Ross Kelly - Interim Commercial Executive

Q: Where is Ross based?

Ross is based in London, United Kingdom and can operate in on-site , hybrid , and remote work models.

Q: What languages does Ross speak?

Ross speaks the following languages: English (Advanced), Italian (Intermediate), French (Elementary), Turkish (Elementary) .

Q: How many years of experience does Ross have?

Ross has at least 47 years of experience. During this time, Ross has worked in at least 9 different roles and for 8 different companies . The average length of individual experience is 5 years and 3 months . Note that Ross may not have shared all experience and actually has more experience.

Q: What is Ross's latest experience?

Ross's most recent position is Interim Commercial Executive at RSKelly Ltd. .

Q: What companies has Ross worked for in recent years?

In recent years, Ross has worked for RSKelly Ltd. .

Q: Which industries is Ross most experienced in?

Ross is most experienced in industries like Aerospace and Defense , Professional Services , and Manufacturing .

Q: Which business areas is Ross most experienced in?

Ross is most experienced in business areas like Product Development , Strategy , and Project Management . Ross also has some experience in Sales , Operations , and Procurement .

Q: Which industries has Ross worked in recently?

Ross has recently worked in industries like Professional Services .

Q: Which business areas has Ross worked in recently?

Ross has recently worked in business areas like Operations , Procurement , and Strategy .

Recommended expert

London, United Kingdom

Experience

Oct 2020 - Present

5 years 6 months

London, United Kingdom

Interim Commercial Executive

RSKelly Ltd.

Provide commercial expertise to international businesses, collaborations and public agencies
Establish collaboration/joint venture agreements and facilitate their implementation
Streamline business processes to resolve complex commercial challenges
Drive business improvements to foster growth
Support to complex tenders, contracts, offset requirements including negotiations
Deliver commercial expertise during peak workloads or for specific tasks

Jul 2018 - Sep 2020

2 years 3 months

Milan, Italy

Vice President - International Business Development

Leonardo Helicopters & Corporate

Spearheaded the increase in sales orders for major high value international government programs
Closed €6 billion in contracts during the initial period, enhancing the company's market position
Secured the first Prime Contract with Government of USA
Secured the second USA FMS & FMF export contract
Optimised the target win rate for major high value programs through a new probability to win based process
Negotiate and implement strategic plans with industrial collaborators and partners
Oversaw governance of winning new business and its execution

Sep 2015 - Jun 2018

2 years 10 months

Milan, Italy

Vice President - Business Management

AgustaWestland / Leonardo Helicopters

Revamped the sales forecasting accuracy from 25% to 80% and captured a 50% increase in forecast sales due to the improved system
Led cross-cultural and cross functional teams to achieve order intake and revenue targets
Enhanced business planning for standard products
Streamlined tender and contract approvals ensuring optimal pricing strategies for new business
Directed the business team for strategic planning, collaborations, tender management, contract negotiations, and contract administration

Sep 2013 - Aug 2015

2 years

Ankara, Turkey

Head of Region Turkiye

AgustaWestland

Managed business development, sales and marketing activities, achieving €50M of sales for logistic support and services
Expanded relationships within Turkish government agencies, major industries, and SMEs for industrial offset projects
Provided business support to new and existing programs

Oct 2012 - Aug 2013

11 months

Melbourne, United States

Vice President - Special Government Programmes

AgustaWestland at Northrop Grumman

Directed major new collaborative on a global scale with a focus on the USA
Saved the company circa €2M of spend by convincing top management to no-bid on two major US programs based upon very low probability to win evaluation
Initiated development activities for two major US Army / Air Force programs, with one successfully awarded in 2018

Sep 2007 - Sep 2012

5 years 1 month

Farnborough, United Kingdom

Bidding & Pricing Executive

AgustaWestland

Led and coordinated a new international business unit across UK, Italian, Poland and US operations
Championed and secured €2b contract for industrial and business collaboration with the Turkish government and industries
Enhanced efficiency of bidding process by resolving conflicts among senior management and introducing a standardised platform to govern all proposals and new bids
Supervised the management of numerous bids, setting 'Price to Win' targets

Oct 2004 - Aug 2007

2 years 11 months

United Kingdom

Commercial Project Manager

EH Industries

May 1993 - Sep 2004

11 years 5 months

United Kingdom

Project Engineer

British Aerospace

Nov 1977 - Dec 1991

14 years 2 months

United Kingdom

Avionic Engineer

Royal Air Force

Italy

Head of Bids and Proposals

AgustaWestland

Industry Experience

See where this freelancer has spent most of their professional time.

Experienced in Aerospace and Defense, Professional Services, and Manufacturing.

Aerospace and Defense

Professional Services

Manufacturing

Business Area Experience

See which departments and functions this freelancer has contributed to most.

Experienced in Product Development, Strategy, Project Management, Sales, Operations, and Procurement.

Product Development

Strategy

Project Management

Sales

Operations

Procurement

Summary

Dynamic Interim Commercial Executive with over 25 years of progressive experience in international business development and management. Demonstrated success in closing €6 billion contracts and enhancing market positions for major government projects. Proficient in establishing strategic collaborations, driving business improvements, and managing complex tender processes. Proven ability to lead cross-functional and cross-cultural teams and maximise sales forecasting accuracy. Ready to leverage extensive skill set to deliver exceptional commercial results and support growth in future ventures.

Skills

Joint Venture Establishment And Implementation
Cross-cultural Team Leadership
Cross-functional Team Leadership
Strategic Negotiations
Managing Complexity
Project Management

Languages

English

Advanced

Italian

Intermediate

French

Elementary

Turkish

Elementary

Education

South Glamorgan University

BTEC HNC · Electronics & Communications · United Kingdom

The Open University

BA · Management, Technology & Systems · United Kingdom

Statistics

Experience

Total positions 10

Experience in Aerospace and Defense 38.5 y

Avg length 4 y 8 m

Longest experience 14 y 1 m

Global Experience

Countries worked in 4 (United Kingdom, Italy, Turkey, United States)

Primary country United Kingdom

Expertise

Recent roles Interim Commercial Executive, Vice President - International Business Development, Vice President - Business Management

Main industries Aerospace and Defense, Professional Services, Manufacturing

Main business areas Product Development, Strategy, Project Management

Qualifications

Highest degree Bachelor

Profile

Created

December 2025

Need a freelancer? Find your match in seconds.

Try FRATCH GPT

Frequently asked questions

Do you have questions? Here you can find further information.

Where is Ross based?

Ross is based in London, United Kingdom and can operate in on-site, hybrid, and remote work models.

What languages does Ross speak?

Ross speaks the following languages: English (Advanced), Italian (Intermediate), French (Elementary), Turkish (Elementary).

How many years of experience does Ross have?

Ross has at least 47 years of experience. During this time, Ross has worked in at least 9 different roles and for 8 different companies. The average length of individual experience is 5 years and 3 months. Note that Ross may not have shared all experience and actually has more experience.

What roles would Ross be best suited for?

Based on recent experience, Ross would be well-suited for roles such as: Interim Commercial Executive, Vice President - International Business Development, Vice President - Business Management.

What is Ross's latest experience?

Ross's most recent position is Interim Commercial Executive at RSKelly Ltd..

What companies has Ross worked for in recent years?

In recent years, Ross has worked for RSKelly Ltd..

Which industries is Ross most experienced in?

Ross is most experienced in industries like Aerospace and Defense, Professional Services, and Manufacturing.

Which business areas is Ross most experienced in?

Ross is most experienced in business areas like Product Development, Strategy, and Project Management. Ross also has some experience in Sales, Operations, and Procurement.

Which industries has Ross worked in recently?

Ross has recently worked in industries like Professional Services.

Which business areas has Ross worked in recently?

Ross has recently worked in business areas like Operations, Procurement, and Strategy.

What is Ross's education?

Ross holds a Bachelor in Management, Technology & Systems from The Open University.

What is the availability of Ross?

Ross is immediately available full-time for suitable projects.

What is the rate of Ross?

Ross's rate depends on the specific project requirements. Please use the Meet button on the profile to schedule a meeting and discuss the details.