Personal details

Nationality:                 British

Date of birth:              1971

Contact address:      c/o 37 Gainsborough               30/8, Heritage Building

                                     Bracknell                                     Sukhumvit Soi 8

                                     Berks, RG12 7WL                     Bangkok 10110

                                    UK                                                 Thailand

Tel:                             +44 7815 137438 (UK)             +66 81 343 2947 (Thailand)

Fax:                             +44 870 460 2301

e-mail:                         gus.poston@gmail.com

web:                            www.newthinking.co.uk

Education

Executive MBA
University of St Gallen, Switzerland February 2001

MA Econ, (with distinction) in the Economics and Management of Rural Development
Institute for Development Policy and Management (IDPM), Manchester University, UK 1993-1996

BA(Hons) in Psychology and Philosophy
New College, Oxford University, UK 1989-1993

Job experience

2004 - now: Independent Consultant

1997 - 2004: Consultant, Booz Allen Hamilton, Warsaw, Bangkok and London

1996 - 1997: Consultant, Crown Agents, London

1995 - 1996:  Assistant to Desk Officer, European Commission, Brussels

1995: Assistant to Desk Officer, United Nations (UNCTAD), Geneva

1994: Consultant, SANASA Co-operative Bank, Sri Lanka

1992: Teacher in Orphanage, Ethiopia

1989: Teacher in Primary School, Kathmandu and Gorkha, Nepal

Project experience

Banking Sector reform

Project manager: New business model implementation, Thailand

The largest bank in South East Asia implemented a complete 'Business Transformation' programme over three years. The programme was designed to increase the customer focus of the bank, increase efficiency and improve operational controls. This programme reformed all branches in the network, all head-office operations and processes. The project won award for 'Professional excellence'.

Head-office re-design

A new organisation structure was needed to increase sales, customer focus and efficiency: 

• defined customer segments and re-aligned organization to respond to segment needs

• created transition plans for creation of new strategic business units and support functions

• implemented new organization structure

• Result: re-focusing on growth segments and sales up-lift

Roll-out of new branch model

The 'Business Transformation' model was rolled out to 300+ branches in provincial areas. This involved re-staffing, implementing new processes and training staff in sales:

• designed new branch model for rural and remote areas

• identified new sales processes required for business and consumer banking

• identified the staffing requirements in each branch

• designed a change management program

• managed the change processes, enacted through 50+ bank change agents

• Result: roll-out completed on time, on budget, resulting in 30% reduction in staffing

Implementation of new IT department

The new model for the management of the IT department required a change in approach of the project development staff, a change in management processes and a new organisation structure

• coordinated 50 separate change initiatives, employing 180 staff

• provided technical and content input into all initiatives

• designed systems to manage projects better (PMO, PMM, etc.)

• created systems to link business objectives to project pipeline

• oversaw major investment programs, into new LAN, WAN, mainframe, etc.

• led development of management skills and processes

• Result: IT department able to meet its business commitments

Operations reform

Centralised processing needed to be reformed to meet customer expectations:

• re-designed logistics and streamlining processes for centrally processed credit applications

• managed the design, build and start-up of a new central processing centre

• Result: 50% savings in turn-around times for centrally processed credit applications

Consumer banking strategy

The new Consumer Business Unit needed assistance to create its first annual strategic plan:

• described the consumer banking market in Thailand (analysed market positioning, competitive threats and opportunities)

• developed strategy to lift sales

• facilitated 30 bank staff to make detailed action plans. Action plans developed new products, improved customer service, improved customer understanding, increased fee based income and reformed outlet management

• Result: margin growth, improved service standards, increased customer retention and cross-sell

Project manager: Design of the operational and information risk management department of a major European Bank

Following a number of mergers, the bank needed to consolidate information risk management, operational risk management and disaster recovery management departments globally:

• identified current activities in all risk management areas

• identified overall objectives in risk management, highlighting reduced cost, increased consistency, increased control

• defined design options and evaluated options against objectives

• created implementation plan

• Result: 30% reduction in headcount, increased controls

Project manager: Design of all back-office functions for a major European Investment Bank

A major investment bank, based in London, planned to grow 50%. Its back office operations, including IT, Operations, HR, Risk, Finance, etc. needed restructuring to increase responsiveness and achieve scale economies with this growth:

• defined nature of work in all back office functions

• defined options for re-design

• evaluated options against principles for redesign

• Result: re-design of operations

Project manager: Organisation re-design of a major Middle Eastern bank

The bank needed a complete organisational re-design (including structure, processes and performance management systems), since its current structure limited its customer focus and sales ability:

• identified issues with the current organisation structure and their impact upon bank performance

• determined design principles for the new organisation

• designed new organisation structure, processes and performance management system

• designed a change management programme

• Result: complete restructuring of bank, increase in sales in target sector

Various projects with SANASA movement, Sri Lanka

SANASA is a non-governmental rural banking co-operative with around 700,000 members in 7,000 cooperative societies. It focuses on the rural poor. Completed three projects with SANASA:

1. SANASA had identified a need to support post-Tsunami revival efforts. It required increased coordination of funding agencies to achieve this.

• facilitated conference for SANASA's partners in post-Tsunami revival

• created materials to support development of new partnerships

• defined outline program for additional projects to support Tsunami impacted areas

2. SANASA planned to develop banking for the urban poor, and to strengthen its support to the network of independent micro-finance co-operatives

• identified strategic imperatives for SANASA

• analysed the banking needs of the urban poor

• identified options to deliver financial services to the urban poor and evaluated options

• designed lending products for the urban poor

• identified challenges facing independent co-operative banks

• designed a programme to address these challenges

• developed the annual planning process to include strategic action plans

3. SANASA and the People's Bank wanted to support existing village based societies better

• defined the current market of micro-finance institutions in Sri Lanka

• identified ways SANASA and the People's Bank could support these institutions

• led discussions with the senior board of both institutions on program support to the micro-finance institutions in Sri Lanka

4. SANASA wanted to investigation the use of new technologies to automate village based societies

• defined technical options for the automation of SANASA Primary Societies

• conducted feasibility study into the demand impacts of implementation. Identified IRR of over 150%

• initiated pilot to investigate implementation and technical options

5. The SANASA Education Campus needed to build its institutional capacity

• conducted research into independent co-operative banks (financial status, social impact, sustainability etc.) using PRA / RRA techniques

• publicised SANASA's achievements world-wide

• wrote reports on new project ideas

• facilitated liaison with donors and government agencies

• trained staff

Team member: Strategic development of BGZ, Poland

BGZ, a partially state-owned bank which acted as the 'Apex bank' to the co-operative sector, wished to attract additional funding from the EBRD. As part of this funding arrangement, the bank conducted a complete strategic review and re-organisation, in preparation for external equity investment: 

• benchmarked head-office processes against international best practice and recommended reforms to increase efficiency

• reviewed branch processes to identify cost reduction and sales enhancement opportunities. Identified 40% staff savings

• re-designed head-office organization structure

• defined strategy for the development of the overall cooperative banking sector

• planned detailed implementation

• Result: eventual sale to international bank

Private Sector Institutional Development

Team leader: Asset restructuring strategy for a major petrochemical company, UK

The petrochemical division of a major oil and gas corporation needed to restructure its major production assets to rationalise facilities, create a platform for future growth and ultimately double EBTIDA:

• reviewed technical, strategic and financial position of all assets within

• determined target stock levels and compared to current stock levels

• identified technical reforms to reduce stocks

• Result: doubled EBITDA, long-term asset reduction of $500m

Team member: Demand forecasting and inventory management for a major oil and gas company, UK

A major oil and gas corporation needed to reduce its holding of crude oil and oil products at its European refineries to release working capital:

• created statistical model to define probability of stock-out with different level of holding

• determined target stock levels and compared to current stock levels

• identified technical reforms to reduce stocks

• Result: $50m release of working capital

Team member: Cost reduction and shared services development, UK

An international property management company wished to reduce costs through redesign of its organisation structure and reform of its support functions:

• designed new organisation structure

• re-structured support functions to be responsive to internal clients

• Result: 30% reduction of G/A costs

Team member: Organisational review of mobile operator, Poland

The company required a full organisational review, as its market entered a more stable growth period:

• analysed organization structure and recommended new organization design

• analysed processes and recommended reforms (strategy development, marketing, product development, network planning, HR etc.)

• Result: savings of $50m

Team member: Marketing strategy for Telecommunications operator, Poland

The state-owned telco needed to redefine its strategy as its market liberalised and competitors entered:

• identified likely market developments

• determined segments most at threat

• identified new marketing approach and strategies to protect profitable customers

• defined new pricing structure

• Result: protection from increased external competition

Project manager: Review of telecommunications market, Ukraine

An international telco was considering entry into the Ukrainian market:

• identified likely market developments

• determined regulatory barriers

• Result: identified current difficulty in market entry

Promotion of foreign direct investment

While working for UNCTAD, prepared technical assistance projects to promote inward investment into India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. Projects:

• set up investment promotion agencies

• reformed legislation and regulations

• supported entrepreneurs

• developed international trade links

• Result: initiated process that led to new institutions being set up

Transactions

Team member: Agent in major corporate transaction, W Europe

A FTSE 100 company needed to divest 3 light manufacturing plans in UK, France, Germany:

• identified and contacted potential bidders (financial and trade)

• developed information memoranda

• valued the companies (using full DCF, comparable company and comparable transaction analysis)

• developed structured financing arrangement to share operational risk with vendor

• supported plant presentations

• managed negotiation process

• followed-up on investor questions

• negotiated with the EU on competition issues

• approx. £100m transaction

• Result: considerable premium for client

Environmental management

Project manager: Privatisation of water and waste water sector, Lithuania

The Municipality of Vilnius wanted to attract a private partner for its water and wastewater company (serving 600,000). This was the country's first water sector privatisation:

• prioritised the City's aims and identified the most suitable structure

• reviewed the company's financial and institutional situation

• reviewed national legislation 

• developed a price regulation system to promote investment and proposed reforms to price setting legislation

• determined environmental and operational standards required of the company and enforcement methods

• proposed a sales process

• presented conclusions to government authorities and political parties at local and regional levels

• Result: identified method for public-private partnerships that stood as an example for later projects

Project manager: Privatisation of water and waste water sector, Poland

The City of Poznan wanted to develop a concession agreement with a private operator to channel significant investment in the water and wastewater sector. This was the country's first water sector privatisation: 

• prioritised the City's aims and identified the most suitable structure

• reviewed the company's financial and institutional situation

• reviewed national legislation 

• developed financial model to assess viability of privatisation

• determined environmental and operational standards required of the company and enforcement methods

• determined technical need for investment

• Result: initiated process that led to first major transaction in the sector

Project manager: BOT development for a solid waste disposal facility, Poland

The City of Lodz wished to build a new land-fill using a BOT arrangement:

• conducted institutional and technical analysis

• determined investment needs

• developed financial model to assess viability

• led discussions with members of the municipality over implementation planning

Project manager: Water sector regulation, Lithuania

The recently created water sector regulator needed a new review process for tariff increase applications:

• analysed the current accounting-based system of price setting

• introduced incentive-based pricing to promote efficiency improvements

• developed new systems for application processing

• trained staff

• Result: increased throughput of applications

Project manager: Water sector due diligence, Slovenia

The City of Maribor wished to take a loan from the EBRD to finance the reconstruction of part of its wastewater network. Fragmented responsibilities and large existing municipal debts made for complex loan structuring:

• conducted a municipal creditworthiness review

• reviewed the legal situation 

• conducted financial due diligence

• developed a tariff model

• created and analyzed loan structuring options

• Result: defined structure that led to eventual loan

Project manager: Municipal loan agreement, Poland

The water utility in the City of Bydgoszcz wished to take a loan from the EBRD for its water supply network. The EBRD required assurances from the municipality over tariff setting, investment demands and governance to ensure creditworthiness:

• identified ways the city was able to influence the water utility

• drafted loan covenants and contract terms

• created a tariff setting mechanism

• oversaw lawyers drafting the various contracts

• applied findings to other sectors

• Result: defined model for direct loans to municipalities

Team member: Municipal loan preparation, Poland

Following major floods, the municipality of Wroclaw needed significant external assistance to repair damaged municipal facilities (water treatment plant, bridges, etc.). The EBRD wished to extend a loan rapidly, while also ensuring financial viability:

• conducted a municipal creditworthiness review

• developed a creditworthiness enhancement program

• defined options for institutional reform of municipal enterprises

• Result: defined program that allowed lending to municipality 

Team member: Municipal Development Project, Lithuania

The World Bank needed a structure to finance and promote smaller municipal projects, being unable to administer small loans directly:

• evaluated the capabilities of local ministries / support organizations and created a capabilities development plan

• designed an on-lending structure based in the local ministries

• provided technical assistance to municipalities to enable them to borrow

• identified and contracted "demonstration" capital investment projects

• wrote manuals for municipalities on developing loan projects

• Result: defined system that led to long-term investment in the sector

Team member: Public-private partnership promotion, Poland

The EBRD wished to promote new public-private partnerships in the municipal infrastructure sector (water, solid waste, public transport):

• developed an information programme for municipalities

• ran seminars on public-private partnerships

• identified potential projects and potential private sector partners

• analysed municipal finance framework in Poland, including legal situation

• Result: built support for the notion of municipal investment across the country

Public Sector Reform and Public Policy

Project manager: Pensions Transformation Service, The Pension Service, UK

The Pensions service, the agency that runs the UK state pensions system, needed full-scale reform to increase efficiency and deliver new means-tested benefits. The multi-year programme implemented new IT, business systems and management structures to increase take-up of means tested benefits, improve customer service and increase efficiency.

Design of Operations Strategy

In-depth study of 'the nature of work' needed to be undertaken to determine operations strategy and design

• determined efficiency of current processing operations

• investigated skills requirements, workload, drivers of efficiency

• defined operations strategy, including team and management structures, work segmentation, incentive systems, impact of centralisation, etc.

• Result: design that capitalised upon skills development and increased efficiency

Project manager: Testing of new operations design for the Pensions Service, UK

The UK state pensions system was implementing a major operational reform programme. It needed to test elements of the design to determine impact and implementation challenges.

• implemented reforms to processes, performance management systems, team structures, customer service regimes in an operating pension centre

• determined impact on efficiency, staff morale, customer service, etc.

• reformed end-state design to take account of findings

• Result: confirmed opportunity to increase efficiency 30%

Project manager: Implementation of efficiency programme for the Pensions Service, UK

The UK state pensions system needed to achieve a significant increase in efficiency and reduction in staffing levels.

• identified process re-designs and new organisation structures to increase efficiency by 30%

• designed new performance management system to increase efficiency by 15%

• defined implementation strategy 

• designed processes to release staff from the organisation and close sites

• kicked-off implementation

• Result: 25% reduction in staffing

Project manager: Reorganization of the State Property Fund, Ukraine

The State Property Fund (SPF) is the ministry responsible for the privatisation of all state owned enterprises in the Ukraine. The SPF faced considerable policy and organisational challenges, rendering it unable to achieve the state's privatisation strategy:

• reviewed privatisation policy and recommended reforms

• reviewed organization capacity

• recommended wide-scale reforms to organisation, including new structure, processes and policies

• developed change program

• implemented new IT system allowing tracking of enterprises through the privatisation process

• Result: increased throughput of privatisation transactions

Project manager: Definition of a new Tourism Strategy for Ethiopia

The government of Ethiopia identified tourism as a mechanism for poverty alleviation and needed a strategy and implementation plans to maximise developmental impact:

• reviewed the current tourism in Ethiopia and identified target segments for growth

• reviewed each of the components of the market (hotels, travel agents, attractions, etc.) and identified underlying structural issues, as well as priorities for reform

• identified a new national support structure, including a new Ministry of Culture and Tourism and planned detailed implementation

• built support for the new program at the highest levels of Federal Government and with the private sector

Project manager: National information infrastructure strategy, Poland

The government wanted to promote Poland's use of the internet:

• analysed regulatory barriers to developing information services and recommended reforms

• identified opportunities for public sector use of the internet

• identified policies to support private sector use of the internet

• Result: increased penetration of internet, especially in schools

Project manager: National information infrastructure strategy, Poland

The government wanted to promote Poland's use of the internet:

• analysed regulatory barriers to developing information services and recommended reforms

• identified opportunities for public sector use of the internet

• identified policies to support private sector use of the internet

• Result: increased penetration of internet, especially in schools

Funding agency support to rural development

Assistant to desk officer of the EC's Bangladesh desk, Belgium

Assisted the desk officer in all project development activities. Projects included NGO development, resettlement, urban development, trade reform and economic co-operation:

• prepared project proposals and terms of reference

• evaluated mission reports and technical reports

• selected of consultants

• liased with Delegation and consultants

• drafted the EC Co-operation Strategies with Bangladesh and Nepal

Preparation of report on rural development, Belgium

The EC was writing a book detailing poverty alleviation projects conducted in Asia by the EC from 1976 - 1996. Contributed to sections on

• poverty in Asia

• measures and causes of poverty

• measures of development and country profiles

Public Consultation, Communication, Social Science

Team member: Sociological analysis, UK

An environmental impact assessment needed to be completed to determine the impact of widening of the M62 motorway in North England:

• analysed community, social and public information aspects

• provided inputs into traffic planning

Team member: Sociological analysis, UK

Sociological analysis was required as part of a major military airport decommissioning:

• analysed public interest, area planning, historical and social implications

• evaluated different options for future use