Keith Marriott
In 1999 TTI the world’s 2nd largest manufacturer of vacuum cleaners, based in HK, bought Vax, a company that had not made a trading profit for 13 years but was perhaps the UK’s best known vacuum cleaner brand after Dyson. Keith ran Vax and his brief was to implement a programme of change that would allow Vax to knock Dyson off the number one spot – and it likely that this year Vax will be bigger in the UK than Dyson as well as the number one brand in Russia. Keith has over 20 years international trading experience and was previously managing director of Dirt Devil and had also started a power tool company from scratch called Power Devil that went on to turn over more than £47M. He was also Sales and Marketing Director of Hinari and Morphy Richards Consumer Electronics.
Apart from being a corporate entrepreneur Keith has had several smaller businesses of his own in importing house wares and in retail.
Currently he is working as a mentor to North East businesses, while completing an MBA at Durham Business School, where he is also a guest lecturer.
KEY AREAS OF EXPERTISE
- Leadership. All aspects of strategic and tactical planning from conception to execution.
- Financial management. Understanding the latest financial analytical and performance measurement techniques through practice, training with the Institute of Directors, Chartered Institute of Marketing and my MBA at Durham Business School
- Business start-ups. I have started several companies from scratch including PowerDevil, which achieved a T/O of £47M.
- Far Eastern joint manufacturing and distribution ventures and transferring manufacturing to F.E. 15 years experience in sourcing and importing from Europe and China. Supply Chain Logistics.
- People management from boardroom to factory shop floor. Expertise in motivational techniques and latest HR theory. Company re-branding and culture change.
- Sales, UK and Export. Successful product launches in all major UK and European retailers. Extensive negotiating experience. Creating and maintaining competitive advantage through understanding strategic capabilities. Retailer own label development. Negotiation of distributor/agency contracts
- Marketing, including national TV, Print, PR and cutting edge market research. Brand development.
- Purchasing. Strong buying track record creating competitive advantage for my companies. New Product Development. OEM contracts. Brand and character licensing.
- Project management in Engineering, Marketing, Management systems and Operations in a manufacturing plant. Product development of complete ranges internationally.
- Training & Teaching. I have undertaken a City & Guilds 7303 Award in Teaching in the Lifelong Learning Sector to become a Member of the Institute of Learning and have been involved in staff training and large presentations for over 20 years and have been trained as a trainer. I am also a guest lecturer on the MBA courses at Durham Business School.