Christian Whittaker
Brisbane,Australia
Summary
Dynamic ANZ Sales Leader with 15+ years of proven experience driving revenue growth, leading high-performing teams, and building strong stakeholder relationships. Expertise in crafting and executing national sales strategies, mentoring sales professionals, and managing major initiatives across diverse markets. Skilled in market analysis, client relationship management, and fostering a customer-first culture. A strategic planner and adaptable leader known for inspiring team performance and aligning sales efforts with organizational goals to deliver consistent results.
Overview
19
19
years of professional experience
Work History
Head of Sales – Independent ANZ Network
Western Union Financial Services
11.2019 - 06.2024
- Built and led a remote team of 20 Territory Sales Executives, establishing a network of 400 SME retail locations, including Pharmacies, Newsagents, and Independent Grocers across ANZ
- Developed and implemented data-driven sales strategies to drive agent acquisition, retention, and revenue growth, achieving 23% YTD revenue increase
- Designed dashboards to enhance performance visibility, streamline KPIs, agent incentives, and productivity tracking
- Collaborated with Legal, Finance, Compliance, Customer Success, and Marketing teams to ensure regulatory compliance and operational excellence
- Effectively managed a geographically dispersed team, using motivational techniques, regular check-ins, and travel to maintain engagement and high performance
- Recruited, coached, and developed a high-achieving team, fostering a values-driven, customer-centric culture focused on delivering results
- Expanded the independent retail network to contribute 22% of outbound volume over four years, achieving 17% YoY transaction growth
- Hired and retained top sales performers, fostering a culture of trust and support, and driving consistent results through a quarterly incentive program
- Conducted regular team and one-on-one meetings to address individual needs, share updates, deliver training, and celebrate achievements, enhancing communication and morale
- Developed an agent retention program that boosted transaction volume by 20% and revenue by 24% in 2022/2023 through targeted promotions, incentives, and face-to-face engagement
- Designed a sales dashboard to optimize metrics, improve forecasting, and drive data-informed strategy adjustments
- Represented the company at cultural festivals across ANZ, showcasing omnichannel product capabilities and converting an average of 50 customers per event from competitor services
National Business Development Manager
Western Union Financial Services
01.2015 - 11.2019
- Expanded national retail accounts by driving foot traffic, service adoption, and product awareness through targeted promotional campaigns and strategic collaboration
- Worked cross-functionally to design campaigns that increased payment solution visibility and captured new market segments across key retail channels
- Streamlined service implementation and enhanced customer experiences by adopting and leveraging emerging sales technologies and CRM platforms
- Launched kiosk solutions at 150 BP stations, enabling accessibility and service offerings
- Face to face visits with Australia Post and Travelex, resulting in a 15% YoY growth rate
Regional Key Account Manager
Western Union Financial Services
10.2011 - 01.2015
- Built and managed strategic partnerships with mutual banks, facilitating product training, face to face visits and enhancing FX service offerings across multiple branches
- Increased FX revenue by 20% targeting margins and expanding offerings at 300+ branches
- Represented the company at national payments and mutual bank conferences showcasing capabilities and networking to grow new business opportunities
Financial Services Operations Manager
Australia Post
12.2005 - 10.2011
- Strategic Partnerships: Collaborated with Travelex, AMEX, and Western Union to drive promotions, sales, and relationship management
- Operational Oversight: Directed Post BillPay, Bank@Post, travel services, and identity verification services, achieving state-leading results
- Compliance Management: Ensured adherence to policies, procedures, and SLAs across 600 Queensland outlets, optimizing government agency service delivery
- Process Improvement: Streamlined operations to enhance efficiency and customer experience
Area Retail Manager – GPO Brisbane
Australia Post
06.2009 - 07.2010
- Retail Leadership: Led a team of 28 at Brisbane GPO, achieving sales excellence while developing team members' leadership skills in people management and profit optimization
- Multi-Site Management: Oversaw 8 retail outlets across Greater Brisbane, providing hands-on support during peak times and resolving operational challenges
- Team Development: Coached and mentored staff to boost customer service, sales performance, and merchandising effectiveness, consistently exceeding budget forecasts
- Using data driven insights and establishing a sales strategy plan, achieved 20% gross sales growth and a 30% improvement in outlet profitability year-on-year, reducing labour expenditure by 14%
- Recognized with the “Most Accountable Manager” award for excellence in retail management, revenue growth, and team development
- Provided training and mentoring which improved the service, reduced customer complaints and grew the mystery shopping experience scores month on month
Education
Diploma of Management -
Qld TAFE
Coach and Build High-Performance Teams -
AIM
Cert IV in Franchising & Training and Assessment -
Tomorrow's Leaders -
Australia Post
Skills
- Sales Strategy & Execution
- Team Leadership
- Key Account Management
- Performance Monitoring
- Industry Engagement
- Key Account Strategies
- Sales Leadership
- Operational Efficiency
- Proficient in Microsoft Office
- Experienced with Salesforce
- CRM proficiency
- Sales coaching
Development Courses
- LinkedIn Learning: Sales Pipeline Management
- Emotional Intelligence
- Public Speaking
Education
- Diploma of Management – Queensland TAFE
- Coach and Build High-Performance Teams – Australian Institute of Management
- Cert IV in Franchising & Training and Assessment - Queensland TAFE
- Tomorrow's Leaders - Australia Post
Timeline
Head of Sales – Independent ANZ Network
Western Union Financial Services
11.2019 - 06.2024
National Business Development Manager
Western Union Financial Services
01.2015 - 11.2019
Regional Key Account Manager
Western Union Financial Services
10.2011 - 01.2015
Area Retail Manager – GPO Brisbane
Australia Post
06.2009 - 07.2010
Financial Services Operations Manager
Australia Post
12.2005 - 10.2011
Coach and Build High-Performance Teams -
AIM
Cert IV in Franchising & Training and Assessment -
Tomorrow's Leaders -
Australia Post
Diploma of Management -
Qld TAFE
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