Principal: Jonathan S Palmer

A senior, interim, programme & change manager and strategist with 20 years experience including retailing, financial services and the public & voluntary sectors.

Jonathan got a classic management training in financial analysis and planning with Sainsbury and WHSmith and headed planning at WHSmith at the time when they were developing successful new retail concepts. Prior to setting up The Bridge he was an associate with several distinguished consultancies including SRU and ABL Cultural Consultants, relationships that continue.

He has combined his work at The Bridge with membership of a Management Buy-In team and was involved in a fully funded £325m bid for Halfords. He is active in the voluntary sector as a trustee in housing, education, adoption and arts charities and is a member of Cranfield Trust undertaking pro bono work in the charity sector. He is an energetic lecturer and has written and presented several case studies.

Jonathan usually works as a solus consultant/ interim manager but is able to call on a network of experienced managers who have co operated since The Bridge was formed.

Assignments

Corporate recovery and rationalisation

  • Stationery Box (£m40 t/o retail) Recovery plan & successful negotiation on refinancing. Profits improvement, market research, financial control and supply chain work. Now a published case study.
  • Dept of Environment (DEFRA). External consultant and financial adviser on quinquennial review of R&D institutes. Endorsed by the minister, Lord Whitty and recommendations implemented
  • Motorcycle City (£m70 t/o retail) Interim management & business plan for phase 2 of MBO of sector leader. Refinanced and sold to leading competitor.
  • Motor World (£m100 t/o 400 units) Range development plans resulting in 40% improvement from same space, distribution redesign (30% savings), and performance management. Sector retailer of the year for 1997/98.
  • Owen & Robinson (£60m t/o 120 units) Corporate finance, manpower & remuneration planning, Research on successful acquisition from Sears plc.
  • Leading marketing services consultancy . Successful sale and development of organisation entering insolvency
  • Others . EDS central services, Wartsila International, Do It All, Kaleidoscope, and several SMEs under Enterprise Initiative.

HR, Change Management & Organisation Reshaping

  • Edexcel research and organisation reshaping on business development issues covering pricing, services, and competitor advantage.
  • Nurdin & Peacock. Integration of merger with competitor
  • Allied Irish Banks. (AIB Group) implementation of niche business bank strategy and communications, development of senior management team
  • Allied Dunbar Strategy for long-term development, support and motivation of associate sales force, plus redevelopment of performance management systems resulting in 25% p.a. expansion.
  • Educational Institutions . Projects on organisation, management information and control.
  • Investors in People. Various accreditation projects

Interim Commercial and financial controller

  • MBI projects. Commercial controller to Alan Gaynor Associates . As member of MBI team undertook funded £325m bid for Halfords (Duke St Capital) and over 10 other projects.
  • Commercial Director. PDV Ltd (Smedvig ac). Responsible for company secretarial function, finance, HR and property; involved in business plan and operating model for funding and launch of 7 th largest UK entertainment site, thedailydraw.com now in surplus.
  • Commercial controller Barker Shoes. Change management process creating consensus on rapid working capital control, improved costing and range rationalisation, moving into profit and successful refinancing.
  • Commercial director Chelsfield plc subsidiary Development of new £24m golf, retail and food concept; financial models and branding strategy. Successful corporate finance negotiation and undertaking due diligence process.
  • Niche international confectionery brand owner . Corporate restructuring and planning specialist start-ups

Business Development & Programme Management

  • Nat West Bank . Project management developing customer service and call centre strategy for corporate internet and e:banking
  • Alliance & Leicester. Project management & control of potential £m30 investment in strategic alliance with Somerfield covering product development, branding, concept and infrastructure. Recommendation adopted by both boards.
  • Image Systems Europe . Developing strategic plan and implementation for specialist consultancy and software co. in document scanning and processing.
  • Wrox Press Ltd . Developing organisation and administration structure for floatation within 1 year for specialist IT book and web publisher
  • Boddingtons. Research & strategy for acquisition of nursing home chains

Arts, Economic Regeneration & Voluntary Sector

Feasibility studies. Arts projects incl. Glasgow City of Culture, City Challenge Stratford East, Lottery bid North East Development Corp, Birmingham Arts Centres, Theatre Clubs & WHSmith sponsorship programme including Cushion Concerts & Poetry in Schools.

  • The Children’s Society. Examining benchmarking, location, quality and process issues. Appraisal of shared services.
  • Trustee Amicus Housing & Charity, Parents for Children, Worshipful Company of Coopers Charities
  • Advisor Cranfield Trust . Including strategic planning in asylum charity
  • Chair & member Horniman Singers (UK win, Let the People Sing)
  • Finance Governor First of GM school then co opted to failing school

Planning & Communications

  • WHSmith and Sainsbury developed and installed integrated planning, financial control, budgetary and investment appraisal systems
  • Dominion International . Head of corporate communications and design for quoted company; annual report short listed for award.
  • SMEs Business plans and negotiations on finance and sale for over 10 small businesses in pubs and leisure, printing, IT distribution, and specialty chemicals.

Career summary

The Bridge Management Group

  • Principal

Dominion International plc

  • Head of Development and Corporate Communications

WH Smith Group

  • Deputy Head Group Strategy & Development
  • Head of Strategic Planning

J Sainsbury plc Senior Financial Analyst Bass plc Group Corporate Planner Rolls Royce plc Management Services & Economist

  • MA. Maths and Economics Cambridge University
  • MSc (now MBA) Brunel University
  • CdipAF Certified Accountants Diploma in Accountancy & Finance
  • MCIM & Chartered Marketer. Chartered Inst. of Marketing
  • FRSA Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts
  • Chair, continuing professional development TopInterim.com
  • Past Chair of Retail Group Strategic Planning Society
  • Occasional lecturer, Imperial, EBS and Templeton business schools
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