Simon Cooper
Head of Consulting “Great leaders are the one's don't abandon ship! @LozMakepeace explains why in her blog for @ChemistryGroup http://t.co/g1X3X6fy” Follow me on Twitter »Simon leads our Consulting business having joined Chemistry from Cable & Wireless in 2006 where he was the Marketing Director.
Simon has over 20 years of experience of leading, improving and creating businesses. He has a passion for business and he has found that the key missing ingredient in so many businesses is delivering on the promise that "people are our greatest asset". He has found that when leaders really deliver on that and consistently follow words with actions then businesses rapidly create huge, sustainable value.
At Energis Communications Simon was the Marketing Director responsible for re-positioning a business whose reputation seemed mortally damaged. He was brought in to be part of the turn around team that took Energis from a bankrupt business in 2002 to being sold to Cable & Wireless in 2005. Simon involved the whole business in creating a new brand positioning and used it to drive wide cultural change that was key to creating £1Bn of value.
As a Director in Accenture Simon spearheaded the business development of outsourcing. This was a new activity in Europe and Simon not only shaped several landscape changing deals, but also led the re-education and inspiration of the sales teams. Outsourcing is now over half of Accenture's revenue and Accenture continues to be the most successful technology and process professional services business on the planet.
In the 1990s Simon helped to shape the massive cultural change at BT. At a time when BT were starting to lose market share to cable companies he was asked to be part of the team that taught the 250 strong consumer marketing department "how to be competitive!" Two years later cable had been stopped in its tracks and new revenue streams like Friends & Family were being launched on a regular basis.
Strength Behaviours
Building Confidence
Simon is able to confront broader business issues and respond by making clear recommendations. Is able to take decisions which incorporate the interests and priorities of all stakeholders, internal & external. Takes responsibility and ownership for decisions made.
Making it Happen
Simon reduces the internal or external constraints on self and others to enhance the freedom for action and the scope for initiative. E.g., redesigns jobs to allocate more responsibility to the people closest to the customer; strips away unnecessary bureaucracy. Is always a step ahead of the game, presenting and signposting information, structure and next steps before others have even got the issue of the agenda. Leaves others with a strong sense of personal control, power and organisation.
Processsing Information
Simon compares merits of two or more realistic alternatives, by stating the pros and cons of each. May create over-arching plan or strategy as a result of this analysis that maximises the benefits and minimises the downsides of the original options. Manages solution comparison as a core part of solution development.
