Commercial Director | Sustainability
Business Growth | Commercial Performance | Sustainability
I bring more than 25 years of commercial leadership experience together with practical sustainability expertise to help SMEs grow, improve performance and respond to the changing demands of doing business today.
Based in Berkshire. Working across the Thames Valley, Surrey and London
Commercial experience. Sustainability expertise.
I have spent my career helping businesses grow, improve performance, develop customer relationships and respond to the changing demands of doing business today.
Over recent years, I have developed a practical understanding of sustainability and how it is changing the way businesses operate. From customer and supply-chain expectations to risk, carbon reduction, net zero and tender requirements.
I bring these two area together. Understanding the commercial realities of running a business, while recognising the opportunities and challenges that sustainability presents.
How I can help
Grow your business, responsibly
Develop your sales, retain and win new customers and identify opportunities to grow revenue but also stop what’s not working.
Improve business performance
Improve margins, strengthen customer relationships and make better commercial decisions.
Meet customer and tender requirements
Understand what customers and supply chains expect on sustainability and respond to tender requirements.
Develop your sustainability plans
Work out what matters to your business and take practical steps on risk assessments, carbon reduction, net zero and more sustainable operations.
The business case for renewable energy and carbon reduction
Understand the options, potential costs and business benefits of renewable energy solutions
Selected Experience
Sustainability and customer requirements: Helped retain contracts for Acosta Europe through competitive tenders; delivered commercial ESG training to more than 100 employees; built internal ESG capability and a supply-chain framework at Financial Services PLC.
Renewables and carbon reduction: Turned an NHS hospice’s carbon audit into actionable renewables recommendations.
Sustainability workshops: Ran workshops for clients including the Chartered Institute of Marketing, German Tourist Board and the B2B automotive repair sector.
Commercial growth: Led UK distribution and marketing at Universal Pictures to 34% revenue growth (£150m) and a 41% contribution improvement across a £15m+ budget.
Turnaround and margin: Took Archant Dialogue to approximately £6m turnover and a £900k margin improvement, with 10% organic growth while retaining key clients.
Business transformation: Moved Ultima Media, a £7m legacy business, into digital, data and custom content, generating 6,000 new registrations and profitable new revenue lines.
Operational savings: Audited supplier contracts for more than £12m in savings across print, IT, CRM, marketing and business services. Built financial dashboards to show teams where cash and profit were made.
Sustainability Credentials & Capabilities
Five years of hands-on application across carbon auditing, PPN 06/21 tender compliance, BSI Net Zero, circular business models and renewables economics:
Future-Fit Business Benchmark Accredited Advisor
Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL)
Course Director, CIM Sustainability & Marketing
Accredited Carbon Literacy Facilitator
Corporate Governance Institute (Board Oversight & ESG Governance)
MBA | Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing (FCIM)
“Gavin combines commercial thinking with practical sustainability expertise. He focuses on what sustainability means in real business terms rather than theory or ESG reporting.
He provided clear, actionable advice and a coaching style that helped us rethink how we approached the challenges we were facing.
He also delivered a written strategy document that gave us a practical foundation and pathway for moving forward.It was a strong mix of commercial clarity, practical sustainability insight and hands-on support.”
-- Nick Payne, Managing Director SA Brain
What clients say
“What really sets Gavin apart is how well he gets both the sustainability world and the commercial one. That mix meant we ended up with a strategy that wasn’t just ‘nice to have’ but something people could get behind and deliver. He brought our teams along for the ride and helped us talk to clients about it in a way that felt honest, inspiring, and practical.
He made a big difference to our journey. I’m really glad we had him on board and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend him to anyone looking to do sustainability properly."
-- Group Managing Director, Retail Marketing & Logistics Company
"Gavin facilitated a full-day sustainability session for a room of people from the same sector but with very different commercial priorities. He managed something genuinely difficult - bridging real commercial pressures with genuine sustainability ambition, without making either feel like a compromise.
His candour, warmth and depth of experience created an environment where people felt comfortable being honest and had their thinking genuinely challenged. Lively, enjoyable and substantive - a rare combination.
If you're looking for a facilitator who can hold a complex room and leave people energised, I'd recommend Gavin without hesitation."
-- Cheryl Chung, Corporate & Government Affairs
About me.
I'm a commercial director and former managing director with more than 25 years' experience in media and marketing, and a focus on sustainability since 2022. I've worked at BBC Worldwide and Universal Pictures, and run B2B media and marketing businesses.
I've worked on the decisions that shape how a business performs: what it offers, how it positions itself, where it makes money, and when to change. I look past the story a business tells about itself to see what's really happening, then work with people to decide what to do next.
I'm based in Berkshire and work with businesses across Berkshire, Surrey and London.
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