ALASDAIR JOHNSTON

Delivered results in private equity, outsourced solutions, banking, manufacturing, mining and packaging industries Expertise in integration, cost reduction, restructuring, due diligence and capital raising 6 years consulting experience including McKinsey & Company and Bain & Company; 4 years investment banking; 4 years army officer experience in the UK Masters degree in Economics from Cambridge University, MBA cum laude from l’Università Commerciale Luigi Bocconi in Milan

Alasdair arrived in Australia from the UK in 2003 and joined PIP shortly afterwards. Previous work experience includes 4 years at McKinsey & Company, 2 years at Bain & Co, 4 years investment banking/Private Equity and 4 years as an officer in the British Army.

CAREER SNAPSHOT

Since arriving at Partners in Performance, Alasdair has led the development of the Transaction Services practice, as well as working on resources and service industry clients.

• Managing a 12 person team responsible for reducing costs by >$65m (run rate basis) at a leading underground mine and processing plant
• Managing teams responsible for the optimisation of a global portfolio of resources assets; developing the recommendations, supporting execution of portfolio rationalisation and building a pipeline of business improvement ideas in remaining scale assets
• Managing due diligence teams (commercial and operational) in support of a range of Private Equity transactions
• Running 5 teams in a Global Outsource Services company across the Asia Pacific region, responsible for a pipeline of improvement opportunities in excess of $100m per annum

Prior to arriving in Australia, Alasdair worked with Vision Capital in the acquisition of a portfolio of manufacturing companies from MGPE.

• Ran commercial due diligence teams on the portfolio companies, to assess prospects and prioritise post acquisition cost initiatives.
• Responsible for overall recommendations to investment committee for portfolio companies, based on financial valuation and financial, legal and commercial due diligence.

Whilst at Bain & Company, Alasdair led teams on a number of performance transforming initiatives.

• Led the Head Office post-merger integration of two beverage can manufacturers. Reduced headcount by 30%. Identified non-labour savings, equivalent to 40% of head office costs. Anticipated savings were achieved on time, in full.
• Ran teams on Private Equity due diligence teams on transactions for clients across a range of industries (e.g. lifting products, package tours, aircraft cabin interiors, domestic heating products).

At McKinsey & Company in Milan, performance transformation highlights included:

• Redesigned the structure of payment instruments for the Italian banking industry as part of a 4-person team working with the 15 largest banks in the country.
• Part of a team responsible for redefining retail strategy and product portfolio definition at vertically integrated fashion house, resulting in significant reductions in cycle time and operating costs.

At Williams de Broë, ran a range of corporate finance transactions in mining & primary industries.

• Led capital raising and listing of Australian PGM mining company on LSE.
• Advised pharmaceutical and financial services companies on a range of corporate finance issues.

As an officer In the Army, trained and led soldiers in a variety of situations.

• Commanded a company of 180 men and, as Operations Officer, established Battalion procedures for responding to terrorist incidents.
• As a jungle warfare instructor, trained soldiers on jungle operations and led patrols in Central America.

EDUCATION & INTERESTS
Alasdair holds a Masters degree in Economics from Cambridge University (graduating in 1987) and an MBA cum laude from l’Università Commerciale Luigi Bocconi in Milan (1991). Alasdair speaks Italian and his interests include rugby, rowing, scuba diving and golf. He is married with two children.