, capabilities, and team performance, and solved unprofitable business issues/propositions. North America, achieved +8% CAGR Net Sales and +106% EBIT growth from 2013 to 2017.

Stabilized the North American teams demand forecasting, eliminated erratic Gross to Net Sales rebate performance, and significantly improved customer service OTIF

Accelerated SKYN growth: North America +11% and Latin America +71%.

Restructured personnel in North America, Brazil, and OLAC. Eliminated VP of Marketing and VP of Sales roles in North America and Brazil, used savings to improve SG&A ratios, and promote key personnel into leadership positions.

Refreshed Lifestyles brand and launched new products in North America, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, and Colombia. New Market entries into Mexico and Peru for accelerated growth.

NBI JUICEWORKS, LLLP – Orlando, FL 2006 – 2012

Consumer-centric premium beverage company developing innovations in healthful and refreshing juice and other beverage categories.

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER (CEO)

Launched a new company and innovated category to capitalize on consumer need for customized nutritious beverages. Conducted market analysis and analyzed/implemented consumer insights to roll out a unique full-line dual-brand beverage portfolio. Executed branding, business development, sales, category management, flavor portfolio, marketing copy, packaging, and operational capabilities for commercialization.

Drove sales from zero to $15M with an average of eight SKUs selling in 15,000+ stores across a multichannel platform.

Built and directed distributor network, sales & national broker representation, DSD partnerships, and supply chain.

Raised $25M in working capital.

Consolidated operations into a privately held holding company and sold ownership interest of 57% in 2012.

GALAXY NUTRITIONAL FOODS, INC. – Orlando, FL 2001 – 2004

Manufacturer/marketer of dairy-free food alternatives; publicly traded AMEX company that went private in 2009.

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER (CEO) (2002 – 2004)

CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER (COO), MARKETING (CMO), AND STRATEGIES OFFICER (CSO) (2001 – 2002)

Hired from consulting engagement to execute turnaround and create an exit strategy. Held full strategic planning and P&L accountability for $60M+ revenue with an EBITDA of 16.1%. Directed eight departments with 160 employees across all core operating functions, including sales, finance, production, and marketing.

Raised $5M in three weeks from a major financial services company and secured a strategic distribution agreement with a $1.5B international cheese company.

Achieved net revenue growth of +25% in 2004 and trending +30% in forecast 2005; improved gross margin from 18% to 30% in 2002, 30% to 32% through 2004, and 34% in forecast 2005.

Completed $13M financial restructuring, slashing interest payments by 50%, increasing accounts receivable availability, and providing $1.8M in working capital.

TROPICANA PRODUCTS, INC. – Bradenton, FL 1993 – 2001

Multinational producer and marketer of branded, high-quality fruit juices; acquired by PepsiCo in 1998.

VICE PRESIDENT – COMMERCIAL OPERATIONS, STRATEGIES AND SERVICES, AMERICAS (1998 – 2001)

Formulated a three-year strategic plan and developed/executed/accountable for $1.2B+ P&L and annual operating plan for Total America encompassing marketing, sales, NPD, category management, customer service, business development, marketing research, and e-commerce plans and implementation. Managed six departments with +100 executives. Transformed the company into a P&L, marketing-driven, and customer-oriented culture.

Generated a four-year CAGR for volume +19.5%, net revenue +18%, net income +49%, and EBITDA +35% by orchestrating a new plan for brand portfolio, channels, and chilled direct store delivery expansion.

Led Quaker/Tropicana "Go-to-Market" integration team; restructured commercial operations to capture synergies/savings of $400M over three years. Delivered trade spending savings to capture $200M over five years.

DIRECTOR OF MARKETING, NEW PRODUCTS/INNOVATION/LICENSING AMERICAS (1995 – 1998)

Advanced to Director charged with new product strategic planning, licensing, and business systems development. Managed NPD through all phases, and generated $450M in incremental business.

GROUP MARKETING MANAGER (1994 – 1995)

Promoted with P&L responsibility for $560M and 45% of division profit. Managed NPD across all division segments.

MARKETING MANAGER, TROPICANA BEVERAGES (1993 – 1994)

Recruited to the company to turn around underperforming brands with P&L accountability. Initiated and drove $150M in net sales and $30M in direct brand contribution in under a year.

Board Service included:

Special Advisor to Board – VendAio, 2023 - Present

Chairman – Cyclone Products, 2021 - Present

Chairman – NBI JuiceWorks Board, 2006 – 2012

Independent Director – EarthStone International Board, 2004 – 2006

Internal Director – Galaxy Nutritional Foods, Inc. Board, 2002 – 2004

Early Experience:

CADBURY SCHWEPPES BEVERAGES (MOTT'S DIVISION) – Stamford, CT 1989 – 1993

SENIOR PRODUCT MANAGER/PRODUCT MANAGER/ASSOCIATE PRODUCT MANAGER

JAMES RIVER CORPORATION (CONSUMER TOWEL and TISSUE DIVISION) – Norwalk, CT 1988 – 1989

ASSOCIATE/ASSISTANT PRODUCT MANAGER

NIELSEN/MAJERS MARKETING and CONSULTING – Stamford, CT 1986 – 1988

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE/PROMOTION ANALYST

Education

CORNELL UNIVERSITY, Ithaca, NY – Master of Science in Marketing and Economics, 1986

Full tuition scholarship & teaching assistant stipend

UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS, Amherst, MA – Bachelor of Science in Resource Economics, 1982

Graduated cum laude; dean’s list all semesters; NCAA D1 varsity soccer team captain junior and senior years.

Honorary Ph.D. in Business Management – Burkes University, British West Indies, 2003

P&L Responsibility and Performance Summary: Available “publicly traded” companies upon request.

TRANSFORMING P&L’S AND OPTIMIZING BUSINESS RESULTS WITH VISION, STRATEGY AND FLAWLESS EXECUTION

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