Background
Sandy Pratt is a senior management consultant with 18 years consulting experience, gained in both the public and private sectors. He has advised a wide range of clients at both strategic and operational levels across a broad spectrum of business issues including information and communications technology, and business management strategy. He has sound financial skills developed from his CA training.
Sandy has acquired impressive operational and consultancy experience with, among others, KPMG Management Consultants, Edinburgh Fund Managers plc and Grant Thornton. While with Grant Thornton, he successfully expanded consulting services to include IT, quality management and human resources, tripling consultancy fee income. From 1990 - 1993, Sandy worked with Glasgow Development Agency (now Scottish Enterprise Glasgow) as Head of Corporate Development.
He evolved the corporate development strategy for Glasgow and established a wide range of information, support and grant-aided programmes for business. He was responsible for the management of a network of local business initiative organisations including Enterprise Trusts and developed a network of trained business advisers.
In addition to offering specialist IT, business management and economic development advice, Sandy has founded two software companies developing CBT and multi-media products.
He is a Governor of Glasgow Caledonian Univeristy
People
Training & Development
West of Scotland Loan Fund
Developed a series of courses in business development,
financial management, understanding accounts and investment
appraisal for a consortium of Scottish local authorities
ICAS
As consultant trainer to the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland, designs and delivers a wide range of training courses to over 200 financial directors, qualified accountants and financial personnel each year.
Frost & Sullivan Inc.
As consultant trainer to Frost & Sullivan Inc, devised and delivered training courses on business modelling to international marketing professionals.
Martin Currie plc
Led a team of consultants to develop and deliver a customised programme of training for Martin Currie plc. The training was designed to teach business managers how to manage projects using an adaptation of PRINCE 2 and used a combination of multi-media, workshops, “chalk-and-talk” and case studies. The programme was delivered in various forms to directors, senior managers and technical managers.
Scottish Police IT Strategy Group
Assisted in a review of people resources and skills working in each of the Scottish police forces prior to the establishment of a new centralised IT resource.
IT/E-business
Strategy and Solutions
University of St Andrews ICT Strategy
Undertaken IT Risk and ICT Value-for-Money reviews.
Developed the University's 5-year strategy covering both
administration systems and the wider academic computing
infrastructure.
National Museums of Scotland
Chaired an review panel that produced a report setting out an IT Strategy Action Plan for Change. Subsequently project managed the oversight of a complete overhaul of the IT infrastructure and related support arrangements.
Halifax Bank of Scotland (HBoS)
Advised on the development of a corporate policy for
spreadsheet risk management. Developed and delivered a
training programme for senior executives and financial
management staff in spreadsheet design, best practice and risk
management.
Scottish Economic Development Organisation
Conducted a strategic review of IT facilities and services in a Scottish economic development
organisation.
UK Energy Utility Company
Carried out an IT risk audit for an UK electricity utility company resulting in the restructuring of the entire IT function.
UK High Street Fashion Retailer
Lead a team to develop an IT strategy for a large UK High-Street fashion retailer. The strategy covered warehouse management, logistics, EPOS, e-commerce, in-store stock management, retail analysis, store replenishment and all financial information systems. Subsequently, project managed the procurement of replacement systems involving a capital spend of over £1.15 million.
Housing Association
Devised an IT Strategy for one of Scotland’s largest housing associations.
Scottish Based International Oil Services Company
Developed an IT and communications strategy for a Scottish-based, international oil services company involved in down-hole and top-side asset rental and engineering services. In a second phase of the project, the IT strategy was extended to enable overseas offices, agents, joint-venture partners and international engineering staff have controlled access to appropriate parts of the corporate knowledge base and operations management systems.
Computer-based training (“CBT”) systems
Co-founded a software company to develop computer-based training (“CBT”) systems. Specifically, was responsible for raising capital investment, establishing all operating procedures and financial information systems. This software is used throughout the world by many training organisations including schools, FE colleges, banks, HM Customs & Excise and the Inland Revenue.
Multi-Media Software Development Company
Co-founded a software company developing multi-media systems for e-commerce, training and promotion in the private sectors.
Knowledge Management
International Drinks Company
Devised a knowledge management system and integrated information delivery strategy for an international drinks company designed to enable estates managers have a comprehensive picture of the state of each licensed property under their supervision. The new system was designed to replace paper-based “cardex” systems with an on-line, laptop-based computer facility available anywhere in the world.
International Ship Management Company
Designed a knowledge management strategy for an international ship management company that maintained a database of information about vessel operating performance, running costs, voyage profitability and maintenance records. Ship managers, skippers and overseas agents all required on-line access to the information. The chosen technologies included the delivery of computer-based information using ship-to-shore telex, radio and telecommunications.
Scottish Economic Development Organisation
Designed and commissioned a computer system for managing the administration of a UK-wide business grant programme.
Business
Corporate Planning
Glasgow Development Agency
As Head of Corporate Development with Glasgow Development Agency, developed the corporate development strategy for Glasgow.
International Engineering Company
Designed and built a budget planning system involving the consolidation of 9 overseas manufacturing subsidiary businesses into a corporate total.
UK Garment Manufacturer
Undertook a management review for a leading UK garment manufacturer resulting in a change action plan covering property relocation, quality assurance management, production methods and management organisational change.
Historic Scotland
Advised Historic Scotland (“HS”) on the merger of two client organisations funded jointly by HS and a local authority. The actions recommended covered people, property, corporate structure, financial memorandum, balance sheet merger, IT systems and reporting structures.
Venture Capital Investment
Undertook an IT Due Diligence review of new technology prior to an investment by a venture capital fund. The technology involved covered multiple data sources and formats, data conversion and delivery to a wide range of user peripherals such as WAP phone, PDAs, web browsers, dumb screens and large-scale remote user access systems.
Public Sector
Financial/Economic Planning
Glasgow Development Agency
As Head of Corporate Development with Glasgow Development Agency, established a wide range of information, support and grant-aid programmes for businesses in Glasgow.
Local Enterprise
Managed a network of Enterprise Trusts and Local Initiative organisations.
Highlands & Islands
Led a team to conduct an economic impact study into the development of a health spa on one of Scotland’s islands.
Local Authority
Led a team, on behalf of a local authority, to appraise the economic potential of a planned Heritage Centre and related retail development in an environmentally sensitive area of Scotland.
Public Sector Organisation
Established a procurement process for IT equipment, software and related services for a public sector organisation. The processes covered Business Case preparation and presentation, budget management, tendering, supplier management and contracts. The project also involved the designing of forms, change management and training.
Public Utility Company
Advised a public utility company on the commercialisation of in-house developed technology involving software and telemetry data.
Scottish Enterprise
Led a team in an evaluation and review of an organisation funded by a group of public-sector bodies tasked with influencing policy and developing best practices across Scotland.
Scottish Chamber of Commerce
Advised on the issues relating to the organisation taking over the management and operation of a web site developed by Scottish Enterprise.
Contact Sandy Pratt at Sandy.Pratt@4-consulting.com
