Examining Kevin Gaskell’s track record surprises some people. As CEO of four successful world class brands and as a serial entrepreneur who has built international companies from ‘a good idea’ Kevin has created over £3 billion in shareholder value – and yet has still found time to climb the world’s highest mountains, walk to both North and South Poles, compete in international sport and play in a rock band.
Kevin has a passion for actions that get results – in everything he does. He has led businesses in sectors including automotive, branded goods, technology, data, professional services, marine and landscape gardening! His energy and leadership has helped companies including Porsche, BMW, Lamborghini, epyx and EurotaxGlass’s to achieve world class levels of customer service and financial performance. He passionately believes that ordinary people can deliver extraordinary results given the invitation to believe in the goal and the opportunity to contribute towards its achievement. He has always built success with the team developed inside the company. Today he actively chairs, invests and partners with a small number of companies helping them to achieve market leading growth and to manage change successfully.
Kevin is a natural communicator with the ability to lead, build and motivate a management team and to engage the team throughout an organisation. His drive and passion were apparent from an early age when he qualified as an engineer, then as an accountant and completed his MBA before pursuing a career that took him through the construction industry, the chemical industry and then into the automotive sector, where he was appointed UK Managing Director of Porsche at the age of 32 and BMW GB at the age of 37. He has been widely recognised as one of the outstanding leaders of his generation.
Speaker
A great speech has many elements, but it needs to do two things:
Engage the audience from start to finish
Energise them to take action
The second won’t happen without the first and the first alone doesn’t get results!
Kevin has a unique talent for engaging audiences – and for inspiring them to take action. His experiences of driving turnarounds, achieving 500% profit growth and transforming local companies into global players were acquired within the corporate environment. His entrepreneurial experience of founding businesses, acquiring underperforming companies and transforming them into market leaders has allowed him to develop a complementary set of skills and knowledge.
Leader
The attributes of a successful leader include passion, honesty, tenacity, determination, resilience, commitment, clarity of thought, intelligence – and a big dose of common sense! In the optimum situation these attributes are supported by effective business processes and enhanced by personal communication skills.
Achieving a high level of personal leadership and influence is not easy. These skills can be learned through experience or, more efficiently, can be developed through highly effective programmes designed to support senior teams through periods of challenge or uncertainty.
Learning from experience
Kevin has been recognised as one of the most capable leaders of his generation. An international sportsman who was trusted with the crisis command of Porsche GB at the tender age of 32. He has led multi billion pound global organisations and has founded companies with just a good idea and a telephone.
This has seen him recognised in a number of ways including as one of ‘the UK’s top 40 leaders under 40’, to chairing the ‘best UK private equity investment of the year’ and as a founder of award winning start-up companies.
He is a rare blend of ‘Captain of Industry’ and serial entrepreneur who really has been there and done it in businesses both very big and very small.
Strategic Development
Take your business to the next level
The challenges of the market are continuously changing. How do you stay ahead of the next business disruptor? How do you grow in a shrinking market? How can your team achieve a step change in their performance?
Kevin has specific experience of successfully leading companies through difficult and stressful situations. He has personally led the rejuvenation of international brands and led teams to achieve outstanding performance at many companies.
If you need help:
Then speak to Kevin and discuss how you can use his real life experience to inspire your team to understand what is possible – and how they can achieve it. Or invite him to work with you through a pragmatic masterclass where together you will build an approach to reviewing your business and addressing the opportunities that you face. Or ask him to conduct a strategic workshop with you and your team to review your business, identify opportunities, define your priorities and build with you 1000 day™ plan to take your business to a new level of performance.
Adventurer
The joy of life comes from encounters with new experiences
Like many people who enjoy outdoor activities, Kevin became an adventurer ‘by accident’ or rather by degrees. Growing up in the mountains of North Wales he was always looking to spend the weekends exploring the paths and rock climbs of Snowdonia.
As his ambition to explore the wilder parts of the world grew so he looked to travel wilder and further. Following the loss of his sister to cancer he decided to use his exploring to raise monies for charitable causes. Since then he has helped to fund a new cancer treatment centre and to support Alan Chambers MBE in the development of Extreme Classrooms™ an outdoor learning experience making a difference to the lives of vulnerable teenagers.
The adventurers continue, usually with his son Matt, an extreme athlete who encourages Kevin to go the extra mile, or two, or three… or thirty three! In 2019 Kevin and Matt plan to row, unsupported, across the Atlantic Ocean to help the fight against plastics in the oceans.
Inspired Leadership – Achieve extraordinary results
Motivating to Success - Inspiring to world class performance
Business Transformation – Innovate to long term success
Corporate Culture – Develop an invisible advantage
Successful Digitization - Survive and thrive
Build a World Class Brand - Entice customers, breed advocates
Berkshire Drive, Newbury, Thatcham, UK
Inspired Leadership – Achieve extraordinary results
Motivating to Success - Inspiring to world class performance
Business Transformation – Innovate to long term success
Corporate Culture – Develop an invisible advantage
Successful Digitization - Survive and thrive
Build a World Class Brand - Entice customers, breed advocates
Technical Requirements:
I will be introduced using my written introduction
I prefer not to use a podium – I may use one for a formal address after discussion with the conference organiser but this is rare.
On stage I need: a laptop projector, screen, courtesy monitor, visible clock, water.
For any group of more than 40 people I will need a wireless Lavalier clip-on tie mic or earpiece mic with a belt pack. A wired or handheld mic will severely compromise my presentation.
I use Microsoft PowerPoint and may include videos which are available in MP4 or WMV format. I will provide both formats.
My PowerPoint slides are provided in 16:9 aspect ratio ONLY.
My slides must not be embedded into another slide master or conference slide deck (as this always corrupts the files).
I am prepared to use my laptop or your AV team’s equipment. If using my laptop I will need a power supply and an audio out cable (2.5mm jack).
I use a wireless slide advancer and am happy to use my own or your AV team’s equipment.
To ensure your audience get the best possible performance I would like to complete a technical check at least 2 hours before the presentation. This typically takes 30 minutes.
I am happy to take a Q+A session after speaking. Experience tells me that this needs careful moderation for it to be worthwhile.
Slide copies are not available for distribution except by prior agreement.
In NO circumstances should slides be distributed in advance of the presentation.
Video recording of the event is by prior agreement only. Such recording is not available for sale or distribution except by prior agreement.
If you have questions or wish to contact me before the event please email me at: [email protected]
Virtual Rate: R75 000.00 (South Africa)
International: £7 500.00
Mariki Schwiebus
21 June 2020 at 11:03 am“Thank you for making our leadership conference so special. The response from the audience was sky high! You are world-class, yet humble, and you make people feel as though anyone can achieve what they set their minds to be. What a gift! Thank you, thank you.”
Mariki Schwiebus, Communication Manager of the PEP Group