CEO Today Europe Awards

75 www.ceotodaymagazine.com CEO Today Europe Awards 2018 the united kingdom EDWIN BESSANT CEO of Ceuta Group ABOUT EDWIN BESSANT Edwin’s career started at Cadbury Confectionery and then migrated to Wilkinson Sword. He moved eventually to expand his career and new skillsets to Germany to head a Field Marketing team for a USA based brokerage – Webco, activating merchandising and sampling event activities etc on PXs and military commissaries. He moved back to the UK and joined Pfizer Consumer (then Whitehall / Wyeth Laboratories) which was a key move into Trade Marketing and then placed into a ‘Fast Track’ programme working across a number of departments and extensively working in Europe writing a sequence of 200 page market reports for each country. Edwin’s focus was always on the market place of three years in advance and it was his responsibility to identify market changes, trends and solutions. It was here that he spotted a gap in the market (23 years ago) for a unique brand outsourcing business opportunity that met an industry need – A sales & marketing organisation was born and based on the blueprint of a Global Blue Chip business with robust back office support. At this time there were successful and established Food and Healthcare brokerage agencies in the market, but manufacturers wanted additional services, specifically when it came to ‘Brand Fostering’. Edwin recognised that the start-up project demanded additional support. He identified an incredible partner who had a similar mindset, skillset, ambition and purpose - Annette D’Abreo became a joint founder and together they have created a company from a small office in Bournemouth to a business that is now a global leading brand outsourcing organisation and continuing to build. Ceuta development & future Ceuta have acquired seven companies and currently have another 3-4 in the pipeline. Edwin states that, ”it’s such an important part of our growth strategy, we have built out an evidenced based micro model in the UK and Ireland with our ‘Integrated Platform of Services’ and now we can do the same on a macro model in other Global markets, alongside our Ceuta International Alliance Global network”. Edwin has three key imperatives: • 3 year vision - Ensuring the Ceuta Group is fit for purpose and meeting an industry need • Ensurewehavehighly trainedandmotivated staff supportedby our TalentManagement Department and with an objective of secure employment within an expanded Group • Delivering to our Shareholders / Investors Edwin was recognised last year for building a global vision with the Ceuta Group and received a Global Top 100 CEO Award - Other recipients of this award have included the CEOs of: Apple, LVMH, Facebook, Uber, Disney and Microsoft. Edwin is a: • Fellow of the Prince’s Trust • Life Fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine • Fellow – Institute of Directors FIRM PROFILE Ceuta Group is a global consumer brand outsourcing services business - managing and developing leading household brands and businesses globally through its Sales and Marketing support, Category Insight, Creative and Brand Communication, Shopper / Consumer Insight, Digital Data Analytics, Field Marketing and Experiential / Event Management, Logistics Support and innovating local market strategy. Ceuta have a reach to over 107 international markets and access to 120 mass retailers, 550,000 pharmacies and 3m independent / convenience grocery retailers. Ceuta have their head office based in Bournemouth and offices in London, New York, Rotterdam, Singapore and Bangkok. Ceuta are 60% owned by USA investors and will achieve $10.2m ebitda profit this fiscal year and steadily rising. Ceuta currently employs approx. 400 personnel. Ceuta market positioning Ceuta have a globally unique market positioning within their industry. They have 12 companies within their Group (Ceuta Healthcare, Bridgethorne, 1HQ, Collidascope, Impackt, Atomic, Orchid, Go2Grocery, BrandShapers, VBM, Ceuta International and Creative Leap) delivering an ‘Integrated Platform of Services’ covering the services above. Website: www.ceutagroup.com . Ceuta offers a collective of services and delivers an expedient singular solution to each client’s bespoke needs. Ceuta are able to manage the complete cycle needs of a brand or a company’s total business in a market where they do not want headcount or bricks and mortar through managing, developing and executing a brand’s journey. Lorian Pitman (PA to CEO) T: 01202-449709 E: lorian.pitman@ceutagroup.com W: www.ceutagroup.com