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Owen Knowles

Owen Knowles

COO | Board Member | NED | Founder | Investor

Talent
London, Greater LondonMember since May 10, 2023
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About

A data-driven leader working cross-functionally to translate the company strategy into results through both strategic planning and hands-on management, ensuring one eye is always on the business goals and long-term impact.

Versatile professional with expertise in fast-growth early to scale-up stage businesses, specialising in financial and risk management, revenue strategy, strategic planning and execution, change management, OKRs and project management. Proven leadership in multiple executive roles, responsible for 7 figure budgets, opening global offices, managing international events, and driving revenue growth. Demonstrated entrepreneurial success as an exited Founder (COO) of an FMCG start-up.

Experience

GROUP CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER [CONTRACT], 05/2023 – 02/2024 [10 months] VeUP & Quadri Ventures; Monaco & London, UK – Tech B2B & Venture Capitalist

COO & Special Advisor at VeUP & Quadri Ventures, responsible for developing and executing the group strategy on of the Chairman and the board. The group comprises a Tech Consultancy, a Venture Capital Firm, and a neo-bank.

  • Collaborated closely with the Chairman, guiding VeUP to achieve approximately $30 Million in revenue by Q1 2024 — a remarkable 600% growth since my inception.
  • Led the strategy development and directed the senior leadership team in securing €30 Million in post-seed funding.
  • Crafted the strategy alongside revenue leaders to transform the revenue department into specialised roles, integrating marketing and employing AI and automation tools, resulting in a 20-fold increase in MQLs and SQLs.
  • Implemented organisational structures, governance, departmental KPIs, and forecasting and recruited several key senior roles in preparation for the growth anticipated in 2024.
  • Instituted consistent processes enabling Quadri Ventures (VC) to review numerous companies weekly through VeUP, culminating in eight significant investments over six months, totalling over $30 Million.
CHIEF OF STAFF, 06/2021 – 03/2023 [22 months] | BlueOptima; London, UK – SaaS B2B, ~300 headcount

Chief of Staff at a hyper-growth SaaS Enterprise B2B serving FTSE 100 clients with a company-wide mandate translating the

  • CEO’s strategy into results. Aligned Enablement team of 6 departments, ~70 headcount.
  • Grew team from 2 to 11 as Interim Head of Operations, reducing travel costs by 18%, managing 5 offices
  • Established a new legal department and saved over $100,000 annually as Interim Head of Legal
  • Implemented and managed OKRs across 300 employees in 5 time zones
  • Improved sales conversion rates and revenue by restructuring sales team and new commission structures
  • Delivered a $1,000,000+ global event for 250 people, 40% under the previous budget per person
  • Opened four global offices with a $9,000,000 investment
  • Transitioned 70 contractors to employees in India with a $350,000 investment
  • Established a 5-year PhD support program with a $1,500,000+ investment
  • Increased data-science pipeline revenue by 300%+ in 8 weeks
  • Managed ISO27001 and SOC2 accreditations and certifications
  • Led Intercom roll-out on a tight timeline
  • Secured cost savings of over $300,000 across subscriptions, tooling, and improved efficiencies
GROWTH CONSULTANT, MENTOR & ANGEL INVESTOR, 03/2020 - PRESENT | Bonhoga Capital & Consulting
  • Secured a 12-month contract with a key UK Pharma supplier at an 8-figure value
LEAD CONSULTANT ENTERPRISE ACCOUNTS, 12/2019 - 03/2020 [4 months] | Yapster, London, UK – SaaS B2B Lead the Enterprise accounts team whilst working with the CEO to pivot the business away from SMB
  • Agreed pilot projects with 9 clients
  • Streamlined Salesforce setup for efficient workflows and delivered sales training
PRODUCT, REVOPS, BUSINESS & ACCOUNT MANAGEMENT, 10/2018 - 12/2019 [14 months] | BlueOptima; London, UK Managed a team of three business developers, co-led two product teams and established revenue operations
  • Developed, tested, and validated two MVP-stage products in collaboration with the CEO & CTO
  • Created automated weekly reporting dashboards and performance metrics
  • Cultivated high-value client relationships and secured a deal with the largest global mining corp
COO & FOUNDER, 09/2017 - 10/2018 [13 months] | Green Lady Sparkling Tea; London, UK Responsible for sales, marketing, logistics, account management, capital investment and KPI metrics
  • Successfully exited the business after one year with a 300%+ ARR increase
  • Secured listings with two of the five biggest national UK distributors
  • Raised a six-figure sum from the first round of UK investments
CREATIVE CONSULTANT & PROJECT MANAGER, 07/2012 - 09/2017 [62 months] | Freelance, UK/Remote

Managed various projects, honing skills in project planning, organisation, timeline management, stakeholder coordination, and cash flow management.

Education

BA (HONS) Fashion & Business

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