Steven Foster

Business lead for the Large Project Centre.

• Tasked to establish the Large Project Centre to drive top and bottom-line growth in major and complex projects
• End to end business management responsibility for all major projects covering Southern Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Turkey.
• Lead a diverse and global team of professionals across Sales, Engineering, Digital and Fulfilment disciplines/
• Over CHF 150m top line delivered in year 1 at double digit margins. Further growth in 2024.
• Sponsor and lead for global key accounts across the region

Brought in implement a leadership framework to improve growth and profitability as well as compliance and risk management behaviours

Led a diverse organisation of 1,500 colleagues across the region.

• Led strategic planning initiatives to secure company's future growth.
• Created vision for company direction, resulted in clear organisational objectives.
• Streamlined processes, achieved better resource allocation.
• Improved business resilience with risk management strategies.
• Piloted change management programs to enhance adaptability of workforce.
• Introduced cost control measures, witnessed significant reduction in overheads.
• Created and led successful business culture focused on performance.

Significant improvement in revenue, profitability, and return on shareholder funds in this well-established market leader in Singapore.

Major impacts.

• Change management implementation to focus on customer and quality
• Business expansion to new, profitable segments.
• Improved returns through operational efficiency and cost management measures.
• Structural enhancements to address changing market needs.

Successfully acquired the business opportunity through a management buyout from Cycle and Carriage Bintang Berhad.

• Established as a start-up enterprise, an assembly plant, and a distribution network to assemble, sell, and service heavy commercial vehicles under the Sinotruk brand in Malaysia.
• Became the largest heavy commercial vehicle supplier in Malaysia.
• Successfully sold the business to a leading Singaporean entity.

Large listed automotive retail and distribution organisation for Mercedes Benz, Peugeot and Mazda

• Extensive restructuring to address changing franchise needs.
• Reduced headcount from 1,500 to 450 staff through voluntary and forced schemes.
• Returned USD 200m to shareholders through special dividend.
• Significant investment programme in new facilities.

Executive Board member of the Jardine Motor Group

Primary assignment:

• Specific balance sheet restructuring role to plan and implement the acquisition and disposal of significant assets to free up cash.

• Negotiated and then established a joint venture between Jardine Matheson and the Tata Group to establish a network of car dealerships across the country to support the launch of the Tata Indica.

• As the first Managing Director of the company, opened 9 full-service dealerships, and accounted for 25% of all sales of Tata Group cars in India.

• From start-up to 1,600 staff across 8 states, Concorde Motors became the premier motor retailer in the country.

Highlights

• Tasked at the age of 24 to established and operate the Mercedes Benz import and distribution business in Macau as General Manager

• As Business Development Manager negotiated the entry into India for the Jardine Motor Group and was appointed as its first Managing Director in 1996.