About Sydney Mills
Sydney Mills - Professional Summary:
Expertise covers Product Management, Engineering, Manufacturing, Product and Planning Management, Operations, Supply Chain, Sales, Purchasing, Logistics, R&D and Marketing; expertise secured from global industry leading groups like General Motors, Husky, ALCOA, SKF, Dana Corporation, to the Manildra Energy Australia. Tasks assigned have spanned the US, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, ANZ, South America, South Africa and Australia.
Sydney Mills - Professional Experience:
MANAGING DIRECTOR (Own Company) DEC 2009 to Now
Move Safety Pty. Ltd.
Australian – Private Consulting Company
Move Safety was formed in 2009 to support small and medium companies to increase their management effectiveness and market participations.
Move Safety drives both the industry and practice of helping organizations improve their performance primarily through the analysis of existing business problems and development of plans for improvement.
Key responsibilities included:
- Operations & Product Engineering Management. (Design, Product and Manufacturing)
- Industrial & Manufacturing engineering.
- Planning, Organization and Implementation.
- Logistics and End-to-End Supply Chain.
- Quality Process (I.e.: Lean – Six Sigma, ISO, etc.)
- Strategic Product Management.
GENERAL MANAGER (BIO-FUEL) MAY 2006 to DEC 2009
Manildra Energy Australia
Australian – Food and Bio-Fuel Manufacturer
The Manildra Group, established in 1952 is the largest user of wheat for industrial purposes in Australia processing some 1M tonnes of wheat per annum; 60% of the total wheat in Australia is under Manildra Group control. In 1991 it’s Ethanol (Industrial alcohol) plant commenced. In 2006 the Group started to rapidly produce and to sell bio-fuel (ethanol), from wheat starch, to the oil companies and government through several agreements. Today, Manildra Group is the largest producer of ethanol in Australia (220M litres/year), responsible for 65% of the total ethanol production in the country.
Given the mandate to head up Product Management, R&D, Engineering and Marketing Planning Development.
Key responsibilities included:
- Given full responsibility across Product Management, Operations, Production, Human Resources, Supply Chain, Procurement/Resources sourcing and allocations to Training, Industry Promotions and Marketing.
- Implementing a new business model in the ethanol business.
- Generating a consistent plan to sell ethanol in Australia.
- Coordinating the Ethanol Plant expansion. (Nowra) – through Manildra Group resources. Led Engineering, Operations, end-to-end Production/Manufacturing and Supply Chain.
- Led the R&D relating to Flex-Fuel Cars in Australia. (Dual fuel Petrol/Ethanol; E85 and E100)
- Marketing and PR; Travelled widely e.g. Trips and Meetings for Congress & Events. Developed all resources to generate ethanol customers. (Meetings, Marketing, Information, Promotions, etc.)
- Implemented the Manildra Group Bio-Fuel Program at Manildra Energy Australia on Ethanol Bio-Fuel Plan in Australia, coordinating all ethanol activities on F.F.V. (Flexible Fuel Vehicles), alternative bio-fuel availability as well bio-fuel development in Australia.
- Technical Leadership for example pertaining to manufacturing plant and vehicle conversion to Ethanol.
- Enhanced the awareness of the business, the industry and garnished/lobbied support for example by dealings with several MP’s (NSW, VIC and QLD) to address actions in the Australian Bio-Fuel Program linked to the ETS. (Emission Trade Scheme) to dealing with the Labour and Coalition Parties. NSW, VC and QLD transport ministers, etc.
- Market/Business Development; Opened up new markets developing new Ethanol customers like the Oil Companies: Shell, BP, Caltex, Mobil, United, Freedom, etc. to Racings: Dragsters, Drifting, V8 Supercars, Boats, etc.; to Councils: Lane Cove, Shoalhaven, Bankstown, etc.
- Strategically important; convinced the Australian authorities and Oil Companies to get more clear information about bio-fuels and the benefits not only in terms of environment as well in terms of financial profits using a low-cost, renewable fuel to increase octane numbers and profit margins.
- Instilled a raft of safety and prevented maintenance programs and standards across the plants
- Lobbied government support; a great amount of government meetings and congress to attend to promote and to convince all involved and potential involved people to understand the bio-fuel (ethanol) process and benefits. This challenge was shared with several key players inside the company.
- Product Development; Conceived and rolled out new products; Manildra Group as the biggest four manufacturer in Australia could use the waste by-product starch to become a real product in the company portfolio.
PLANNING DIRECTOR MAR 1994 to FEB 2006
General Motors (GM)
North American - Auto Maker - Multinational
Key responsibilities/accountabilities ranged from:
- Consolidating competences in administrative management for the majority of the Southern Hemisphere’s operations.
- Leadership of the Powertrain Planning between GMCorp & Fiat Auto and, after that re-integration in the region to GMBrasil. Coordinated and implemented the Convergence Plan (Petrol & Ethanol - FlexPower®) for product optimization and for global planning integration for the Southern Hemisphere.
- Organise and control all Planning activities for GMBrazil (Automotive and components).
- To create a seamless bond among all GMCorp Planning departments. (Worldwide – North America, Europe, Asia, Africa, Middle East and Latin America)
- To build the focus point of decisions inside GMBrazil amalgamated by a lead control on Design, Product Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Quality Engineering, Finance, Purchasing, Logistics and Tests.
- Represent GMBrazil in all worldwide GMCorp Planning meetings, driving actions and contributing to increase company share in all related markets.
Key Achievements included:
- Rolled out new products globally e.g. South Africa, China and Mexico (Product and Manufacturing)
- Increasing Product Engineering and Manufacturing Engineering business at GMBrazil to supply services to USA, Canada and Europe.
- Become a stakeholder on Planning to the “Hummer 3 - Project”. Designed in USA, Engineered in Brazil (Product Engineering) and Manufactured in South Africa.
Delivering corporate decisions in all company levels:
- Translating major company core decisions to management and engineering levels.
- Forecasting task loads and headcounts for the coming years plans.
- Optimizing available resources to cope with planning major deliverables.
- Managing challenges and unexpected occurrences for a quick recovering.
- Increasing market share by:
- Rolling out “Car Clinics” to obtain market opinion and requirements.
- Choosing the right product “in sync” with the available product portfolio and target market expectations.
- Sharing cross- regional product data and market research with all planning departments. (Worldwide)
- Decreasing manufacturing and product cost (Leaning), without compromising quality and safety, involving other brother companies worldwide.
- Increasing the frequency of purchase of customers by:
- Bringing attractive products to the markets.
- Increasing “quality perception” thru new materials and automotive fashion trends.
- Increasing automotive features. (Safety, quality, convenience, practicability and comfort)
- Innovating thru Practicability and Availability.
AUTOMOTIVE PRODUCT GENERAL MANAGER (Worldwide) AUG 1993 to MAR 1994
Husky Injection Moulding System. (Canada)
Canadian - Plastic Injection Molding and Equipment – Packaging & Automotive – Multinational
Key responsibilities:
- Development of automotive injection components for South America and Europe.
- Manage automakers customers in South America and Europe.
- Manage sales of automotive injection components for South America and Europe.
- Recover business with General Motors Europe.
Key achievements;
- Increase Automakers customers in for South America and Europe. (2 in 6 current)
- Increase sales of automotive injection components for South America and Europe. (45% - six months)
- Consolidate business with General Motors Europe. (Adam Opel AG)
- New Front and Read Bumper for Corsa/Barina Models in South America and Africa.
- New Door and internal Cluster for VW Golf Models in Brazil, MERCOSUL and Europe.
COUNTRY PRODUCT SUPERINTENDENT APR1992 to JUL 1993
Aluminium Company of America - Alcoa
North American – Metallurgical & Chemical - Multinational
Key achievements:
- Implementation of the New Plastic Bottle Cap Plant for Beverages in Brazil. (Encapsulation)
- Implementation of the New Plastic Bottle Cap concept for Beverages in Brazil. (Encapsulation)
- Meet Company targets for new plant implementation.
- Transfer technology from Alcoa USA to Brazil.
Sydney Mills - Education:
BSc Engineering (Mechanical & Electronic)
MBA - Master of Business Administration I
MBA - Master of Business Administration II (Planning and New Business Development)
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