In 2001, I joined a US company, Reynolds Polymer (RPT Asia Ltd) in Rayong, Thailand as their Regional Managing Director. Reynolds produces massive clear acrylic shapes used for commercial aquaria and architecture. The Thailand company was in its startup phase.
Most of what we produced was for export. We made parts for the construction of the Aquadom aquarium in Berlin, which exploded in December 2022!
We manufactured and installed aquaria for the Thailand Department of Fisheries in Suphanburi and Roi Et. We also built aquaria in the Central Airport Mall, Chiang Mai at the Impact Exhibition Centre and at the Oriental Hotel, Bangkok.
Before moving to Thailand, I had many years experience in the UK working in glass and window and glass manufacturing.
I started a window manufacturing company with a business partner in Bangkok with a partner. We manufactured, distributed and installed PVC windows all over Thailand and exported to Lao and Cambodia.
I joined Gretsch Unitas (G-U), a German multinational window and door hardware company in 1998. Their door lock brand BKS is a household name in Germany.
I set up G-U (Thailand) in 2008 to cover sales and distribution of their products in SE Asia. We focused on industrial sales to window and door manufacturers and project sales with architects, specifiers and developers.
In 2012, I joined StanleyBlack&Decker as General Manager in for their Hand Tools manufacturing plant in Chachoengsao province. Later responsibilities included Director of Manufacturing for Southeast Asia looking after Thailand and Philippines operations.
My last responsibility was Director, Asia-Pacific leading Industry 4.0, Automation, operations transformation and manufacturing excellence across 26 factories in India, Malaysia, Thailand, China, Taiwan and Japan.
In 2023 I started a new business consultancy. Shepherd Partnership specialises in helping manufacturing operations in Thailand and the Indo-Pacific region.