EUROPE Winner...
EDWIN BESSANT United Kingdom
CEO of Ceuta Group ABOUT EDWIN BESSANT
Edwin Bessant is the Joint Founder and Group CEO of the global-leading and multi- award winning outsourcing Ceuta Group
Edwin Bessant - Career summary update Edwin’s career span has been successfully associated with global blue-chip companies including Cadbury Ltd , [ Merchandising and sales representation] – Sept 1973 Followed by Wilkinson Sword [ Key & National Accounts Manager] & Webco Gmbh - based in Frankfurt Germany [ USA based sales agency distributing and marketing Blue chip Food, Drinks, H&B & Household brands worldwide to the military bases- PX & Commissary outlets] - Position held – Regional Director managing a team of Field Marketing & Merchandisers & Instore Demonstrators.
Edwin returned back to the UK & joined Pfizer Consumer where he held several senior & leading Director of positions. [Sept 1982 – Oct 1994]
He led sales teams & held a Directors role heading up Trade Marketing Functions & spent a considerable time working in continental Europe, his key role was to report back to the Board with a view of the future landscape of the market place over a 3 year period (retail developments, trade channel changes, trends, changing legislation etc) and formulate a vision and a plan to support the Board’s strategy in the direction they should take.
Edwin was the guy who was constantly top of the class & always excelled & was the only Pfizer Consumer personnel within Europe to be tasked with completing a fast-track 2 year European programme, he worked across all aspects of the business: ie: International, Finance, Marketing, Logistics, Acquisitions & Disposals & Brand Integration.
One of his key roles was based in the International part of Pfizer’s business ie: European projects. Edwin was based in London, Milan, Paris, Frankfurt, Brussels and Amsterdam where he was responsible for delivering an overview and recommendations over 23 International markets & produced 13 x 200 page reports which included >
• Market Trade channel Developments – identifying potential future market changes (visited
wholesalers, mass market retailers);
• Evaluated Potential Brand reach & development opportunities in each market;
• Meetings with industry opinion leaders in every primary market;
• Evaluating and understanding
political issues / healthcare reforms in each market that could influence or change corporate direction or strategy;
• Recommendation for each market – Strategic goal analysis.
• Working with local market Pfizer CEOs
CONCLUSION & FUTURE OF CEUTA GROUP !
From a start up in 1994 Ceuta , they are now part of a $bn USA business. Ceuta recently partnered with Juggernaut Capital from Washington DC, they are supporting Ceuta s Global Buy & Build strategy & are about to close on a number of European based businesses.
Ceuta & JCP strategically took up another investment opportunity by bringing in as a partner - Advantage Sales & Marketing – USA based $multi billion outsourcing
business who are focused like Ceuta in building a Global outsourcing consumer business offering an array of different added value services that meet the needs of manufacturers for tomorrows market place ? Combining these businesses together will strengthen each others capabilities ?
Edwins quick fire interview questions - business for success ! • Always understand the landscape & customer needs at least 3 years in advance
to ensure that your product / business meets an industry or consumer need – Do not become a Kodak !
• Never dwell on a problem or bad news, learn from it but focus all of your energy on the solution !
• Treat people with humility & respect – they are your most valuable asset within your business
• Support your people with good HR support & training support
Edwin Bessant, CEO of Ceuta Group Tel: +44 (0) 1202 780558 l Fax: 0844 243 6662 l Email:
edwin.bessant@
ceutagroup.com l Website:
www.ceutahealthcare.com 46
www.finance-monthly.com
• Ensure you have good values in your business
• Do not bring complexity to your business, keep things simple & transparent
• In leadership there are many values, qualities & skillsets needed – ie Visionary Expediency, decision maker, team builder, objective, realist etc are all essential but a key focus –“ Leaders do not allow emotion to cloud their judgement when tough decisions have to be made.”
- pharmacies, ABOUT CEUTA GROUP
Ceuta Healthcare is founded – October 1994 – Now a multi award winning & leading Industry business
Edwin stepped away from the corporate life in Oct 1994 after he identified a gap in the market and had a vision of creating a Healthcare outsourcing company based on the blueprint of a Global Blue chip organisation and which met an industry need.
The company was founded with a joint partner Annette D’Abreo.
Ceuta initially represented H&B companies with a syndicated sales team detailing & merchandising their consumer brands in the pharmacy trade channel, this quickly moved to the total management of companies brands and all trade channels [ sales, marketing, logistics, customer services, HR support, Training, IT development etc] this included companies from overseas who did not want a UK infrastructure [ Hermesetas, Kwai, Milton, Dextro, Pierre Fabre, Tiger Balm etc]Ceuta has a client base which also include companies like Sanofi, Novartis, Boehringer, Unilever, Fishermans Friends, P&G, Beirsdorf etc.
Ceuta employs approximately 200+ people within the UK with approximately 88% market share and expands into 107 International markets through a global Alliance network & have two other companies CCG their advisory arm & Go2Grocery their new Food & Drinks outsourcing division.
The Ceuta Group has successfully attained a number of awards and has been accredited &
recognized for the following, > demonstrating a high level of professionalism, excellent leadership, entrepreneurship & market dominance
Ceuta has received a number of awards including: • Top 500 European Mid- sized business Award for sustainable business & employment growth
• Sunday Times UK Fast Track 100
• Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year
• Investors In People Gold ( only 0.2% of UK companies achieve this award Sunday Times UK 500 Best Companies to Work For
Edwin has also personally received a number of recognitions from Industry and external awards: • Deloittes Director of the Year (Healthcare & BioScience)
• Fellow of HRH The Princes Enterprise Trust
• Fellow – Institute of Directors
• Regional Fellow – Royal Society of Medicine
• Who’s Who of International Business Leaders
• Finalist – European CEO of the Year 2014 (For Stewardship, Dynamic leadership & Strategic Excellence)
• Winner – UK CEO award 2014– UK publication magazine – Financial Monthly
FINANCE MONTHLY CEO AWARDS 2014
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