case studies

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From operational transformation and manufacturing growth to strategic development and international market entry, these examples show how practical leadership, commercial insight and structured problem-solving can deliver measurable results in complex environments.

Income tripled | Double-digit growth for 7 consecutive years

Situation

Santander wanted to significantly strengthen its position in the UK manufacturing sector — understanding manufacturers more deeply, developing a differentiated proposition, increasing its sector presence and becoming a bank of choice for UK manufacturing businesses.

The bank needed a stronger understanding of the sector, its challenges and opportunities, together with deeper relationships across the wider manufacturing ecosystem.

Task

As UK Head of Advanced Manufacturing, lead and direct Santander's manufacturing sector strategy and proposition, driving growth, client primacy and market presence across the national portfolio.

This included developing the bank's manufacturing strategy, strengthening its proposition, building the external ecosystem and supporting manufacturers with their UK and international growth ambitions.

The role was deliberately both customer-facing and internally focused — enabling banking teams to better understand, engage with and support manufacturing businesses, while identifying and developing opportunities for Santander.

Action

• Developed and delivered Santander's national manufacturing sector strategy and proposition
• Built relationships across industry, academia, government, trade bodies and solution providers
• Provided specialist manufacturing insight to senior leadership, relationship teams, business development, risk and customers
• Identified and facilitated new business opportunities, including international and cross-border opportunities
• Supported major bids and client opportunities, acting as a key differentiator in high-profile, major wins
• Made a substantial contribution to the Santander Navigator Manufacturing Module, helping SMEs pursue international growth. Brought together 45+ ecosystem partners to help companies address sector challenges, strengthen collaboration and improve competitiveness
• Founded the Industry Leaders Forum, as an industry advisory board, bringing together trade organisation industry leaders to help inform Santander's sector strategy and proposition. Chaired this board.
• Represented Santander at major industry events, forums, trade missions and external engagements
• Helped manufacturers directly with business improvement, growth, financing, internationalisation and business development

Result

Over seven years, the manufacturing portfolio delivered:

• £380m → £1.2bn in sector funding
• 3× income growth
• Double-digit year-on-year growth for 7 consecutive years
• A manufacturing client base exceeding 3,600 businesses
• 102% increase in financial transactions in a single year
• 600+ manufacturers supported through the Santander Navigator Manufacturing Module
• £115m in new trade deals generated through the Navigator programme
• 45+ ecosystem partners brought together through the Industry Leaders Forum

The work also contributed to three Major Client Wins of the Year, and Santander's Best International Solutions Provider awards in 2023 and 2024.

Recognised with 22 Kudos awards for contributions to colleagues, clients and business success, Halil became a recognised manufacturing voice both within Santander and across the wider UK manufacturing ecosystem. 

Technical + commercial representation | £2m new UK sales

Situation

An international manufacturing company with an established overseas business had just one existing UK customer and wanted to significantly expand its presence in the UK market.

The company had no UK representation or established network to identify and develop new opportunities. It needed someone who could combine technical manufacturing knowledge with commercial capability and strong UK industry connections.

Task

Act as the company's UK agent and representative, identifying suitable manufacturing customers, developing relationships and helping convert opportunities into new business.

The initial objective was to identify and secure five high-quality UK manufacturing clients.

Action

• Researched and identified target UK manufacturing companies with a strong potential fit
• Used industry knowledge and an established network to open doors and secure introductions 
• Met prospective customers to understand their technical and commercial requirements
• Presented the company's capabilities and developed the value proposition for each opportunity
• Bridged the gap between the UK customer and overseas manufacturing operation
• Supported negotiations and helped move opportunities through to commercial agreement
• Continued to manage and support the UK customer relationships locally after the initial business was secured

Result

Identified and introduced 5 suitable UK manufacturing clients, all of whom subsequently began trading with the company, generating £2m pounds worth of sales in the first two years.

The work delivered a substantial increase in the company's UK export sales, established a significantly stronger UK customer base and provided the company with an effective local commercial presence.

The client was highly satisfied with the results, while the ongoing UK representation provided continued support in managing and developing customer relationships.

Turnover +74% | Record output & profit

Situation

One of five metal-products manufacturing plants within a group was persistently underperforming and loss-making. Two General Managers had already been changed, but the underlying problems remained. Work was increasingly being diverted to profitable plants, putting the future of the site – and the wider group – at risk.

Task

Lead a major turnaround and transformation programme to restore the plant to profitability, improve performance and secure its future – ultimately bringing it to a level of profitability comparable with the other plants in the group.

Action

• Diagnosed the operation across people, processes, products and systems
• Matched working hours and resources to actual output
• Reduced waste and improved equipment reliability and H&S
• Tackled poor practices and culture issues directly
• Developed leadership capability through training and coaching
• Increased output and introduced two additional product ranges
• Introduced revised output-related incentives

Result

The plant returned to profitability in just over one year, with major improvements in output, productivity and culture. Turnover increased by 74% over three years, while the improved plant went on to break its all-time output and profit records.

Employee satisfaction and earnings also increased through the revised bonus scheme, while the plant remained consistently profitable for years afterwards – making a sustained contribution to group profitability rather than remaining a drag on performance.

Capacity released | 3× turnover growth

Situation

A major electrical-products manufacturer was experiencing strong sales growth following an MBO, new product introductions and investment in equipment. Demand was outstripping factory capacity, and final assembly was running out of space.

Task

Increase output within the existing factory footprint, without changing the product design and initially without changing the established processes.

There was significant concern about introducing changes that could affect product performance, reliability or life in service, with potential cost and reputational consequences.

Action

• Conducted a detailed product and process review
• Systematically analysed and challenged the constraints and assumptions
• Assessed potential changes against performance, reliability, risk and cost
• Identified an innovative method used in the aerospace sector
• Developed, tested and validated its application to the product
• Implemented the new approach without compromising product performance

Result

Process lead time was reduced from 24 hours to just 1 minute.

This dramatically reduced space requirements and enabled products to be assembled just-in-time, releasing critical factory-floor capacity and simplifying planning and resourcing.

The additional capacity enabled the business to meet growing demand and support 3-fold turnover growth, alongside improved profitability.

3.5m PET bottles/day | 24/7 operation 

Situation

An established German manufacturer wanted to enter the UK market through a JV-style partnership and establish a highly automated manufacturing operation – the first of its kind in the UK.

The company did not have the required UK manufacturing start-up expertise or any UK resource at the start.

Task

Lead the end-to-end establishment of the complete UK manufacturing operation, from conception through to operational launch – including site selection, factory design, recruitment, suppliers, commissioning and operational readiness – within one year and a £7.5m budget, with the capability to process 3.5 million PET bottles per day as input.

Action

• Developed a meticulous project and implementation plan
• Identified and secured the site
• Designed the facility and manufacturing operation
• Recruited and trained people in both the UK and Germany
• Established critical supplier relationships
• Ensured regulatory, licensing and quality requirements were met
• Applied German manufacturing standards and best practice to the UK operation
• Commissioned and brought the state-of-the-art automated plant into operation

Result

A fully operational, highly automated manufacturing plant, capable of 24/7 processing, was established within one year and the £7.5m budget.

The plant delivered the required capability to process 12,000 tonnes of recycled material per year, with provision and plans for expansion in the next phase.

The operation achieved the required quality and performance standards from launch, establishing a new UK manufacturing capability for the business.

100% on-time delivery | No quality issues 

Situation

An aerospace-products company had secured the largest orderbook in its history following strong sales performance. However, the factory had never operated at this level and did not have the required capacity, capability or operational set-up to fulfil the orderbook.

Task

Increase operational capacity and capability sufficiently to deliver all highly complex, high-value orders on time, without quality issues or late-delivery penalties.

Action

• Reviewed the entire operation end-to-end
• Identified bottleneck processes, skills and space constraints
• Improved communication between design, manufacturing, planning, facilities and recruitment
• Recruited and trained additional people
• Purchased and deployed new equipment
• Strengthened planning, meeting and management routines
• Resolved materials-handling, access and documentation issues
• Addressed cross-functional relationship and coordination problems

Result

All orders were delivered on time, with no late-delivery penalties or quality issues.

This protected customer relationships and avoided the financial and reputational consequences associated with late delivery and quality problems – while enabling the business to fulfil its largest orderbook to date.

32% potential labour saving | No capital expenditure

Situation

A large regional NHS hospital had reached capacity in a key department. A 20% capacity shortfall was causing delays and drawing staff from another department to provide additional support.

Task

Analyse the end-to-end process for taking and processing patient samples, identify inefficiencies and waste, and determine how the capacity shortfall could be eliminated – and further capacity created – without capital investment.

Action

• Mapped the end-to-end process
• Analysed variations in processing methods and times
• Compared performance against established benchmarks
• Critically reviewed workflow, planning and operating methods
• Identified the process changes required to increase capacity and reduce waste
• Identified opportunities to reduce labour requirements and processing lead times
• Delivered the review and analysis through a small team in a very short timeframe

Result

The analysis identified:

• 46% additional capacity – more than twice the existing 20% shortfall
• Potential labour savings of 32%
• A reduction in worst-case sample-processing lead time from 27 hours to 6.5 hours
• A reduction in best-case lead time from 3 hours to 2 hours
• Additional capacity to support future expansion
• All identified improvements achievable with no capital expenditure

The work therefore identified sufficient capacity to eliminate the immediate shortfall while creating significant headroom for future growth.

A selection of additional assignments and challenges across strategy, manufacturing, transformation, technology, commercial development and operational improvement.

Advisory Boards & Strategic Advice

 Advised a major university and several well-known exhibition and events companies on   proposition development, innovation, strategic decision-making and growth, providing an external industry and commercial perspective.

Aerospace Company Turnaround

 Played a key role in the turnaround of an underperforming aerospace company, helping return the business to profitability. Sales increased by 20%, while output in the lowest-performing department increased by 214%.

Food & Drink Distribution – Performance Improvement

 Working directly with the CEO, analysed operations and identified opportunities to improve efficiency, reduce waste and strengthen commercial performance. Identified £312k annual savings, an 83% improvement in delivery-in-full performance, a 5.01% improvement in gross margin and a 9.64% increase in product lines sold.

Factory Capacity & Layout Optimisation

 Analysed material and production flows and developed a new factory layout for an expansion programme, simplifying flows and significantly reducing the distance travelled by parts through production.

Technology Start-up – From Product to Production

 Helped a technology start-up transition an innovative product towards manufacture, establishing facilities for limited production and then outsourcing volume production to a contract manufacturer. Supported two company relocations during its growth phase and developed UK and overseas sourcing strategies.

Technology Start-up – Manufacturing Readiness

 Reviewed a technology start-up's manufacturing plans before it embarked on production of a new product. Challenged the proposed approach, identified gaps in capability, scope and planning, and recommended changes to strengthen its manufacturing strategy.

Commercialising Spare Manufacturing Capacity

 Helped an OEM manufacturer commercialise previously unused third-shift capacity on a specialist process line, securing new business from a Japanese multinational and increasing revenues from existing assets.

Business Relocation & Knowledge Transfer

 Played a key role in relocating a manufacturing operation to a completely new geographical area, transferring skills and knowledge to new employees while maintaining customer deliveries and quality performance.

New UK Manufacturing Facility

 Advised an Italian manufacturing company on its new UK plant project, covering site modifications, factory design, skills requirements and supplier strategy.

Healthcare & Safety Products – Test Automation

 Advised a major healthcare and safety products distributor on product sample testing and designed a proposed automated testing method to increase testing capacity and reduce reliance on highly skilled manual processes.

Automotive Manufacturing – Performance Improvement

 Analysed the final assembly operation at a major engine manufacturing plant, identifying and implementing improvements to reduce waste, increase efficiency and improve margins.

The examples above highlight selected additional assignments and areas of experience. If you have a particular challenge in mind, get in touch – there is a good chance I've encountered something similar.