Specialist Profile - John Carey: Transformation & Turnaround

A transformation and turnaround specialist, John has freelanced since 2005, leading major global programmes (£100m+) across energy, resources, FMCG and retail. Prior to going independent, John enjoyed a successful consulting career with EY, and Cap Gemini Ernst & Young where he led programmes in Telco, high-tech and resources.
 

John shared his journey to date, tips to pave the way for a successful transformation, and talked to the Choix team about the vital importance of using clear, simple language in all project scenarios!
 

Let’s start with your current project - you’re working with SHV Energy?
 

That’s right. I took over their flagship multi-business unit transformation programme back in late 2021, after a short assignment as their interim Group CIO; and I’ve recently taken on an interim Operations Director role with one of their UK brands. I'm part of a turnaround management team and look after two gas plants, five filling plants, 38 distribution centres and a couple of thousand people - it’s busy!

And winding the clock back, you started your career as an engineer ?  
 

I originally started with Ericsson in Australia working on the shop floor. After a role in customer service, I joined EY consulting and worked at the intersection of people, process and technology. It was a great grounding.  I worked with inspiring people, had exposure to a wide range of industries and geographies, and I worked on a very diverse range of projects - process re-engineering, organisation restructures, systems implementation and IT architecture.

By 1999 I’d become a Partner and won a major global transformation project with a resources giant, who were moving from a conglomerate to an integrated operating model. It was a huge, high-profile piece of work (3.5 years, 100+ consultants), a tremendous learning experience, and fortunately it was successful.  It was exactly the kind of project I enjoyed and wanted to keep doing.

Why did you decide to go freelance?
 

Post-Enron, Cap Gemini bought EY consulting, and I moved to the UK to run the BP account. I enjoyed working with BP - they were a fantastic client - but my role had fundamentally shifted, from execution to sales. I'd moved away from project delivery, and that was the part that I loved.

Because I’d built up a reputation as an experienced transformation and turnaround guy, I was well-positioned for freelancing - companies don’t do major transformations very often, so they don’t generally keep those competencies in their business. Plus, as an engineer at heart, I like to see a problem and fix it.  So I took the plunge…and 18 years on, I’d say it was a good move!
 

Are all of your freelance projects turnarounds?
 

About 75%. Clients like the fact that I have a wide range of technical competencies and broad exposure to different industries and geographies. My experience helps me to sort the wood from the trees, build teams and triage problems while not losing site of the bigger picture.

Keeping the overall objective clear in your mind is important in a turnaround context when alarm bells are going off everywhere. If you’ll forgive the cliche - when you’re up to your a*** in alligators it’s hard to remember the original idea was to drain the swamp!

Another experience my clients like to call on is my ability to see Systems Integration (SI) from both sides of the fence. Being able to understand both perspectives means that I can help companies build better relationships with their suppliers. I'm well placed to judge when an SI isn’t performing, when a company is being unreasonable and what is a fair price: I can help facilitate clear, reasonable expectation-setting, which is core to a good supplier relationship.
 

Do you have a particular playbook or approach?
 

Before starting a role I want to make sure I clearly understand why a project has been commissioned. I'll want to know why a client is putting themselves through the pain (because there will be pain!), and I’ll keep asking and digging until I’m confident I understand the reasons.

And I’m a stickler for transparency and clear, simple communication. At all times. Speaking plainly and directly is core to my approach – I try to avoid consulting jargon whenever practical!

Every context is different though, so I don’t have a set playbook (although I was once asked to write a textbook…). What I do have, as a result of decades of project work, is a whole series of methods, checklists and techniques and that I can draw upon, depending on the needs of the project.
 

Tell us more about the textbook scenario!
 

I led a transformation programme for a major steel company - it was the third attempt, and I knew it wouldn’t be easy, but we delivered successfully and one of the SI partners asked me to write a textbook on the method/approach we'd used.  While this was very flattering, I didn’t have the time at that point. I did, however, start thinking about building some kind of dynamic knowledge repository …
 

Which became iprojectsuccess?

Exactly. Iprojectsuccess is a collaboration with a group of transformation specialists I’ve worked with in various contexts over the years - essentially it’s a knowledge platform website for us to share ideas and store best-practice information (invite-only access!!). And it also gives us a profile and identity to win work as a group.

Aside from getting the leadership, vision and governance right, what factors do you think are important in driving successful transformations - a few hints would be great!

1. Know how you’re going to build and maintain momentum

Often transformation programmes run for 2-3 yrs. So you have to have a sense of how you are going to build momentum and keep it going long-term.

2. Ensure there is an integrated design that considers the people, process, data and technology aspects

Transformations are complex and have many inter-dependencies. A process design may look good on paper/powerpoint but the practicalities and assumptions about the standard technology capabilities, the data requirements and the people/culture changes needed to realise and operate the design need to fully considered.  I've certainly seen cases where organisations are enthused about the opportunities a particular technology offers, but under-estimate the complexity of integrating that technology into their existing landscape and culture. 
 

3. Recognise competing agendas

A lot of transformations fail because competing agendas have been ignored. You need to set up the governance to recognise and accommodate for the fact that people may have different objectives - otherwise you can’t hope to achieve alignment. And don’t set up commercial deals with partners that enshrine conflicting objectives. 
 

4. Acknowledge Resistance

I think it was Michael Hammer who said it's not the resistance which is the problem but the failure to deal with it. I agree. Resistance is always going to come up in transformation contexts - the key is to acknowledge it, and address it. 
 

5. Be a human: laugh. And listen

You have to have a sense of humour. In life generally. And in pressurised transformation contexts particularly, laughter is a great release. And you absolutely must be sensitive, you must listen to people - as the saying goes “seek first to understand…”

So train yourself to see things from other people’s perspectives. If someone’s being difficult, look at the situation through their eyes - generally there’s a pretty clear logic. And if you appreciate someone else’s perspective, you can work with it, which means ultimately you’re in a much better position to change it.
 

6. Use simple, clear language. Always!

I keep coming back to language. The words we use really matter. So choose them well and keep them simple. Cut the jargon. Use words that everybody understands. Because then everybody understands! This applies to all contexts, but particularly when there’s a hundred million £ budget and a global team!
 

What advice would you give other freelancers who are just starting out?
 

Know yourself. Know your way of working

You need to know what you and don’t offer and be able to clearly articulate it. To answer the question “why would someone would hire me - what do I bring? What’s my approach?”

If you know who you are, how you work and what you’re looking for, you can focus on finding it. And if you get asked to do something that you wouldn’t hire yourself for, you can say no!
 

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