Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Timeline
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Simon Baynes

Chief Executive Officer
Bulimba ,QLD

Summary

Simon, a dynamic and visionary leader in the electrical industry, boasts a remarkable journey marked by relentless dedication and unparalleled achievements. With a childhood spent navigating through 10 schools across regional and metropolitan Victoria, Simon developed resilience and adaptability from an early age.

Embarking on a career path in electrical engineering, Simon completed an electrical fitter apprenticeship with Thycon, a renowned provider of Power Quality Conversion products. This foundational experience laid the groundwork for Simon's ascent in the industry.

Transitioning into a sales role with GEC, Simon swiftly emerged as a driving force, spearheading the company's sales performance and customer acquisitions. Notably, Simon led GEC to unparalleled success, establishing it as a benchmark for quality electrical products within the industry.

Eager to expand horizons and embrace leadership responsibilities, Simon ventured into management with HPM Industries. Tasked with overseeing a region of electrical wholesale customers and contractors, Simon once again excelled, steering the company to unprecedented heights in sales performance despite operating in a fiercely competitive market.

In a pivotal move that underscored Simon's strategic acumen, he joined CNW Electrical Wholesale and spearheaded the opening of the company's inaugural branch in Western Australia. Within a remarkably short span, the branch not only achieved profitability in its first year but also ascended to become one of the top three most profitable branches nationwide within three years.

Recognising Simon's exceptional leadership capabilities and track record of success, CNW appointed him as the General Manager for Western Australia, South Australia, and Northern Territory in 2010. In this role, Simon orchestrated a monumental growth trajectory, elevating the business's operating income from $60,000,000 to an impressive $116,000,000 within five years.

In a crowning achievement reflective of Simon's unparalleled leadership prowess, he ascended to the position of CEO of CNW in 2015. Under Simon's visionary stewardship, the company experienced unprecedented expansion, with the operating income soaring from $362,000,000 in 2015 to an astounding $655,000,000 by the end of the financial year 2022/23 whilst increasing the EBIT by 2% to 6.4%.

The remarkable growth and sustained success achieved under Simon's leadership can be attributed to a multifaceted approach encompassing enhanced standards, fortified organisational structures, comprehensive training and development initiatives, centralised control mechanisms, technological innovations to foster customer connectivity, strategic market sector specialisation, and the cultivation of a vibrant organisational culture.

In addition to his executive roles, Simon has been a current sitting board member for the Gemcell Electrical Group since 2016 and an executive board member of IMELCO since 2017. Gemcell is an electrical buying group that supports independent electrical wholesalers from Australia and New Zealand. IMELCO is the largest cooperation of independent electrical wholesalers on the globe.

Simon is a graduate from the University of Western Australia. His journey exemplifies the transformative power of visionary leadership, strategic foresight, and unwavering commitment to excellence, making them an undisputed luminary in the realm of electrical industry leadership.

Overview

21
21
years of professional experience
19
19
years of post-secondary education

Work History

Executive Board Member

IMELCO
07.2017 - Current
  • Established effective communication channels for seamless collaboration between board members, and executives.
  • Steered the organisation toward long-term sustainability by maintaining a clear vision for future growth opportunities.
  • Managed risk exposure effectively through regular assessment of potential threats and implementation of mitigation strategies.
  • Assisting the 16 members within IMELCO to negotiate commercial terms with a selected group of 'Preferred Suppliers'.
  • Achieved board objectives by strategically aligning resources and initiatives with organisational goals
  • Increased shareholder value through diligent monitoring of financial performance metrics

Board Member

Gemcell
07.2016 - Current
  • Engaged with shareholders on key matters, maintaining transparency and trust among stakeholders.
  • Fostered collaboration among board members, promoting open communication and shared decision making.
  • Served as advocate and ambassador for organisation by fully engaging, identifying, and securing resources and partnerships to advance mission.
  • Reviewed financial reports, budgets, and audit results to monitor the organisation's fiscal health

Chief Executive Officer

CNW Electrical Wholesale
06.2015 - Current
  • Increased company revenue by implementing innovative business strategies and expanding product offerings.
  • Focus on driving a safe, compliant, and customer-centric culture by promoting the company's core values, process and standards.
  • Drive a culture of training and development within the organisation.
  • Managed high-performing teams to successfully execute corporate objectives and drive organisational success.
  • Built productive relationships with industry partners to support strategic business objectives.
  • Established key strategic partnerships with industry leaders to enhance business development opportunities.
  • Report to the Board of Directors with full P&L accountability of a $650,000,000 electrical distribution and supply chain operation.
  • Lead the development and implementation of the company overarching strategy and associated initiatives.
  • Provide leadership to a direct team of 10 General Managers across 65 branches and an indirect team of 700 employees.
  • Foster an organisational culture that is underpinned by accountability, diversity, inclusivity, morale, learning and development opportunities.
  • Drive good governance through the development and management policies, procedures, framework, and management systems.
  • Oversee day-to-day operations, which entail addressing risks/issues providing clear direction, and looking at improvement opportunities.
  • Act as the spokesperson, building awareness, maintaining reputation, and establishing strategic partnerships.


Key Achievements

  • Played a key role in winning major oil & gas projects which established a multi-million-dollar pipeline.
  • Contributed to increasing the company's sales from $362M in FY15 to $656M in FY23.
  • Improved sales, pricing, and operational processes, which saw profits skyrocket from $16M in FY15 to $42M in FY23.
  • Decreased the expense expense % on sales from 16.1% in FY15 to 13.4% in FY23 (industry average is
  • Increased the branch network to 65 branches nationally.
  • Turned around the number of branch outlets that were in a net profit loss position from 12 in FY15 to 2 in FY23.
  • Maintained a high employee retention rate.
  • Increased average invoices per day from 3590 in FY15 to 4895 in FY23.
  • Increased the inventory value from $40.5M in FY15 to $73.6M in FY23.
  • Developed Structure, Roles & Responsibilities to every role in the organisation.


Created a number of training programs, including:

  • CNW 2030 - Internal program to develop the next generation of executive leaders in the business.
  • Future Leaders Program - Internal program to develop the next generation of Branch Managers in the business.
  • Mentor Program - Internal program linking the future leaders in the business to the current leaders.
  • Traineeships - Offering every employee in the business the opportunity to complete a Certificate 3 in Supply Chain & Logistics, Certificate 3 in Business, Certificate 4 in Business, and a Diploma in Business.
  • Product Knowledge Training Course - HVACR, Industrial, and Lighting.



General Manager

CNW Electrical Wholesale
07.2010 - 06.2015
  • Cultivated strong relationships with clients, vendors, and partners to ensure long-term success and loyalty.
  • Monitored financial performance, set budgets and controlled expenses to provide financial stability and long-term organisational growth.
  • Managed budget implementations, employee reviews, training, schedules, and contract negotiations.
  • Managed budget implementations, employee evaluations, and contract details.

Branch Manager

CNW Electrical Wholesale
07.2003 - 06.2010
  • Improved customer satisfaction ratings by enhancing service quality and resolving client issues promptly.
  • Maintained friendly and professional customer interactions.
  • Continuously monitored branch performance against key performance indicators, taking corrective actions as needed to ensure objectives were met or exceeded.
  • Engaged employees in business processes with positive motivational techniques.

Education

Graduate Certificate - Business Administration

University of Western Australia
Perth
01.2006 - 12.2024

Skills

  • Organisational Management

  • Strategic Visioning

  • Operational Efficiency

  • Customer Focus

  • Executive Leadership

  • Change Management

  • Forecasting & Budgeting

  • Human Resources

  • Joint Ventures

Timeline

Executive Board Member

IMELCO
07.2017 - Current

Board Member

Gemcell
07.2016 - Current

Chief Executive Officer

CNW Electrical Wholesale
06.2015 - Current

General Manager

CNW Electrical Wholesale
07.2010 - 06.2015

Graduate Certificate - Business Administration

University of Western Australia
01.2006 - 12.2024

Branch Manager

CNW Electrical Wholesale
07.2003 - 06.2010
Simon BaynesChief Executive Officer