Experienced Business Leader

When Results Matter

I deliver measurable outcomes for businesses facing critical challenges, fast. From crisis recovery to digital and business transformation, I work with your teams to turn strategy into reality.

£200M+ Revenue Generated
90% Debt Reduction
17 Weeks Zero to Market Leader

Former Aldi Director with 10+ years leading transformations. I bridge business and technology, taking ownership from strategy through to measurable results.

Business Transformation • Interim Leadership • Stalled Project Recovery • Crisis Management

Three Ways I Deliver Value

Different businesses, different needs.
Same commitment to results.

Real Results. Real Impact.

My focus is always on measurable outcomes. Here's what execution looks like.

🚀

Built £200M Business in 17 Weeks

Designed and launched Aldi's Click & Collect during COVID crisis. Build & led cross-functional teams of amazing people, cut through red tape, and delivered a market-leading service at unprecedented speed.

Rapid Market Entry ✔️
📈

400% Efficiency Improvement

Transformed operational processes saving £9M annually. Led a fantastic multi-disciplinary team to improve technology and redesign workflows, empowering them to iteratively deliver improvements to the live service.

£9M Annual Savings ✔️
💡

Business Turnaround Success

Interim COO - Business Turnaround. Analysed 5 years of accounts, reduced HMRC debt by 90%, and implemented sustainable financial controls.

Complete Recovery ✔️
🎯

10-Year Strategic Roadmap

Created comprehensive omnichannel strategy for Aldi UK & Ireland. Full market analysis, financial modelling, and implementation planning approved at board level.

£Multi-Million ROI Projected ✔️
🤖

Recovered Failing AI Store Operation

Inherited underperforming checkout-free store using AI computer vision technology. Optimised performance through operational and merchandising improvements, delivering measurable results in accuracy, loss reduction, and sales growth.

98% Accuracy + 72% Loss Reduction ✔️
⚙️

9 Products, Dozens of Projects

Coordinated a programme of projects across 4 websites, 4 customer apps, plus internal systems simultaneously - all while supporting £500M revenue across FMCG touchpoints. When you need multiple projects delivered on time, on budget, without failures.

Complex Projects, Delivered ✔️

My 5 Steps to Results

Whether stepping in as interim leadership, embedded with consultancy teams, or working directly with SMEs - this proven approach delivers results fast.

This model keeps me focused on your success - but doesn't replace methodologies you use (Agile, PRINCE2, Lean Six Sigma, Scrum, Design Thinking, TOGAF, ITIL). It adapts to work alongside whatever approach you're already using.
1

Clarify the Goal

Cut through vague objectives to define specific, measurable outcomes

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I push past surface requests to uncover the actual business need. We define specific, time-bound, measurable outcomes AND what happens if we fail. This clarity drives everything else.

What This Involves:

  • Challenge vague objectives until we have specific targets
  • Define success metrics AND failure consequences
  • Identify constraints and non-negotiables
  • Get stakeholder alignment on the REAL goal
Real Example: "When Aldi needed online grocery during COVID, the board said 'launch Click & Collect in 12 weeks.' I had an 18-month roadmap for this - we had no infrastructure, no processes, no team. I refined the goal to 'launch a sustainably profitable Click & Collect service that can scale to 200+ stores, defending market share or risk losing £50M+ to competitors.' We compressed 18 months of work into 17 weeks and delivered. Clear stakes, clear timeline, clear success criteria."
2

Find the Friction

Rapid assessment to identify what's really blocking progress

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I audit what currently exists against what should exist within days, not weeks. Where are the gaps in governance, planning, or capability that will prevent success? This includes identifying where existing methodologies are failing in practice - the difference between "framework implemented" and "framework working".

What This Involves:

  • Fast review of existing documentation and processes
  • Identify missing elements (risk logs, profitability models, decision authority)
  • Spot where existing methodologies are failing in practice
  • Assess team capabilities and resources honestly
  • Bridge gaps between framework theory and team reality
  • Understand what's really blocking progress
Real Example: "At the automotive business facing closure, Day 1 analysis revealed: no accurate P&L for 2 years, HMRC debt spiral from poor cash management, 30+ hours weekly wasted on manual processes, lack of coordination between sales and fulfilment, and poor inventory management causing availability issues. SAGE accounting had been implemented, but the data was locked on one user's machine and the team had no access to current pricing information in the absence of that individual. Immediate priorities identified within 48 hours."
3

Set the Context

Context is king - so teams can work without surprises

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This is where transformation becomes possible. Context is king and I share everything I can with the teams: what we're aiming for, what happens if we fail, where the gaps are, what success looks like, the big hairy audacious goal (BHAG), what key stakeholders are thinking, what I expect of them. Complete transparency upfront means they can focus on delivery without surprises.

The Full Context I Provide:

  • Clear BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal) and compelling reason why
  • Honest assessment of current gaps and challenges
  • Explicit stakes: what success and failure actually mean
  • My expectations: how we work together, quality standards, communication, collaboration
  • Decision authority, escalation paths, and working agreements
  • What key stakeholders are thinking and their concerns
Real Example: "BHAG: Make our AI store profitable monthly within 4 months and scalable to larger formats. Current gaps: Fraud prevention weak, operational efficiency poor, limited customer data. Stakes: Success = technology rollout to more stores, Failure = programme closure. Key tension: Operations MD wants stability over innovation, Technical MD wants continued tech development. My approach: Balance both through structured experimentation with clear success metrics and agreed path to profitability."
4

Execute & Measure

Daily discipline with continuous measurement and course correction

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Working with teams, we map customer and colleague journeys, analyse unhappy paths to identify failure points, and maintain daily execution rhythm. Measurement isn't a separate phase - it's built into every day's work.

What This Involves:

  • Service blueprinting with teams (customer & colleague journeys, unhappy path analysis)
  • Daily progress reviews and immediate problem-solving
  • Real-time unblocking and decision-making
  • Continuous measurement and course correction
Real Example: "Daily: AI store accuracy 96.2% (target 98%). Unhappy path analysis shows customers are 4x less likely to return if they have more than 5% errors in their receipt. Focus on camera accuracy - biggest challenge is fresh meat section. Team proposal for merchandising changes to be implemented tonight. Accuracy to be re-reviewed in 2 days. Key options to reduce fraud under discussion with FiServ. Path to profitability KPIs reviewed - on track."
5

Embed & Handover

Ensure changes stick and smooth transition back to normal operations

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Whether transitioning a project to operations, an interim role back to permanent leadership, or a transformation programme to business-as-usual - I ensure continuity. This means documenting decisions and processes, establishing performance monitoring systems, briefing incoming leaders or teams, and making sure improvements are embedded in day-to-day operations rather than dependent on my presence.

What This Involves:

  • Transfer ownership with full capability development
  • Document processes, learnings, and decision frameworks
  • Train teams on ongoing management and optimisation
  • Create playbooks for future scaling and replication
Real Example: "Aldi Click & Collect: After building the service from zero to £200M+ revenue and scaling to 200+ stores, establishing a financial framework for omnichannel sales, and achieving sustainable profitability, I transitioned operational ownership to another director. Documented all key processes, performance monitoring systems, supplier relationships, and operational procedures. Ensured smooth transition for the team and that the new director understood critical success factors and had everything needed to run and continue optimising the live service, freeing me to move back into transformation projects like the AI store."

Real Impact, Real Numbers

"Dan stepped in when we were facing closure within two weeks. He immediately identified our real problems - poor accounting, inefficient processes, and outdated systems. Within days he'd negotiated with HMRC and within months he'd reduced our debt by 90% and increased our trade counter sales by 80% YoY. Most importantly, he gave us back control of our business."

Managing Director
Family-Owned Automotive Refinishing Distributor
90% Debt Reduction
80% Sales Increase
Turnaround Completed
Dan Smith

Dan Smith

Former Aldi Director who's led 150+ person teams and delivered transformational results. I bridge the gap between strategy and execution, taking ownership of critical problems until they're solved. Whether crisis recovery, digital transformation, or interim leadership - I deliver measurable outcomes, fast.

Learn more about my experience

Ready to Deliver Results?

Let's discuss your challenges and how I can help you achieve measurable outcomes.