Our Directors and Managers are involved in a regular “think tank” approach by industry sector with each and every client, a fact that we feel differentiates ProActive in the market and ensures the application of the best in the business to every challenge that we assist in the resolution of.


Stephen Weir

A creative and dynamic Supply Chain professional with wide ranging business experience and a passion for excellence. Board level management roles, strategic and operational blue chip consulting experience and in depth experience of hands on Supply Chain management including significant change process implementations.

Over 20 years experience of business management includes working with a wide variety of multinational organisations. Exploring and realising change to deliver significant value in terms of customer service improvement, market share development and bottom line financial benefits.

Areas of experience include:

• Tate and Lyle - ship management and chartering
• British Oxygen - Development of the BOC Interbrand and Transhield Logistics Operations businesses across Europe
• Price Waterhouse - 6 years of management consultancy in Procurement and Supply Chain division - delivering projects with multinational organisations worldwide
• Excel Logistics - Development work on international supply chain solutions
• Transport Development Group - Divisional Director developing new business and creative solutions for companies within the FMCG sector
• 1997 to date - ProActive - expansion of thriving consultancy organisation and development of new service offerings. Our range of expertise spans industries from Extraction through manufacturing to government sector, high tech and pharmaceuticals. Project experience from Strategic Design through to hands on implementation

On a personal level, Stephen is founder of the National Wellness Organisation, a registered Charity, committed to expanding the awareness of health, wellbeing and stress free lifestyles for schools, families individuals and organisations.


Ian Middleton

 With an open empowering style Ian has an enviable track record in top and bottom line improvement. Whilst having superb expertise in all business fields (sales, marketing, customer service, finance, HR and Supply Chain) Ian specialises in the turnaround of poorly performing businesses or business areas.

Prior to joining ProActive (and after gaining a first class engineering degree) Ian has held various Board level roles including Managing Director of Dowding & Mills and MD of USF.

Past projects have involved:

• Post acquisition mergers and business integration
• Introduction of the ProActive approach to all areas of business
• Organisation transformation and change management
• Internal and external benchmarking
• Best practices and best-in-class methodologies
• Supply chain management
• Development and implementation of business improvement initiatives including 5S's and Six Sigma
   

Recent clients have included Wyeth, SGB, Suffolk County Council, Tarkett and the NHS.

Ian is a leading expert in identifying and implementing areas of significant cost reduction and service improvement.


Ian Russell

Ian is a supply chain professional with over 30 years general management and consulting experience in a wide range of business sectors both in the UK and international markets, notably FMCG, Building Products, Automotive & Pharmaceutical.

He has extensive line management experience with a number of blue chip companies including hands-on control of many large-scale business and supply chain projects including:

• Operational re-structuring
• Process re-engineering including Lean
• Transport scheduling & fleet profiling
• Warehouse design
• Change management
• Project management
• Supply chain & logistics strategy
• Procurement strategy
• Distribution process improvement
• Cost to Serve
• Cost Control

Ian has completed work for client companies such as Hanson,  Dentsply, NHS, Christian Salvesen, SGB, Jardine Motor Group and BAT. Achievements have included;

• Designed and implemented new haulage operation for UK aggregates haulage fleet saving >£5m p.a.
• Rationalisation of European supply chain for American medical supplies company saving >£1m p.a.
• Re-design of trunking network for major logistics provider - saving £4m p.a.
• Restructuring and improving patient & non-patient transport operation in NHS saving £450k p.a.
• Setting up warehouse control system in Poland for major tobacco company.
• Designing new transport payment scheme for major UK multi-national
• Project managed installation of lean processes in parts warehouse for MOD.
• Restructuring of logistics operation for major UK car retailer

Ian holds a Certificate of Professional Competence and is a member of the Chartered Institute of Logistics & Transport


Gerry Cusack

An Operations and Supply Chain professional with over 25 years experience in global, market leading organisations across the Industrial, Automotive and Technology sectors. Experience of operating in both the private and public sectors in the areas of

• Operational improvement
• Implementing business improvement programmes including Lean
• Sales and Operations Planning
• Cost-to-Serve
• Supply chain management
• Sourcing and supplier management
• Manufacturing process improvement
• Post acquisition business integration

Gerry has successfully completed work for client companies such as TI Group plc, Dowty Ltd, Smiths Group plc and, more recently, Tarmac and Suffolk County Council. Achievements have included

• Strategic review of North American Division following major acquisition
• Turnaround Automotive business from breakeven to double digit Operating Profit
• Reduction in Distribution costs of 8% in major Building Products supplier
• Reduction in carbon footprint of 75% for a County Council
• Relocation of manufacturing to low-cost countries
• Implementation of Lean programme in off-shore manufacturing site

Gerry is a Chartered Engineer and a member of the Institution of Engineering and Technology.


Andrew Buckingham

Andrew is a Supply Chain professional with over 20 years experience in both Operations and Consultancy in global, blue chip companies. Experience of leading change and driving supply chain improvement in private and public sector markets in the areas of:

• Operational improvement & restructuring
• Business change programmes including Lean
• Sales and Operations Planning
• Global supply chain planning
• Sourcing and supplier management
• Manufacturing process improvement
• Outsourcing
• Management of capital assets

Andrew has wide sector experience across the UK and Europe, including Consumer Goods, Chemicals, 3PL, Aggregates & Defence. Achievements have included;

• Business Planning process development for a major Defence client
• Site restructuring & business turnaround for a Consumer Goods manufacturer
• Supply chain redesign saving 10% for European division of a multinational company
• UK warehouse redesign saving 25% in headcount & 40% in picking distances
• Benchmarking study & for French-speaking sites of global chemicals company
• Innovative design for global fashion supply chain cutting 30% from transit times

Andrew is a member of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport


Tim Knowles

 A Supply Chain professional with 35 years worth of experience, Tim specialises in enhancing business profitability, by providing the business case for change and following this through to implementation. Tim's depth of knowledge comes from working with major corporations in global high technology, retail and consumer packaged goods.

His projects include:

• Identifying and implementing change in working practises of a UK aggregates haulage fleet. The saving; in excess of £5m per annum
• A Pan European project to identify optimal supply chain structure for an office products company
• Transport cost reduction in several NHS Trusts
• Pan European supply chain strategy and full implementation for an American medical devices corporation
• Sales and Marketing process improvements for Microsoft UK ltd