John Bowen
Managing Director | Gulfhaven Ltd
Newbury, Berkshire, UNITED KINGDOM
Let me know where and when you need me. Happy to speak in the UK, Europe or the USA
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Biography
As you might guess from my photo, I don't get paid for my looks, just for what I know and can do.
I started work in Logistics (as we now call it) with a Saturday job delivering meat for the village butcher aged 11. By the time I was in my early 30s I was well on my way up the management ladder and decided that having fun was more important than just making a living.
I’ve always been interested in technology and gadgets, and these blogs are just a way of making use of all the toys for me.
I spent the early part of my career in wholesale and retail sales and distribution, working for companies including the Trist Draper Group, Brown Brothers, Thorn TV Rentals, The Post Office and Ross Foods. My roles with these organisations were either operational management or sales related before moving into the computer systems side of supply chain management in the early 1980s.
Having developed supply chain management software and policy for The Post Office, I took over operational management of their internal logistics facility in Swindon, modernising this and developing it into a successful 3rd party logistics provider (see Royal Mail Logistics on my Links page). It was during this time that I developed an interest in Facilities Management (FM) through being a customer running a large operation. Having instigated the integration of the Swindon logistics operation into Parcelforce in 1996, I made the move to FM, taking on the provision of full FM services to around 30 sites in Northern Ireland, Wales and Southern England.
I developed a specialist interest in soft FM services, and in 1999 joined Romec, bringing soft FM services to their portfolio. I have devised soft FM related solutions for a number of clients in the retail, financial and government sectors, and thoroughly enjoyed my time with Romec and their clients.
I am an experienced speaker at conferences and seminars, and have also been involved in training, development and assessment over more than 20 years and continue to take an active role in these areas. I have served two terms as a non-executive director of BIFM as well as serving that Institute in a variety of voluntary roles. Reflecting other career interests I am a member of the Chartered Institute of Purchasing & Supply (CIPS) and the Chartered Institute of Logistics & Transport (CILT).
I write regularly on leadership, facilities management and procurement topics for a range of business magazines and have a couple of books to my name.
Industry Expertise (3)
Corporate Leadership
Logistics and Supply Chain
Management Consulting
Areas of Expertise (5)
Leadership
Procurement
Facilities Management
Crisis Management
Procurement Audit
Education (2)
Cranfield School of Management: Warehouse Layout & Design
Swindon College: Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply
Professional qualification
Links (2)
Event Appearances (6)
Procurement Good Practice
Public Procurement Show sponsored by The Guardian ExCel London
2011-06-12
Effective Tendering to the Public Sector
Private Sales Conference Ettington Park Hotel, Alderminster, Warwiickshire
2011-10-19
Better Buying for SMEs
Swindon Business Village Swindon
2011-09-07
Implementing Business Strategy
British Institute of Facilities Management Conference Park Plaza Hotel, London
2010-04-12
Producing a Winning Bid
Private Sales Conference Radisson Edwardian Hotel, Leicester Square, London
2011-01-09
Conducting Procurement Audits
Private Business Event Glasgow
2011-08-14
Sample Talks (1)
How Easy is it to Buy from You?
Sometimes your processes, whilst making things easy for you, make it hard for your customers. Full of practical advice from a professional buyer, this session can be run for SMEs or for sole traders.
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