Unfulfilling executive career? Transform it before it traps you.

When a family crisis took me out of school at 14 to get a full-time job, it sparked a journey across many industries, roles, and nations.
 
Office work, construction, and self-employment in Australia. Study in the UK. Ministry in Africa. Sales and executive roles in the US. And yet others.

I led the transformation of Arby’s to become one of the world’s fastest-growing restaurant chains. Rated in the Top 10 of over 3,000 franchise systems in the US, with a new location opening every 39 hours. 

When a takeover harmed the culture, I resigned to find a meaningful new path. But then my income was nearly tripled and I stayed on. 

Two years later, I resigned again, to buy or create a business aligned with my values.
I sought strategic, executive-level career support. And couldn’t find it. 

In that gap, I finally recognized my calling. So in 1992, I became a pioneer in this field. 

In 2014, a failed project left us with inadequate capital, and I turned the business over to a consortium of colleagues and clients. They closed it in 2016. In the meantime, I had created and launched a more resilient model. 

Today, our stressed societies desperately need more leaders motivated and able to reform management structures that undervalue higher needs and promote lower ones. 

If you’re ready to reimagine what your career can be, and to align it with your best contributions, there has never been a better time to do so. 

Let’s explore what’s possible. 

📅 Schedule a conversation: https://rjacareers.com/schedule-a-call-rj/

Russell Johnson

Bonza Mining Services

Bonza is an Australian business that provides equipment and welfare solutions to Australia’s natural resources and (renewable) energy industries.

Executive Director

Greenlit Brands

Contract Role - Greenlit Brands is an integrated retailer and manufacturer of household goods across Australia and New Zealand, with an aggregated annual turnover of ~AUD 1.8b. It’s brands include Freedom Furniture, Snooze, Fantastic Furniture, Snooze, FutureSleep, Best & Less, Plush, and OMF.  

As part of the broader Tax, Treasury and Accounting team I was responsible for i.a.: 
* Managing daily cash & currency hedge positions;
* Developing new / manage existing internal- and external funding facilities; 
* Contributing to the implementation of the Group’s strategic plan, and in particular various divestment projects aligned around rationalising the Greenlit Brands group; and 
* Providing strategic support and oversight to the brands’ finance teams with treasury-related activities their transition towards a decentralised model.

Group Treasury

Windward Strategy, Inc.

Contract role. Managing the corporate transformation of a B2B payments software company in preparation for a structured sale process.

Senior Transformation Manager (a.i.)

Spectainer

Spectainer is a game-changing shipping container lessor start-up with cost-efficient and environmentally sustainable products and services. The company is a market leader in the collapsible shipping container market with innovative and patented products. 

Responsible for Spectainer's finance function and developed the financial strategy to manage the organisation's rapid expansion and transformation phase. Arranged several equity issues in which shareholder value appreciated by ~14x over 2 years. Arranged an ESG development funding facility as part of a US$m 75 construction equity finance facility (end-to-end) with the Climate Fund Managers (a Dutch sustainable investment fund manager). Conducted a sustainability review of COLLAPSECON together with 3rd party Dutch engineering firm Royal Haskoning resulting in achieving the maximum score under the United Nations' Rio Marker criteria for sustainability.   

Delivered Spectainer's internal control system and administrative organisation, resulting in more effective management information and improved governance. Responsible for executing Spectainer's asset purchase from CEC Systems.

CFO ; Statutory Director ; Company Secretary

Developed and implemented Spectainer's business model transition from product sales to equipment leasing. Developed and negotiated a partnership with a leading TelCo for product development. Negotiated and structured customer agreements internationally resulting in the largest forward order book of collapsible containers globally.

CFO ; COO ; Company Secretary

IMAS Pte Ltd

IMAS offers project management and corporate advisory services, supported by capital-raising solutions. Mandates are strictly on an exclusive basis. Clients consist of both financial and industry organisations, including T-Mobile Netherlands, Landmark Capital, Modex Energy, Infraavest and Martens Marine.

Founder & Executive Director

LANDMARK CAPITAL

Landmark Capital is a Venture Capital boutique with several subsidiaries in Singapore, China and Scandinavia. I took on different interim positions within portfolio companies to generate synergies by organisational consolidation and restructuring. These include LNT Marine which developed the third leading containment system for ocean transportation of LNG, and Saga Shipping (an award-winning innovative LNG shipping company).   

Delivered portfolio optimisation projects to create value through mergers and acquisitions, corporate restructurings, credit management and turnarounds. Negotiated and (re-) structured (intergroup) debt facilities including senior secured and junior loans, convertible debt and debt conversion.

Operating Partner (Finance); Treasury & Finance Director (Portfolio Companies)

T-Mobile Nederland

Contract Role. T-Mobile Netherlands is the brand name for Deutsche Telekom's Dutch mobile communications subsidiary. In this contract role I worked closely with Deutsche Telekom's M&A team and T-Mobile's leadership team to divest its Dutch subsidiary.

As part of the Restructuring Team I managed an internal project team of ~20 members from the legal, technical, operational, commercial, financial and administrative business units and external advisors. Responsible for the credit rating process by Moody’s and S&P. Managed a >US$1.0b staple finance / acquisition finance funding process (senior secured credit facility and high-yield bond offer). Prepared the US$1.5b carve out (separation) of T-Mobile NL from Deutsche Telekom company-wide (end-to-end), and managed the internal Vendor Due Diligence process in the area of tax, finance, commercial/sales, HR, technical operations/IT.

Restructuring Manager (a.i.)

Modex

Modex is amongst the world's leading offshore container lessors with a fleet of approximately 25,000 units. 

As Management Consultant identified and developed Modex' strategic transformation from sales to leasing. As Finance Director delivered the lease strategy's implementation which boosted profitability by ~3.5x over 2 years. 

Supported the business through its period of rapid transformation through organic, strategic (M&A) and internal business growth:
* Arranged debt and equity capital issues (end-to-end) for the construction of Modex’ first container lease fleet. 
* Advised on the takeover of Euro Offshore and the establishment of a manufacturing JV in China that saw the organisation grow from a startup to the top 5 global lessors with an enterprise value of ~US$250m. 

Subsequently relocated to Brazil to incorporate a local subsidiary to expand Modex’ global activities. Achieved profitability within 12 months of setting up the Brazil office through sourcing, negotiating and structuring equipment lease agreements with clients including Weatherford, Schlumberger and Halliburton. Developed the organisation’s transfer pricing system to reduce import duties on equipment inventory in Brazil, realising ~15% price reduction over competitors.

Management Consultant (Restructuring) ; Finance Director

NIBC Bank

NIBC Bank is Holland's fourth largest retail bank by balance sheet total and has operations in Belgium, Germany and the UK. 

Responsible for managing and growing a loan portfolio of ~US$750m through origination and execution of new loans in various roles (mandated lead arranger, security trustee, agent, bookrunner). Restructured ~US$500m in distressed assets consisting of bilateral, club and syndicated credit facilities, including interest derivatives. 

Established the bank’s advisory / M&A operations in Singapore. Originated & executed NIBC’s first-ever advisory mandate in Asia.

Vice President Corporate Banking

Landmark Capital is a Venture Capital boutique with several subsidiaries in Singapore, China and Scandinavia. 

My responsibilities were the end-to-end origination and execution of the funds’ first structured asset finance facilities. Assisted in structuring the CNY1.2b fund.

Investment Director

Experienced professional with a broad vision of the finance function and a focus on one key theme: Increasing enterprise value by aligning the finance organisation with company strategy. 

20-year background in Financial Strategy Development & Implementation, Corporate Finance, Treasury, Internal Control & Corporate Governance, Mergers & Acquisitions, and Debt & Equity Capital Markets. I have had the privilege of advising, leading and working with motivated (senior) leadership teams of multinational companies across various industries. 

As a result of my background and experience I have a strong track record in successfully delivering complex global projects within the context of strategic financial transformation for companies in various stages of development. 

I’m very fortunate to have experienced many exciting challenges, starting off as a Merchant Navy Officer and subsequently during an international finance career based out of Australia, Singapore, London, Brazil and the Netherlands. 

I am driven by identifying, developing and implementing sustainable solutions to achieve an organisation's strategic goals. I am a goal-oriented professional with a proven ability to identify and capitalise organisational value for innovative start-ups,  mid-market companies and larger organisations.

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The Battle

Russell Johnson

R. Hans van der Vlugt

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