Learn more about Arkaro's experienced independent consultants
Clients choose Arkaro when they want a rapid engagement with teams to energise project momentum. Building on many years of industry experience, along with process and tools, Arkaro appreciates the need to focus on people in transformation work.
Mark Blackwell founded Arkaro in 2016 and has built a team of highly experienced associates sharing the same approach to organisational transformation. Arkaro experienced consultants understand the personal impact of change and engage with teams as welcome colleagues. By coaching clients Arkaro aims to leave an enduring improvement as well as a commitment for lasting financial success.
Mark Blackwell
Makes science profitable with strategic vision and execution to deliver both top-line growth and cost optimisation.
- With over 25 years experience, Mark is a versatile leader and strategic thinker with problem-solving skills and experience across innovation, product management, marketing, sales and supply chain built on strong analytical capabilities and business acumen. He has proven capabilities in leading global integrated business transformations involving behavioural as well as technical change management.
- He learned and applied many skills and tools, including Six Sigma Black Belt project management, as an internal business consultant and Productivity Business Leader in DuPont covering a range of industries including advanced materials, agro & speciality chemicals and nutrition & health.
- However, he started his career in a small family business successfully building the global animal health brand Virkon® enabling a deep understanding of the differing dynamics in both small and large organisations.
- Combining these experiences now positions Mark extremely well as an adviser and change catalyst for start-ups, small and medium sized businesses as well as multi-national organisations.
Mark is based in the Geneva, Switzerland area.
Garrett Forsythe
Focusing on change management processes to accelerate continuous improvement
- Garrett has 40 years of broad experience in business and operational line leadership and commercial operational improvement (CI) execution. He has led and managed high hazard chemical processes, large capital project teams, global supply chains, marketing and sales teams, global business teams and six sigma improvement teams.
- He currently focuses on conceptualizing and developing operational excellence programs and executive coaching. With focus on effective change management processes, he works with clients to build upon and accelerate existing CI efforts. He specializes in helping early and mid-career high potential line-leaders and executives in developing their leadership, communication and influence skills. He is certified as a John Maxwell Team coach and trainer as well as a Six Sigma master black belt.
Garrett is based in Georgia, USA
Jean-Maurice Griffon
Shares his experiences to make better and more profitable business
- Jean-Maurice has more than 33 years of business to business experience. Within DuPont, his roles included technical sales, product management, business development. He managed teams at a regional and global level. He also led major initiatives on innovation, top-line growth and pricing optimisation as well as major growth disruption programs.
- Most of his career has been in Engineering Plastics across automotive, consumer, industrial goods, oil and gas exploration and irrigation industries.
- Native french speaker and has worked in an English speaking environment for most of his career. Six Sigma Green Belt certified.
- As a trainer, Jean-Maurice is highly rated by participants, in part due to his vast knowledge of the sales and business development process and appreciation of different cultures around the world.
Jean-Maurice is based in the Geneva, Switzerland area.
“Commercial Excellence has been positive for us for three main reasons:
1. it took us out of our daily routine, that it took us out of what we were used to do!
2. It brings us some tools, it gives us tools to really go and catch the right and big fish!
3. it gives motivation to the team, reinvigorates them, regenerate them, and that helps us to set some new targets. There was something new that allowed us to take a step back from what we were used to do, and to embrace for good the new way to do things.
So, I felt really good during these first three weeks with Arkaro.”
1. it took us out of our daily routine, that it took us out of what we were used to do!
2. It brings us some tools, it gives us tools to really go and catch the right and big fish!
3. it gives motivation to the team, reinvigorates them, regenerate them, and that helps us to set some new targets. There was something new that allowed us to take a step back from what we were used to do, and to embrace for good the new way to do things.
So, I felt really good during these first three weeks with Arkaro.”
"From the client's view the top three attributes that differentiate Mark as a consultant are:
1. Practical
2. Project based
3. People
Mark helps people adopt the right mindset and change behaviour to make the process work successfully"
As the downstream global brewing industry was consolidating, Malteurop engaged into a global program focusing on asset productivity and cost reduction to ensure sustainable profitability.
The organisation was motivated for change and many project concepts soon emerged. However, it soon became clear that there was a need to structure program management, with common rules for shop floor and top management teams regarding project selection and prioritisation. In addition there was a need to design a forecast system connecting leading KPIs with planned savings and ensure that resources were deployed effectively.
This is where Mark's contribution proved to be highly valuable. His analysis skills, his ability to interact empathetically with all levels of the organization and lay down an unbiased diagnosis combined with his vast continuous improvement toolbox and business transformation experience applied to our specific case were key to the success of the Malteurop program deployment.
The organisation was motivated for change and many project concepts soon emerged. However, it soon became clear that there was a need to structure program management, with common rules for shop floor and top management teams regarding project selection and prioritisation. In addition there was a need to design a forecast system connecting leading KPIs with planned savings and ensure that resources were deployed effectively.
This is where Mark's contribution proved to be highly valuable. His analysis skills, his ability to interact empathetically with all levels of the organization and lay down an unbiased diagnosis combined with his vast continuous improvement toolbox and business transformation experience applied to our specific case were key to the success of the Malteurop program deployment.
"Diamalteria is a rather small business with 20 mln Euro turnover but a wide range a very wide range of SKUs had grown over the years to serve a multitude of small and large B2B food ingredient accounts. Mark helped us tremendously in harnessing and streamlining complexity.
Despite his long experience with large organizations, Mark has understood very well the dynamics and people in a small business environment. Mark could adapt the world-class approaches of the industry giants to suit our reality. Mark was an attentive listener, he helped the top management to formulate the right questions and he then worked with the teams to crunch numbers in order to bring meaningful answers.
More than a consultant, Mark was also a coach who left us with new capabilities."
Despite his long experience with large organizations, Mark has understood very well the dynamics and people in a small business environment. Mark could adapt the world-class approaches of the industry giants to suit our reality. Mark was an attentive listener, he helped the top management to formulate the right questions and he then worked with the teams to crunch numbers in order to bring meaningful answers.
More than a consultant, Mark was also a coach who left us with new capabilities."
“Having completed the Commercial Excellence programme we are already looking forward to strong double-digit growth with the target customers,
and further gains expected in the future as more customers are taken through the programme”.
"Strategic thinking, result-oriented, and business acumen are where Mark is outstanding.
I had worked with Mark to establish Innovation Strategy Process and develop Innovation Strategy within the organization. He has the ability to facilitate and lead the challenging discussion. Mark is structured in his approach to inspire the team to embrace the risk and step out of comfort zone.
Certainly, one of the great professionals that I have worked with."
I had worked with Mark to establish Innovation Strategy Process and develop Innovation Strategy within the organization. He has the ability to facilitate and lead the challenging discussion. Mark is structured in his approach to inspire the team to embrace the risk and step out of comfort zone.
Certainly, one of the great professionals that I have worked with."
“We wanted experienced support to help us with our Commercial Excellence transformation.
A team that could rapidly engage with our sales team, secure confidence-building quick gains as well as a sustainable value generation for years to come”.
Mark has extensive consulting experience working across a broad range of industries including;
Food, Agriculture, Advanced Materials and Chemicals.
He is a consummate professional with a strong intellect, excellent interpersonal and analytical skills, and proven experience in managing the needs of stakeholders"
“I believe that this particular training has opened my eyes.
This training got me reinvigorated as a salesman.
It’s as if I am a fresh salesman again.
It’s a new start.”
"Mark successfully orchestrated a worldwide business performance improvement initiative for the Health & Protection DuPont Division, directly managing worldwide product and asset management teams . In this capacity, he helped increase profitability and cash generation, acted as a facilitator to the process and cultural integration into DuPont as well as directed to embed a Culture of asset management and Six Sigma project management.
His global management capability, strategic thinking and drive for results made him a valued contributor of the management team of the Health & Protection Division"
His global management capability, strategic thinking and drive for results made him a valued contributor of the management team of the Health & Protection Division"
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