Chief Executive Officer

About our client - Comtrad Strategic Sourcing Inc. B.Riley Farber have been retained for a CEO search for Comtrad Strategic Sourcing Inc. Established in 1976, headquartered in Mississauga, Comtrad is a private equity-owned, full-service importer and distributor of hardware and custom products serving a diverse array of industries. While specializing in the woodworking sector, Comtrad boasts major sales in ready-to-assemble (RTA) furniture, cabinetry, closets, and furniture for residential, hospitality, laboratory, and office furniture. With a global footprint, Comtrad emphasizes innovative product development and supply chain excellence, positioning itself as a trusted partner to manufacturers and suppliers worldwide. Overview of the CEO Role Our client is seeking a highly motivated and experienced CEO to lead and expand the company's business, reporting directly to the Ardenton Board and primarily to Karim Kanji. The CEO will be instrumental in shaping the business plan and developing the value creation plan to include; the value proposition of the business to be aligned to market(s) needs, sales and marketing vision, clear measures and a growth minded culture essential for achieving specified financial goals. This role demands hands-on involvement, requiring the incoming CEO to cultivate a comprehensive understanding of the industry, company operations, and strategic opportunities. The ideal candidate will possess a demonstratable history of value creation in middle market business. Key Responsibilities Strategic Vision Strategy Development: Develop and execute a global strategy for sourcing, manufacturing, and distributing hardware and furnishings, ensuring quality, sustainability, and cost-efficiency. Agile Business Management: Continuously adapt and modify business requirements as needed to ensure adherence to regulatory standards while fostering sustainable growth. Value Creation: Having experience of driving performance and having diversity of experience in sourcing businesses in industry (hardware) and outside of industry. Sales & Marketing New Product Development: Lead product innovation and diversification to meet evolving market demands and trends in the hardware and furnishings industry. Market Expansion: Explore and penetrate new markets while strengthening existing relationships with manufacturers, suppliers, and clients globally. Partnership: Collaborate closely with the Head of Sales to optimize margins and enhance profitability by strategizing pricing, product mix, and market positioning. Sales Pipeline Management: Proficiency in sales pipelining is crucial for ensuring a steady flow of opportunities and sustainable growth. The CEO should demonstrate expertise in refining and expanding sales pipeline processes, including lead generation, qualification, nurturing, and conversion. Relationship Management: Cultivate and maintain relationships with key customers, suppliers, and industry stakeholders for sustaining long-term success and competitiveness. Market Analysis: Identifying emerging trends and market opportunities is critical for enhancing the company's competitive position and staying ahead of the curve. Operational Excellence: Sourcing and Supply Chain Optimization: Oversee the supply chain from sourcing to distribution, identifying opportunities for improvement and innovation in logistics and product handling. Continuous Improvement: Building upon and improving the continuous improvement culture to optimize efficiency, reduce costs, and enhance productivity throughout the organization. Quality: The CEO will be responsible for evaluating and enhancing the quality processes to ensure products meet or exceed the highest standards. Financial Management: P&L Responsibility: Proactively manage the Profit and Loss (P&L) statements for the company to ensure financial targets, including net profitability, are met and exceeded. EBITDA Improvement: Closely monitoring costs, implementing strategies to improve profit margins, and driving sales growth initiatives to ultimately increase EBITDA. Performance Analysis: Monitor and analyze financial performance, trends, strengths, and weaknesses and develop strategies to optimize revenue and cost efficiency. People & Leadership: Talent Development: Drive performance through collaboration, culture, and team development. Strategically investing in the development of key talent within the organization. Inspirational Leadership: Providing visionary and motivational leadership that inspires employees to achieve their full potential. This entails fostering a supportive and inclusive environment where employees feel valued, trusted, and empowered to take initiative and make decisions. Cultivate Innovation Culture: Foster a culture of innovative thinking, continuous improvement, and accountability where employees feel empowered to share ideas, and explore new approaches to problem solving. Key Requirements: As an experienced professional you will have: Education Qualifications: A bachelor's degree in business administration, or a related field is required, with preference given to candidates holding an MBA or advanced degree. Leadership Experience: Proven experience in a leadership role within the hardware, furnishings, or related industries. Experience with international business and supply chain management preferred. Industry Knowledge: Deep understanding of global sourcing, manufacturing processes, and distribution logistics, and familiarity with hardware space. Professional Competencies: Strategic Planning and Execution: Proven ability to develop and execute strategic plans that foster business growth and enhance profitability. Financial Acumen: Demonstrated financial acumen and experience managing budgets, profit and loss statements, and financial analysis. Sales Expertise - Strong marketing expertise, including proficiency in brand management strategies and in developing impactful marketing campaigns. Expansion Planning: Proven experience in driving international business expansion, including market entry, partner management, and revenue growth. Team Management Excellence: Exceptional team management skills, with a focus on talent acquisition, development, and retention. Organizational Proficiency: Strong organizational skills, with the ability to prioritize and manage multiple projects concurrently in a fast-paced environment. Analytical Mindset: Ability to utilize data and insights effectively to inform decision-making processes and drive performance optimization through analytical approaches. Stakeholder Management: Ability to maintain strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders to foster collaboration and achieve mutual goals. Personality Traits: Effective Communication Skills: Excellent communication skills, with the ability to engage and influence stakeholders at all levels effectively. Inclusive Leadership Style: A collaborative leadership and people management style, to lead diverse teams and forge international partnerships. Integrity and Empathy: Demonstrated traits of integrity, humility, professionalism, and a commitment to ethical business practices. Tactful Expertise: A well-honed sense of tactfulness, encompassing adept negotiation, and conflict resolution abilities. You are the ideal candidate if you: Bring 15 years plus progressive experience in a Sourcing and/or Distribution business Have minimum of 5 years plus in a leadership as President or ideally CEO Ideally someone who has scaled and exited with PE A person who has professionalized an operating business, building system and operating models in the middle market Global sourcing experience Enjoy being part of a collaborative team. A curious professional who challenges the status quo and asks questions to understand business needs and drive value. A strategic leader who can connect sales performance drivers to financial outcomes and enhance objectives in a fast-paced environment. A self-starter with a strong work ethic who can operate with little direction and can proactively identify solutions. A natural communicator who can present complex issues to peers and senior leaders in simple formats to influence decision-making. A positive team player who can build cross-functional relationships to satisfy agendas and objectives. This opportunity is ideal for an accomplished CEO with a proven track record as an executive and business strategist in global sourcing and middle market value creation. If you excel in dynamic, fast paced, high-energy environments where you can drive innovation and make substantial contributions to organizational success, then this role will be a great match for you.

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