John E.-Operator | Consultant / Advisor / NED | Telecoms & Renewables Scale-Ups
Check rate
Experience
Director, Founding Team → Non-Executive Director
GRP Energy
Part of the founding team that relaunched a battery storage business targeting residential, C&I, and utility markets in the Netherlands and UK.
- Developed market entry strategies
- Led "Storage as a Service" business model development
- Created financial models for capital raising
- Transitioned to a Non-Executive Director role in November 2025, which I continue to hold
Strategic Consultant
Greenlion GmbH
- Independent strategic consulting practice specialising in telecommunications, infrastructure, and operational transformation. Portfolio approach combining direct client engagements and associate partnerships with established consulting firms (Cambridge Management Consulting, Prism Business Consulting)
- UK Fibre M&A due diligence (2024, with Cambridge MC): strategic and financial analysis supporting a PE fund's investment decision in a full-fibre broadband operator; market assessment, operational due diligence, and financial model validation
- GRP Energy (2023-2024): start-up advisory support including strategy development, business model design, and market entry planning for a battery storage business
- Transport for Wales (2023, with Prism Consulting): expert review of an infrastructure commercialisation business plan for fibre optic assets within a £5B+ railway modernisation programme; strategic evaluation of telecommunications infrastructure monetisation opportunities
- Jurassic Fibre (Jan-Sep 2023): conducted M&A feasibility analysis and due diligence for a potential acquisition target; developed comprehensive disaster recovery planning and business continuity framework; led ESG and sustainability strategy development and implementation aligned with institutional investor requirements
Managing Director
Jurassic Fibre
- Built and scaled customer-facing operations for a full-fibre broadband infrastructure rollout targeting rural and underserved UK markets
- Established operations from the ground up, covering sales, marketing, installations, and customer service for a PE-backed fibre infrastructure scale-up during a rapid growth phase
- Achieved 4x customer acquisition growth in 6 months through operational optimisation, process improvement, and sales effectiveness initiatives
- Built the data management function from scratch, introduced operational KPI dashboards, and developed regulatory and strategic partnerships capability
- Promoted to MD within 6 months; transitioned to a consulting role following investor consolidation
Partner
SGFE
- Partner in a strategic consulting firm specialising in SME business owners, using a hybrid consulting and coaching model and proprietary frameworks to accelerate growth
- Addressed strategic barriers to growth in owner-managed businesses through structured diagnosis and practical implementation support
- Led client evaluations across legal, financial services, IT, and media sectors. Specialised in financial capacity modelling, positioning, and culture
- De facto CFO, managing practice finances and income allocation model
- Led strategic planning for practice growth
- Helped build the practice from start-up to 20-30 active clients with an 8-10 partner team
Investment Consultant
Armstrong Energy Limited
- Led investment projects in renewable energy infrastructure, covering strategic planning, business modelling, fundraising, board representation, and project development
- Successfully raised £6.5m in HNWI financing for start-up infrastructure businesses in battery storage and waste-to-fuels processing technologies
- Developed comprehensive investment cases including Capex/Opex projections, NPV/IRR analysis, sensitivity modelling, and risk assessment
- Provided board representation and strategic guidance for portfolio companies
- Conducted due diligence and transaction structuring for infrastructure investments
CEO / COO
FIT Group
- Led operational and financial turnaround of a $300m Brazilian forestry investment
- Raised $50m+ in fresh investment capital through structured negotiations with institutional investors across Switzerland and international markets
- Led $60m balance sheet cleanup and legal reorganisation to stabilise financial position
- Implemented cost reduction programme achieving $15m+ in annual savings
- Recruited and managed a new local management team and oversaw waste biomass processing facility and sawmill operations
Chief Operating Officer
CableTel
- Transformed Bulgaria's largest cable TV & broadband provider from negative EBITDA to 54% margins within 18 months
- Increased revenue by 60% (€78m → €124m), EBITDA by 108% (€32m → €66m)
- Internet subscribers grew by 160%, ARPU by 37%
- Led €50m PIK financing and secured board approval for €100m+ Balkan acquisitions
- Coordinated cross-border expansion in Bulgaria, Serbia, Albania, and Macedonia and managed regulators and municipal authorities
- Led network expansion and upgrade decisions using least-cost analysis and infrastructure sharing strategies
Managing Partner
Last Mile Communications (LMC)
- Established and led the European arm of a boutique consulting practice specialising in transaction support and management advisory for the telecommunications sector
- Advised PE/infrastructure funds and strategic investors/operators on commercial due diligence, operational assessment, and multi-year financial planning across Central and Eastern Europe
- Identified M&A targets, supported transaction processes, and conducted market entry feasibility studies
- Provided embedded management support for portfolio companies transitioning to full operational roles
- Clients included Mid-Europa Partners, Warburg Pincus, Providence Equity, and Morgan Stanley
Commercial & Finance Director
NTL
- Led commercial and financial functions for the London operation of the UK's largest cable TV and broadband provider (400k customers, £130m turnover)
- Secured board approval for a £30m network upgrade programme through detailed business case development
- Led organisational restructuring to improve operational efficiency and reduce cost base
- Delivered 13% YoY revenue uplift, 50% cash flow increase, and 30% Capex reduction through disciplined capital allocation
Director of Internet
Cablecom
- Ran the Internet business unit of Switzerland's largest cable TV provider during a critical strategic pivot to broadband
- Replaced a loss-making ISP portal-content model with a highly profitable broadband access strategy
- Increased revenue from $40m to $63m and customer base from 60k to 135k in 12 months
- Led a $6m ISP platform replacement and upgrade including technology selection and vendor evaluation
Various Director & Head of Roles
NTL
- Strategy Director (1999-2001): Led corporate strategy development and market positioning; developed strategic initiatives for expansion; coordinated cross-functional strategic planning
- Head of Product Marketing (1997-1999): Led product strategy and go-to-market planning for TV, telephony, and internet services; launched impulse pay-per-view, triple-play bundles, subscription-free internet access, distance-free telephony tariff; increased market penetration from mid-20% to over 40%
- Head of Content & Programming (1996-1997): Developed content strategy for cable TV; negotiated supply terms with Sky, MTV, Turner, Discovery, Flextech; established programming acquisition framework and commercial relationships
Director of Programming
Saravision
- Developed programming strategy and implementation plan for content acquisition at a start-up wireless cable operator in Saudi Arabia
- Established and managed joint venture initiatives with major US programming providers
Head of Business Development & Multimedia
Nynex UK
- Led an EU-funded exemplar project for new broadband interactive services
- Created the Northern Interconnect joint venture between four cable operators to develop an integrated regional network
Operations Manager
Pactel UK
- Led corporate team responsible for sales, marketing, customer service, IT, and training at a UK cable start-up
- Managed commercial relationships with TV content suppliers and achieved the highest growth in customer penetration in the UK cable industry
Operations Manager
PacTel Cable
Achieved highest customer penetration growth in UK cable industry
New Issues Syndication & Eurobond Trading Manager
DKB International
- Managed a secondary Euroyen trading book with $100m exposure at the UK securities trading arm of Dai-Ichi Kangyo Bank
- Oversaw numerous new issues underwritings and the primary trading book
Industry experience
See where this freelancer has spent most of their professional time.
Experienced in Telecommunication, Media and Entertainment, Banking and Finance, Energy, Agriculture, and Information Technology.
Business area experience
See which departments and functions this freelancer has contributed to most.
Experienced in Finance, Strategy, Investments and M&A, Operations, Marketing, and Product Development.
Summary
Operator, strategist and advisor with 35+ years of leadership experience helping high-growth businesses through critical scaling phases, operational turnarounds, and market expansions across the capital-intensive telecommunications and renewable energy sectors.
Core expertise: Taking challenger businesses from concept to operational reality by combining strategic insight with operational execution. Proven track record of building the organisational infrastructure that enables sustainable growth — teams, governance, culture, processes, and systems — for businesses founded by technical or sales-driven entrepreneurs.
Seeking: CEO, COO, or PE Operating Partner roles with scale-ups in telecoms, renewables, or sectors where AI is a fundamental strategic driver of the operating model.
Key achievements include: 4x customer acquisition growth at Jurassic Fibre in 6 months; transforming Bulgaria's largest cable operator from negative EBITDA to 54% margins in 18 months; growing Cablecom from 60k to 135k customers and $40m to $63m revenue in 12 months; structuring €200m+ in infrastructure financing across my career.
Skills
Strategic Leadership
Strategic Impact & Market Repositioning
Business Model Design & Proposition Development
Strategic Planning & Execution
Strategic M&A & Post-Merger Integration
Corporate Development
Operational Excellence
Operational Scaling / Organisational Design / Governance
Turnaround Management (Multiple 30%+ Margin Improvements)
P&L Management & Financial Optimisation
Change Management & Organisational Transformation
Performance Management & Operational Metrics Design
Capital Discipline & Investment Optimisation
Financial & Operational Modelling (Operational Drivers, Npv, Irr, Scenario Analysis)
Fundraising & Financing Structuring (€200m+ Career Total)
Performance Metrics & Management Reporting
Commercial Due Diligence
Telecommunications: Fibre, Cable, Broadband, Satellite
Renewable Energy: Battery Storage, Waste-To-Energy
Pe-Backed Scale-Ups & Challenger Operating Models
Emerging & Developed Markets
Regulatory & Stakeholder Management
Languages
Education
London Business School
MBA · Business Administration
University Of Cambridge
BA (Hons) · Law
Certifications & licenses
Executive Leadership in Sustainability
IMPERIAL COLLEGE BUSINESS SCHOOL
Statistics
Experience
Global experience
Expertise
Qualifications
Frequently asked questions
Have questions? Find more information here.
John is based in Grüningen, Switzerland and can operate in on-site, hybrid, and remote work models.
John speaks the following languages: English (Native), German (Intermediate).
John has at least 38 years of experience. During this time, John has worked in at least 15 different roles and for 15 different companies. The average length of individual experience is 2 years and 4 months. Note that John may not have shared all experience and actually has more experience.
Based on recent experience, John would be well-suited for roles such as: Director, Founding Team → Non-Executive Director, Strategic Consultant, Managing Director.
John's most recent position is Director, Founding Team → Non-Executive Director at GRP Energy.
In recent years, John has worked for GRP Energy, Greenlion GmbH, and Jurassic Fibre.
John is most experienced in industries like Telecommunication, Media and Entertainment, and Banking and Finance. John also has some experience in Energy, Agriculture, and Information Technology.
John is most experienced in business areas like Finance, Strategy, and Investments and M&A. John also has some experience in Operations, Marketing, and Product Development.
John has recently worked in industries like Energy, Telecommunication, and Utilities.
John has recently worked in business areas like Finance, Strategy, and Customer Service.
John attended London Business School for Business Administration.
John has 1 certificate: Executive Leadership in Sustainability.
John is immediately available full-time for suitable projects.
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Calculated based on our freelancers’ daily rates as of 7 Nov 2026. Actual rates may vary depending on seniority level, experience, skill specialization, project complexity, and engagement length.
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