Phil Simister BSc (Hons) MEng MBA CEng MIMechE  LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/phil-simister/7/198/243Address:  3 Maxstoke Close, Meriden, Coventry, CV7 7NB•  Mobile: 07989 515774 • Email: phil.simister@gmail.com.com

MBA-qualified, Managing Director/CEO/COO with a track record in the aerospace, automotive, electronics, capital equipment, contract manufacturing & consultancy sectors; and with extensive experience of a wide range of manufacturing disciplines & processes. A skilled and highly respected Business Turnaround Specialist & Change Agent; with an Operations focus; with Lean & Continuous Improvement skills; and with strategic-level project / programme management experience.  Decisive and energetic with consultative management and charismatic leadership styles.

CURRENT/KEY ROLES

DIRECTOR – SIMISTER INTELLIGENT SOLUTIONS

Business optimisation/turnaround as Interim MD/CEO, and manufacturing consultancy, for sectors from aerospace & capital equipment to contract manufacturing & composites.

INTERIM MANAGING DIRECTOR – MKW Ltd, SPE Ltd & TME Ltd

CONTRACT MACHINING & FABRICATION

Stabilised the three contract manufacturing companies forming the PRYME Group operation at Newcastle – putting in the building blocks for recovery:

  • MKW Engineering providing large scale precision machining & heavy fabrication, delivering customised solutions for oil & gas, defence & nuclear sectors
  • Stargate Precision Engineering offering smaller precision-machined components for sectors including oil & gas, medical components and pharmaceutical
  • TME Hydraulics and MKW Site Services providing support throughout the lifecycle of hydraulic systems and provided mechanical site support to local companies 

INTERIM MANAGING DIRECTOR – MacIntyre Chocolate Systems Ltd

CAPITAL EQUIPMENT

Recruited by Probat Gmbh’s HDM Division to run its Scottish £6 to £7 million t/o subsidiary after three years of increasing losses. MacIntyre exports chocolate making machinery to a range of customers throughout the world, ranging from medium sized national companies to Mars & Nestle. Achieved break-even and a modest profit for FY16 after £1.2 million losses in FY15 by: implementing effective control/planning of production; reducing manufacturing lead times by over half across the complete range; reducing manufacturing lead times by a factor of five for the core product; introducing modular manufacturing methodology; delivering major plant on cost/time; implementing accurate pricing based on a proper cost analysis; concentrating on the elimination of outstanding warranty issues. 

SELECTED OTHER INTERIM POSITIONS 

  • COO – AE Oscroft: Supplying presswork to the Tier 1s for JLRAston Martin and Nissan
  • Plant Director – Mabey Bridge Limited: Turning around a plant supplying wind turbines towers to SiemensNordexVesta & EWT
  • Operations Manager – GKN Aerospace (Yeovil): Supplying structural components to AirbusBombardierLockheed Martin, Spirit (Boeing) & Augusta/Westland 
  • Programme Manager – Cobham Composites: Rescuing critical contracts for Lockheed MartinMBDA (BAE, Airbus, Leonardo) & Selex Galileo
  • Project Manager – B/E Aerospace Running a $3/4 billion contract bid for manufacturer of aircraft interior trim supplying to Airbus and Boeing

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Sectors & Processes
  • Aerospace – GKN Aerospace (aircraft structural components); Contour Aerospace (business and first class aircraft seating for Boeing and Airbus); Cobham Composites (radomes for aircraft & missiles); BE Aerospace (interior trim); Supplying machine tools to Rolls Royce, Pratt & Whitney & GE
  • Automotive – Johnson Controls (automotive seating); AE (machined & electroplated piston rings); ARRK(composite body parts); AE Oscroft (automotive pressings)
  • Capital Equipment – Amchem (machine tools for Rolls Royce, Pratt & Whitney, GE); MacIntyre (exporting to Mars, Nestle and national confectionery companies world wide)
  • Contract Machining & Fabrication – MKW & SPE (oil & gas, defence & nuclear sectors)
  • Composites – Cobham Composites, Contour Aerospace, BE Aerospace, ARRK
  • Electronics, High & Low Vol assembly – Guardall, Strand Lighting & PCB manufacture
  • Heavy Plant Fabrication – wind turbine towers for Renewables sector (NordexSiemens)
  • High volume machining – automotive piston rings for JaguarVauxhallRoverFord
  • High volume sheet metal – automotive pressings, aerospace details
Disciplines
  • Production & Operations: Reduction in The MacIntyre’s manuf lead-time from 18 to 4 weeks 
  • Supply Chain: Reduction in Amchem’s order lead-time from 50 weeks to 18 weeks 
  • ERP: Project managed & implemented MRP based ERP System (now MS Dynamics Nav) 
  • Change Management: Extensive practical experience of change management – specialising in getting at the roots of core problems and getting the basics right
  • Lean: Modern manuf masters, Lean expertise with a pragmatic bias & Lean sponsorship
  • Programme Management: Rescued Lockheed MartinMBDA & Selex Galileo contracts
  • Project Management: Managed $3/4 billion contract bid for Airbus A350 for B/E Aerospace
  • Management Accounting: Designed product costing system for CD/DVD manufacturer
  • Finance/P&L: Turned around significant losses for MacIntyre Chocolate Systems

CAREER

INTERIM/CHANGE MANAGER – Consultancy Assignments                            2003 to date
2018 – Interim COO AE Oscroft (automotive presswork)2018 – Interim Site Leader MPac Coventry (industrial automation)2017 – Interim Managing Director MKW, SPE, TME – PRYME Group (Newcastle)2017 – Consultant PRYME Group (Newcastle)2016/17 – Interim Managing Director MacIntyre Chocolate Systems2015/16 – Consultant improving OTIF deliveries for Davall Gears (aerospace)2015 – Consultant for ERP implementation – ARRK Europe (automotive composites)2012 – Interim Plant Director for Mabey Bridge (heavy plant fabrication)2012 – Consultant with Contour Aerospace (composite aircraft seating)2010 – Interim Operations Manager for GKN Aerospace2009/10 – Programme Management rescuing critical contracts for Cobham Composites         2009 – Project Managing a $3/4 billion contract bid into Airbus for B/E Aerospace2008 – Interim Operations Manager for B/E Aerospace2005/6/7 – Various contracts with Birmingham City Council2004 – Consultant recovering Greenfield operation for Carter Retail Equipment 2003 – Design of a product costing system for TIB plc producing CD/DVDs
  
 
HEAD OF OPERATIONS: Amchem Ltd2001 to 03Responsible for the manufacturing operation supplying specialist, ‘niche’ machine tools to Rolls RoycePratt & Whitney & GE. Major achievements were: ·    Complete overhaul of the supply chain·    Reduction in the overall lead-time for core product from 40+ weeks to 18 weeks·    Implementation of a new MRP based ERP System (Navision Attain – now MS Dynamics)
PRODUCTION MANAGER: Strand Lighting Ltd         1997 to 98

Responsible for the manufacture of electronic control & electro-mechanical dimmer systems for a £53 million turnover company selling theatre lighting worldwide – automated and hand assembly of PCBs and final assembly of high value, low volume product.

PRODUCTION MANAGER: Guardall Limited     1994 to 96

Responsible for the output of a £20 million turnover, medium/high volume manufacturer of electronic security equipment supplying Chubb group & independent installers – Automatic Component, Surface Mount & manual PCB Assembly, Final & Robotic Assembly Lines. 

LINE MANAGER: Interconnection Systems Ltd1993

Employed by the largest manufacturer of Printed Circuit Boards in the UK – supplying printed circuit boards to the telecommunication and computer industries (HitachiSonyMotorolaIBM) – as part of the team developing manufacturing, quality and personnel systems.

ENGINEERING MANAGER: Johnson Controls (Automotive) UK Ltd1992

Executive & financial management of planned maintenance activities, and the development of production equipment (chemical distribution, robotics & PLC controlled tracks), for a Tier 2 supplier of automotive seating for ToyotaNissanVauxhall & Rover.

ENGINEERING OFFICER (FLIGHT LIEUTENANT): Royal Air Force  1986 to 92

Six year Short Service Commission with responsibility for circa 100 personnel during four tours in UK & Germany: manufacturing/fabricating aircraft components, manufacturing general engineering equipment and maintaining military aircraft & aero engines.

POST GRAD RESEARCH: HEPWORTH & GRANDAGE (AE Group)  1984 & 1985

R&D for high volume manufacturer of automotive piston rings (machining and electroplating) supplying the major automotive engine manufacturers – FordOpel/VauxhallRoverJaguar.

Qualifications, Accreditations and Professional Development

  • CEng MIMechE (Chartered Engineer – Member of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers)
  • MBA – Graduate Business School, University of Strathclyde
  • MEng Advanced Manufacturing/Business Studies – University of Durham
  • BSc (Hons) Mechanical Engineering: 1st Class Honours – Sunderland Polytechnic

Referees

Personal Information

Driving Licence      Full, UK                                  

Nationality               British

  Interests                   Mountaineering (rock & ice climbing) & Music (singer & trombone player)

Categories: Resume