Strategic leadership through turn-around to IPO
Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Current
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- Founder at Gilkes Management
- Past
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- Chairman and CEO at SavaJe Technologies
- Chairman and CEO at Xionics Document Technology
- CEO at Tadpole Technology
- CEO at UCSL Microsystems
- Managing Director Europe at MSI Data
- Mainframe Sales Exec at IBM UK
- Education
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- Cardiff High School
- Balliol Oxford
- St John's College Cambridge
- Recommended
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16 people have recommended Bob - Connections
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185
connections
- Industry
- Executive Office
- Websites
Bob Gilkes’s Summary
Over more than twenty years I have created successful rapid growth companies from start-up, and through turnaround leadership, achieving public offerings and sales, on both sides of the Atlantic.
Summary
• Outstanding marketing track-record and mature financial leadership, raising significant investment capital in Europe and USA
• Twice achieved successful IPO’s from VC turnaround briefs, one in the UK and one in the USA
June 2005 to date: Gilkes Management.. Hands-on turnaround assistance covering both Europe and the USA providing structural reorganization and strategic direction.
March 2002 to June 2005: Chairman and CEO SavaJe Technologies Inc, Massachusetts.
I took Xionics from a $5 million revenue, loss-making operation to a NASDAQ IPO in 1996 at $12 and to a profitable $20 stock valuation one year after flotation, the point at which I ceased to be involved. The basis for this success was an initial expense cutback followed by a sales campaign in which Xionics replaced Adobe as the supplier of PostScript software for Hewlett Packard printers.
June 1987 to Sept 1993: Chairman and CEO Tadpole Technology PLC, UK and USA
Tadpole was a small Cambridge UK Company, nominally bankrupt at the time I joined it. Over a period of seven years I led its transformation into a company which achieved a UK Stock Exchange public offering. The initial process was a restructuring of the expense profile, the formulation of a credible business plan supported by venture capital, and its successful execution against agreed milestones.
Interests: Travel (in earlier days I explored the Abyssinian highlands on foot and circumnavigated the Okavango Swamps in southern Africa), landscape gardening.
I have written two novels, both of which are under option to a Hollywood film producer.
Bob Gilkes’s Specialties:
In depth experience of international business mostly at Chairman and CEO level in software start-ups and turnarounds and major international Corporations
Mergers and Acquisitions, turnaround and promotion to IPO or sale
Bob Gilkes’s Experience
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Founder
Gilkes Management
(Privately Held; 1-10 employees; Management Consulting industry)
August 2007 — Present (1 year 5 months)
Interim management with a strong emphasis on re-establishing and executing strategic direction
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Chairman and CEO
SavaJe Technologies
(Wireless industry)
May 2002 — July 2005 (3 years 3 months)
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Chairman and CEO
Xionics Document Technology
(Information Technology and Services industry)
1994 — 1997 (3 years)
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CEO
Tadpole Technology
(Public Company; Computer Hardware industry)
1985 — 1992 (7 years)
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CEO
UCSL Microsystems
(Electrical/Electronic Manufacturing industry)
1977 — 1983 (6 years)
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Managing Director Europe
MSI Data
(Computer Hardware industry)
November 1970 — July 1974 (3 years 9 months)
Establish European Sales and Technical support for the first portable data terminals.
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Mainframe Sales Exec
IBM UK
(Public Company; 10,001 or more employees; Computer Hardware industry)
September 1966 — January 1970 (3 years 5 months)
Bob Gilkes’s Education
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Cardiff High School
1950 — 1958
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Balliol Oxford
Old English, Colonial Administration
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St John's College Cambridge
B.A., Social Anthropology
Additional Information
Bob Gilkes’s Websites:
Bob Gilkes’s Interests:
Novelist, traveller and one-time explorer
Bob Gilkes’s Groups:
F.R.G.S
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North Bridge Entrepreneur Community -
SavaJe Alumni
Bob Gilkes’s Contact Settings
Interested In:
- career opportunities
- consulting offers
- new ventures
- reference requests
- getting back in touch
