Interim Commercial Director, apetito (Trowbridge)
The Client
Based in Trowbridge, apetito makes and delivers prepared meals for organisations caring for older people and for other customers with specific nutritional needs. The operation combines food production, distribution and customer service.
Commercial leadership has to balance growth, competitive pricing and long-term customer relationships with the practical limits of production capacity and the need for dependable delivery.
The Requirement
The brief called for an experienced interim Commercial Director who could give immediate direction across commercial activity while staying closely connected to manufacturing and distribution.
The role required an understanding of complex customer contracts, changing demand and the importance of service reliability. The interim would support the sales teams, assess opportunities and make sound commercial decisions, without losing sight of operational realities or the needs of the people who eat the meals.
The Solution
Novo searched among senior commercial executives from food manufacturing, contract catering and distribution businesses, a market we know through our work in consumer products and FMCG and supply chain and logistics.
Relevant experience included:
- Strategic account management and tendering
- Margin improvement and sales leadership
- Negotiation with institutional customers
- Interpretation of performance data
- Close work with production, supply chain and finance
Particular consideration went to candidates who could build trust quickly.
The Outcome
The interim assignment maintained commercial leadership through a period of transition. The business kept clear ownership of customer relationships, growth priorities and sales performance throughout.
