Address : Achnamara House, Muchalls, Aberdeenshire, AB39 3XT.
Phone : 01569 731412 (home)
e-mail : Alison_daniels1@hotmail.com
Personal
British citizen, married with three adult sons
Date of Birth : 12th May 1965
Marital Status: : Living with partner
Work Experience
Current Managing Director, Rainmaker Projects LtdRainmaker Projects offers research, marketing and communications services specifically designed to enhance business growth.
Research customers include Aberdeenshire Council and the Scottish Arts Council as well as a number of commercial clients. The company is particularly interested in new technologies and new markets and was commissioned by a global business information provider, to research and author the definitive global study into the market for concentrated photovoltaics. More recently, the company has been exploring the algae into biofuels and biochemicals sector.
On the communications side, the company writes and edits a number of corporate magazines for blue chip clients in the Middle East. These include BP, TAQA, Al Jaber Group and one-off work for Unilever and 3M. The company also designs marketing collateral and provides copy for websites, material and advertising.
The principal also writes for a portfolio of UK and international consumer and trade magazines and websites including Artists & Illustrators, Trend Magazine, Director-e magazine, The Guardian, The Daily Engineer and the food trade press.
She co-owns a small Scottish local newspaper and sits on the board of Montrose Port Authority.
November 2003 – November 2006
Marketing Manager, Macphie of Glenbervie Ltd.
Macphie is a £40 million privately owned company, which manufactures and markets food ingredients to the bakery and food service markets, both in the UK and to 23 countries internationally. Bakery Solutions accounts for over 60% of company turnover and almost 70% of contribution.
Responsible for devising and implementing marketing and communications strategy and all organisation marketing, communications and public relations activities and materials including publications, media relations and client acquisition, budgets and forecasting within in the Bakery Solutions and International Divisions. Advertising: Strategy, campaigns and creative work including concepts, preliminary artwork, strap lines, art direction, media planning, booking and rate negotiation Communications: media relations and PR, design, authoring, and production of supporting materials and website content; Design and implementation of media spokespeople matrix. Performance monitoring of media performance and customer perception of communications and advertising through external research agency Development of standardised tools and templates for marketing and communications and materials for use by Business Development Managers Market, customer and competitor research New Product Development: Bakery Products. I also led the project team on healthy eating. New market and customer development Devised and Implemented Competitor Monitoring System Customer presentations and Event Management Market Research; TNS, Trends, Global NPD, Flavours
Responsible for 1 Assistant Category Manager
In the past year, we have generated £240,000 of PR in target publications within one year, (compared to £65,000 generated in the previous year by our PR agency); improved advertising, negotiated rate card discounts of 25% and 33% with key media, generated £10,000 worth of free advertising. Improved media profile and helped re-align customer perceptions of the company. Developed a string of successful new products, becoming regarded as a leading authority on the UK Bakery Market within a relatively short period of time. Last year I successfully launched 14 new products, up from an average of 3-4 a year before I joined.
September 2000 – October 2003 Marketing Manager, Petrotechnics Ltd.
Petrotechnics develop and market safety software and services to highly hazardous industries. Client base is large, blue chip multinationals, such as Shell, BP and ExxonMobil. Each sale tends to be in the region of £0.5 -£1.8 million, including software, consultancy, implementation, training and support.
Responsible for all Marketing from strategy and planning through execution and measurement including: Advertising: concept, preliminary artwork, art direction, media booking Design: for all collateral materials electronic or paper based Exhibitions: stand design, booking, staffing, and logistics Communications, Media relations and PR Market, customer and competitor research Worldwide market selection and development: geographical and sectoral, Identification and relationship building with potential partners Co-ordination and submission of tenders Product and service development
Responsible for 1 Market Analyst, 1 telemarketer and 2 part time Marketing Assistants
During my tenure, Petrotechnics significantly expanded its customer base, from a single customer to a position of holding 60% of the UK market in three years, and scoring several successes internationally. Located partner in Brazil, and had identified potential partner for the Canadian Market. Won several prestigious awards, including the 2003 Scottish Software Product of the Year, the Institute of Petroleum Technology Award and The IchemE Safety Award. Designed new trade stand and managed our presence at all shows in unexplored markets. Following a successful 2001-2, which saw an increase in turnover of around 60%, in the 2002-3 the company doubled turnover to £2.8 million.
April 1993 - September 2000
The Fairwater Group is a diverse holding of companies spanning sub-sea sonar data analysis, slimming classes, software development and sandwich manufacture with around 700 full and part time staff. I held a number of positions within the group, sometimes concurrently.
April 1998 - September 2000
Managing Director Softworks (Part of the Fairwater Group)
Softworks is a small, bespoke software development and network house. I had full P&L responsibility, and dealt with all aspects of general management, sales, business development, project management, marketing, staff and corporate development. I was responsible for a staff of six developers and support staff.
Softworks was a loss making part of the group with a poor reputation for customer service and project management. In 30 months, I built the company into a strong team, with exemplary customer service, which delivered attractive and technically excellent software on time and within budget. When I left, Softworks had become the most profitable part of the Fairwater Group (at a net profit level, before management fees) with an 18 month pipeline of work and a client base which included companies such as Danop, Abbot Group, Gordon & McPhail, RBS, and the Peel Group.
April 1997- June 1999
Assistant General Manager Fairwater Group
My responsibilities were mainly in special projects such as Acquisitions, Corporate Development and Business Improvement. This position was held concurrently with my Marketing role and being Managing Director of Softworks.
In this role, I was involved in the start up and management of Coda Technologies (now Coda Octopus), providing initial marketing and branding strategy and execution, and in coaching their own Business Development Manager. Coda focused on automating the geophysical acquisition and reporting of sub-sea sonar data acquisition. The Coda DA (Digital Acquisition system) was one of the first commercially successful and technically capable PC-based systems on the market. Starting in the North Sea, the Coda Pipeline Inspection system (PI) revolutionized the way that routine pipeline surveys were carried out. Very quickly, Coda gained a reputation for producing powerful and innovative software and its range of geophysical tools was widely adopted.
August 1996- June 1999
Group Marketing Manager Fairwater Group
All aspects of marketing for all group companies including TV and Print work, service development, new company set up and initial marketing.
January 1995- July 1996
Marketing Manager Scottish Slimmers
April 1993- December 1994
Marketing Executive Scottish Slimmers
Scottish Slimmers is part of the Fairwater Group. During my time with the organisation, we moved from third to first place in the Scottish market, competing successfully against HJ Heinz, the owners of Weight Watchers, on a third of their budgets. We then became the third largest slimming company in the UK through extending our services under different branding, and a programme of acquisition. Design and Development of Eating Plan Packs Rebranding of the company, development and roll out of new corporate image on all materials from class materials to Advertising: Storyboarding and production of TV ad campaign which produced an uplift in new members of 118%, over a record breaking previous year. Media booking for TV campaigns. Design and media booking of campaigns in over 300 local and national publications and over 70 outdoor sites Communications: production of member newsletter every six months, co-ordination of mailing to 10,000 members, PR campaigns and features in national and local press and women’s interest consumer magazines. Design and monitoring of website. I undertook research into dietary trends and medical research in the field of weight control, and was involved in developing the eating plan for vegetarians.
Previous experience
Marketing and Technical Co-ordinator Hogarth Safetywear Marketing Assistant Hogarth Safetywear Marketing Trainee Hogarth Safetywear
Hogarth manufactures and sells protective clothing and safety equipment to the oil and gas sector. I was responsible for establishing a marketing database, producing product literature, organising events and trade shows etc. I became responsible for all product and technical standards training within six months of joining the company I was invited to become a member of the committee for British and European Standards on Flame Retardant Protective Clothing.