Craig Pickering

Craig has over ten years experience in senior management, mostly in business development and change management environments. He has achieved enviable results in sales, gross profit and company expansion. These results are due to his ability to quickly assess a business and its environment, in particular its people, and implement change and processes where required.

He greatly enjoys managing and consulting with staff, and motivating them to perform at their best.

His experience includes senior management roles within Harvey Norman Commercial, Hagemeyer and Panasonic Australia.

Craig is an Associate Fellow with the Australian Institute of Management and a Certified Professional Manager.

Employer:	Enterprise Development
Position:	Member of Management Advisory Committee
Time period:	December 2008 - Present
Description:	The Management Advisory Committee reports directly to the Board, and develops and markets a professional business course for entrepreneurs.

Employer:	3C’s Consulting
Position:	Managing Director
Time period:	October 2008 - Present
Description:	3C’s Consulting was created in response to the effect of the credit crisis on Nationwide Lending, and allows me to keep busy whilst looking for a permanent full-time role. I have designed and created a business website (www.3csconsulting.com.au), as a result of which I have written a marketing plan for a company in China, had several finance articles published and am currently working on a business plan for a new company here in Adelaide. I have also joined the Management Advisory Board of Enterprise Development Inc., an organisation which provides support for young entrepreneurs.

Employer:	Nationwide Lending Pty Ltd
Position:	Strategic Business Manager
Time period:	August 2007 - Present
Description:	Nationwide Lending is a mortgage manager that sells its own branded suite of home loan products through its national network of accredited brokers. Their current loan book size is over $250M with turnover in excess of $1.5M. I joined as a consultant early in 2007, was employed full time for twelve months as Strategic Business Manager and am now retained on a consultancy basis. Responsibilities: My main duties are; Business development, change management, HR, accounts (MYOB), media relations, procedure development and implementation, IT support and marketing. Achievements: • Increased accredited broker numbers from 30 to over 260 providing a national presence. • Employed BDM’s in three States to service the new broker network. • Initiated media coverage via press releases and appeared in many publications. • Negotiated private equity investment of $500,000. • Negotiated terms for acquisition of a complementary business. Reason for leaving: Role reduced to one day per week due to credit crisis.

Employer:	Harvey Norman Commercial
Position:	Product Manager
Time period:	December 2003 - August 2007
Description:	Harvey Norman Commercial (situated at Mile End) sells exclusively to the construction industry. The second such Harvey Norman store to open, there are now six nationally. During my time the business expanded from 25 to 60 employees. Responsibilities: I was given the role of growing profitability and personnel to match the expected significant growth of the business overall, and was directly responsible for the purchasing, co-ordination, estimation and warehouse divisions. My main duties revolved around business development and change management and included; building internal teams, achieving gross profit budget, supplier negotiations, maintaining stock levels, project management, HR, implementing procedures in each division and cost rationalisation. Achievements: • Increased Gross Profit from 2% to over 11%. • Responsible for purchasing $15-20M in consumer goods per year. • Project Managed consolidation of two warehouses into one warehouse of 1,000MSQ and subsequent expansion to 2,000MSQ. • Assisted in product and data network layout of new showroom. • Negotiated improved pricing with suppliers. • Capital acquisitions of: forklift, delivery truck, IT infrastructure. • Given responsibility for implementation of new computer software. Reason for leaving: Approached by Nationwide Lending.

Employer:	Pacific Datacom (division of Hagemeyer)
Position:	Regional Manager SA/NT/WA
Time period:	December 2001 - November 2003
Description:	Pacific Datacom is a national distributor to the electronic and electrical trades, with turnover in SA of $4.5M and over 100 personnel nationally (with Hagemeyer). Brands distributed included D-Link, Siemon, and Omron amongst others. Clients included electricians, installers, architects and other specifiers. Responsibilities: Directly responsible for WA, SA and NT my main duties included; profitability improvement, management reporting, budget preparation, stock control, HR, supplier negotiations, managing sales teams, and introducing procedures. Achievements: • Employed as State Manager and promoted to Regional Sales Manager (to include WA) after three months. • Responsible for 12 staff (warehouse, internal sales, sales representatives) in SA and WA. • Implemented business strategies resulting in a significant reduction in stockholding (mostly aged stock) • Increased sales for the region of $1 million, with two less staff. • Negotiated new distributorship for WA with Japanese supplier. Reason for leaving: Discouraged by Head Office management decisions.

Employer:	Brand-Rex / General Cable
Position:	Sales Manager SA/NT
Time period:	December 1999 - December 2001
Description:	Brand Rex (subsequently purchased by General Cable) is a national distributor of data and electrical cables with turnover in excess of $30M. During my time there they used to manufacture the cable as well as distribute it, before shutting this down and importing instead. With staff nationally exceeding 35, I was the sole person in the Adelaide office. Responsibilities: My main duties were; achieving sales and profitability targets, maintaining and growing accounts, acquiring new accounts, getting products specified into projects, project management and management reporting. Achievements: • Responsible for setting and achieving budgets • Responsible for building client relationships • Targeted different market sectors. • SA/NT second most profitable region in 2001. • Assisted in launch of new product line, achieving the first sales nationally. Reason for leaving: Encouraged to apply for the vacant role at Pacific Datacom.

Employer:	KRONE Australia
Position:	Account Manager SA/NT
Time period:	July 1997 - November 1999
Description:	Responsibilities/ Achievements: • Responsible for meeting budgets, liaising with wholesalers, contractors, consultants, including people at all levels of each organisation. • Prepared and conducted training, seminars and product launches. • Oversaw implementation of major Defence Department supply contract. • Launched local branch of BICSI, an industry training/lobby group. Reason for leaving: Asked to apply to Brand Rex.

Employer:	Ericsson BusinessPhone Centre
Position:	Corporate Sales Executive
Time period:	July 1995 - June 1997
Description:	Responsibilities: • Responsible for achieving sales targets, generating new business, coordinating installation of new systems and servicing existing customers. • Achieved new business in an entirely new market (Mount Gambier). • Achieved two sales awards. Reason for leaving: Career advancement.

Employer:	Panasonic Australia (Sydney)
Position:	National Product Manager - Data
Time period:	March 1994 - July 1995
Description:	Responsibilities: • In charge of a national sales budget of $14M. • Negotiated stock supply with factory in Japan (3-4 month lead time). • Released new products into Australia. • Conducted successful national launches of new models. • Trained Sales Representatives nationally and conducted presentations to national accounts (David Jones, Harvey Norman, etc.). • Managed local Technical Support Officer. • Travelled to Japan and negotiated new pricing. • Achieved increase in sales of laser printers of 40%. Reason for leaving: My father suffered a heart attack so I decided to move back to Adelaide.

Employer:	Bell-IRH Industries (Sydney)
Position:	Product Manager
Time period:	September 1991 - March 1994
Description:	Responsibilities/ Achievements: • Began with BELL-IRH in Internal Sales without any previous experience in the electronic components industry, and was promoted to Product Manager after only six months. • Achieved an increase in sales of 45%. • Negotiated with suppliers from England (two visits to England), Taiwan and Japan. • Sourced new overseas suppliers. • Successfully tendered for a major telecommunications contract, and managed this contract for eighteen months. Reason for leaving: The advertised role at Panasonic was my dream job at that time.

Employer:	AMP
Position:	Insurance Consultant
Time period:	December 1989 - July 1991
Description:	Responsibilities/ Achievements: A self-employed position, I sold insurance and superannuation products on a commission-only basis. Reason for leaving: Moved to Sydney to pursue my career goals.

Employer:	Radio Rentals
Position:	Sales Consultant
Time period:	December 1986 - December 1989
Description:	Responsibilities/ Achievements: Retail sales position, in which I set a record for sales achieved in a month at their Rundle Mall store. Reason for leaving: Invited to an information interview with AMP.

Patents:

#2007100899 - Software

Hobbies:	Family, Audio visual, Computers, Share trading, Walking
Memberships:	• Associate Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management • Accredited as a Certified Professional Manager, AIM
Awards:	• 2005: Weekend in Novotel Barossa (Harvey Norman), • 1997: Sales Award (Ericsson), • 1996: Sales Award (Ericsson), • 1994: Awarded a week in Noumea for achieving 105+% of budget (Bell-IRH, Sydney), • 1991: Joint winner of a sales competition (AMP), • 1990: 'Sale a Day Club' award (AMP)