Real Div Ltd

Business Development and General Management specialist with hands-on B2B and B2C experience from US, Europe and Caricom.  Lars’s expertise spans from business development to commercial implementation of innovative business strategies in the start-up and corporate environments.  He has developed winning business models and helped companies build new brands and grow market share, attain performance improvements and increase return on investment. Lars has held full-time, senior management positions and managed consulting assignments in the media/broadcast, telecommunications (mobile and fixed), high-tech and industrial & construction markets.  Lars possesses a combination of a creative, innovative and entrepreneurial spirit with solid analytical and problem-solving skills and is sales oriented with good negotiating skills.

Education: MBA and MSc Mechanical Engineering. 

Fluent in French, German, Swedish, English. Introductory Spanish.

 

• Develop and implement market entry business  strategies
• Identify and develop new business opportunities
• Develop business models and business plans
• Implement strategic initiatives into practice
• Manage strategic relationships and partnerships
• Conduct executive management interviews and workshops   
• Build (new) brands and strong brand recognition
• Segment markets and develop target customer profiles
• Manage project & products portfolios, launch and market products and services with maximum returns
• Select and implement efficient routes-to-market
• Manage marketing communications and improve ROI
• Create marketing effectiveness frameworks around people, structure, processes and systems       

• Motivate and inspire teams to attain delivery excellence
• Deliver projects on time, budget, and to/above client expectations     

General Manager of State Broadcasting Company - Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation
Country  Barbados Availability National Owner Barbadian Government
Key people Lars Soderstrom: General Manager
Website: http://www.cbc.bb

July 2008- Present

Staff of 330 in TV, 3 radio stations and cable TV.
·    Reporting to Chairman of the Board.
·    Corporate improvements in technology, HR & financial performance.
·    Investment projects to digitise production end-to-end.

Media Technology Solutions Ltd, Port of Spain, Trinidad – Managing Director & Founder          June 2004 – June 2008

• Founded and managed management consulting company, created business opportunities and managed projects in the strategic business planning, general management, sales and marketing and HR areas.
  
• Developed and implemented best practice structures, processes, systems, tools and skills in order to achieve clients’ commercial objectives. 
  
• Analysis to identify and implement key performance indicators (KPIs) for sales and marketing, operational & production activities.

Selected projects:

• Inter-American Development Bank: Business development project to establish new industrial park in Suriname. For Government of Suriname.
• Viking Caribou Holdings: CEO of pre start-up limestone quarry. Business planning, licensing, funding.
• Business Development Corporation of T&T: Strategic Business Plan review for client in oil/gas services.
• Crews Inn: Interim Group CEO services. Restructured two divisions for major profit increase.
• Coosal’s Engineering Group: USD 55 m sales, 5 divisions, 630 employees. Business improvements  & business development. Established cash flow management & IT systems.

Interim Chief Operating Officer. Quarry, Ready Mix, Asphalt, Road building.

• TSTT (C&W T&T): Marketing management (interim VP Marketing under former CEO, Carlos Espinal)  
• Digicel, Trinidad: Project Manager for development of web-based corporate database sales solution.
• BWIA, Trinidad:   Draft Interim Turn-around Business Plan (Jan.06).
• CBC, Barbados:   Led Strategic 5 year Business Plan & reorganisation & wireless network reengineering.
• Radio St Lucia:    Project Manager for corporate restructuring & HR consultancy.   
• UNESCO/CBU:     Management report on communication systems for distance education.
• Radio Malawi:      Strategic Business Plan revision and reorganisation for rural broadcasting. Recommended and introduced by the Commonwealth Broadcasting Association in London (& UNESCO)

BBC Technology, London, UK: Interim Group Product Marketing Manager: July 2003-June 2004
Managed projects in the strategic marketing department in preparation for GBP 3 billion divestment to Siemens:

• Developed strategic product business plans for all (six) business product groups (mature and new products/services). Areas: Internet, Broadband content distribution, Wireless Video to mobiles, Broadcasting services, Content Management Database/Editing software.
• Developed product portfolio management processes and tools (including product roadmaps and lifecycles). 
• Developed new pricing strategies, models and introduced a new pricing process.

Stram International Management Consulting, London June 1999- June 2003

• Managed strategy, marketing & management projects to and above client expectations in the Telecoms, IT/information and Communication industries.
  
• Created new business opportunities and lead the development of major customers. Provided leadership, motivated, empowered and managed project & corporate teams. 
  
• Demonstrated a thorough and comprehensive understanding of business operations and provided effective solutions.

Selected projects:·   
Ericsson-Emerson Energy, Stockholm, Sweden European market research study of top 20 Telecom Mobile Operators’ buying behaviour and volumes (backup energy systems)

• IntelliNet Technologies, London, UK: launched leading US telecom signalling (SS7/C7) software and services provider in Europe.
• Wireless-Online, London, UK: launched world-leading US GSM advanced antenna company in Europe.
• NORDPOINTER, Stockholm, Sweden: Interim CEO for GIS (Geographical Information Systems) company.
• Interwoven, Stockholm, Sweden: launched world’s leading internet content management S/W in Scandinavia.
• Satama Interactive, London, UK: Interim CEO: started up UK division of Finland’s leading Web designers and web consultants in the UK. Hired & managed staff of 30.

Linesco Telecom AB, Stockholm, Sweden: CEO/founder: Jan.1995-May 1999 (15 employees).

• Started and grew Scandinavia’s leading telecom conferencing VAR and launched new products in 4 countries.
  
• Selected by Intel as Scandinavian VAR partner.
  
• Developed clients like: Ericsson, Microsoft, Swedish Telecom, Volvo, BMW, Oil companies, Universities, Telemedicine solutions etc.
  
• Managed company from start to USD 5 m in sales and divestment to competitor.

Linesco Electronics AB, Malmo, Sweden: CEO: Jan.1992-Jan.1995 (35 employees).

• Turned around electronics design and manufacturing company.
  
• Doubled sales, introduced ISO 2001, restructured and refinanced operations.
  
• Turn-around: from -15% PBT/sales to +5%.
  

Chloride Industrial Batteries,Manchester,UK:World-wide Telecom Sector Marketing Manager. Aug.1987-Jan.1992

• Managed marketing and sales to world-wide telecom market: mobile & fixed line.
  
• Led activities to record growth and became no 1 supplier to Ericsson world-wide and developed new world-wide key accounts: Nokia, Motorola, Alcatel.

Bertelsmann GmbH, Hamburg, Germany: Group Business Development Director:  Aug.1986-Aug. 1987

• Electronic Media Division of Europe’s largest media company.
  
• Led business planning, corporate marketing.

SKF, Valley Forge, PA, USA:  Jr & Sr Applications Engineer in Marketing Department: Aug.1978-June 1984

• Key OEM account technical support/design reviews.
• Training of US sales force and US distributors.
  
• Introduced PCs.

Volvo Car, Master Thesis in Thermodynamics in R&D department (& part time assembly line work): 1976-1978.


1973-1978    MSc Mechanical Engineering (& foreign languages)

• Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg,Sweden.
  
• Dissertation:Thermodynamics at VOLVO.

1984-1986    MBA, General Management

•  Harvard Business School, Cambridge, MA, USA. Marcus Wallenberg 2 year full tuition scholar.
•  General management & international business strategy.
  
•  Co-Chair of Int.Business Club.

1985        Management Consulting Training: Booz Allen & Hamilton, New York, Paris, London.

• (Associated with Gavin Embry, on restructuring and consolidating French Government Companies working on manufacturing computer aided industrial equipment.)
  

Married to Suzanne Rees-Silvera (teacher at Maple Leaf Canadian school), 5 children: 16-29.

• Involved in management of charity project for teaching under-privileged children (age of 7-15) to sail.
  
• Wrote Business Plan and instigated collaboration between T&T and Sweden.
  
• Minister of Sports funded project. 2 Clubs started & expanding.