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Gerry Robinson (Sir Gerry Robinson)
 Sir Gerry Robinson - One of Britain's most respected businessmen. Author, Broadcaster and Keynote Business Speaker
Sir Gerry Robinson is one of the UK’s most powerful businessmen and presenter of I’ll Show Them Who’s Boss, Can Gerry Robinson Fix the NHS? Gerry Robinson's Car Crash and Gerry's Big Decision.
In his television programmes Sir Gerry Robinson highlights key management issues including: leadership, formulating a strategy for the future, relations with your staff, focusing on the important issues, and communication. For those interested in the techniques and skills required to run a successful business, Sir Gerry Robinson is the man to listen to.
What can Sir Gerry Robinson provide that other business gurus and management books cannot? Perhaps the answer is suggested by the fact that he is extremely interesting even to those who have no real interest in business and no ambition to begin their own.
Sir Gerry Robinson is convinced that the practical skills required to run a business are relatively simple. But this does not mean that everyone can run a successful business. Robinson’s gift is not that he understands and clearly relates what the requisite skills are, but that he is a subtle psychologist who only cares about what’s necessary to make the business work.
Sir Gerry began his career in 1965 in the coast office of Lesney Products (Matchbox Toys) after leaving St. Mary’s Seminary at Castlehead. During his time at Lesney he progressed through various accounting roles to become Chief Management Accountant in 1974. He also during that time qualified as an ACMA.
In 1974 he moved to Lex Service Group as the Management Accountant for Lex’s Volvo network. By 1980 he had become Financial Controller and Finance Director of Lex Industrial Distribution and Hire.
He left Lex in 1980 to become Finance Director of Grand Metropolitan’s UK Coca-Cola business. A year later he became its Sales and Marketing Director and then its Managing Director. In 1983 he was appointed Managing Director of Grand Metropolitan’s troubled International Services business and went on to become Chief Executive of the whole Contract services division which in that year had lost some £10.5m.
In the past three decades, Sir Gerry Robinson is credited with converting Coca-Cola UK’s £7m loss into a £17m profit in two years; leading in 1987 the biggest management buyout ever seen by creating Compass out of Grand Metropolitan; and in one year stemming Granada’s losses to post returns that were 10% higher than market expectations.
Sir Gerry Robinson has been Chairman of Allied Domecq PLC, Granada, The Arts Council of England, British Sky Broadcasting Group and ITN.
In July 2005, Sir Gerry set-up a management company, which specializes in acquiring and turning around struggling businesses.
Sir Gerry Robinson was awarded a Knighthood in the 2003 New Year’s Honours for Services to the Arts and Business.
He has been heralded as one of Britain’s best businessmen.
Fee Group: £15k - £20k
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