| The Global Options Management Team believe strongly that they should be directly involved in the day-to-day operation of the business. All the members of the management team are hands-on, and also liaise with clients directly in addition to the Global Options team members assigned to their account. When you deal with Global Options you will be dealing with everyone involved - from the drivers, to accounts and customer services, right up to the Directors and Managing Director.
Chris Ayling, Managing Director
Chris has over 20 years’ experience in the global courier and logistics industry. Beginning his career in 1984 as a courier express driver, he then held a number of transport and fleet operational roles culminating in the position of Assistant Operations Manager where he managed a team of over 20 staff. At this point, Chris changed direction and applied his frontline operations experience to sales and business development. In 1996 he became London Sales Manager for a leading international express company, specialising in financial markets print production.
From client feedback and his own experience, Chris identified a gap in the market for a company that offered greater flexibility as its core value proposition. When Chris founded Global Options in 1999, he was thus able to shape the business with the benefit of both sales and operational industry expertise, offering a compelling and innovative service concept to the worldwide courier market. Since then, the company has grown steadily and acquired a number of blue-chip clients, and under Chris’s leadership, continues to reap the rewards of his passionately client-centric business model.
‘At Global Options we look for people with proven ability and experience in the field, as well as an evident drive to succeed. This benefits the company as a whole since as we invest in our people through training and skills development, they have the scope to pursue their personal aspirations, as well as improving our ability to service our clients.’
Peter Ayling, Financial Director
A former affiliate member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants and senior partner in Knight Ayling & Co Registered Auditors, Peter has held a variety of accountancy and finance management positions for medium and large sized companies in and around London. He established his own accountancy practice in Ascot, Berkshire, and has also been a major shareholder and finance director in several other direct marketing companies whilst continuing to practise in the private sector.
A co-founder of Global Options with his brother, Chris Ayling, in 1999, Peter is a member of the board and currently serves as Finance Director, where he takes an active role bringing his financial expertise to the day-to-day running of the business.
Lita Keen, Client Services Director
Lita joined Global Options in May 2000 with a background in sales and business development. In 2002, she was promoted to Client Services Manager and in just two years, further promoted to Client Services Director. Identified as a key link between Global Options management team and the client, Lita’s particular strengths are in client handling and account management, and she will often take the role of client advocate to make sure every aspect of the client’s business needs are communicated to all involved. Together with Nick Downs, Lita holds responsibility for all operational decisions that impact client services.
Nick Downs, Client Services Director
A dedicated industry expert, Nick joined the Global team in January 2004 after over twenty years with a major independent courier company. During this time he was responsible for the effective operation of the Customer Service division, running a team of over 20 people, and operating a 24/7 premier account department.
Nick has witnessed massive changes in the industry and has a well deserved reputation for delivering consistently high service to his clients throughout. An accomplished senior manager, he is also committed to bringing out the best in everyone he works with. Along with Lita Keen, Nick is responsible for the day-to-day running of Global Options’ Client Services and operations activities.
Lee Arnold, Logistics Manager
Lee has been working in the courier industry for nearly twenty years and has gained a huge amount of experience at companies such as TNT and Securicor (now DHL) where he was Operations Supervisor, and subsequently at another well known courier company as a Major Accounts Manager, where he led a team working on a number of large blue-chip clients.
At Global Options Lee’s role as Transport & Logistics Manager means that he has a sound understanding of all operational systems and processes, and in particular, he supervises driver tracking, management and control. Highly organised and with a meticulous eye for detail, Lee is also responsible for accurate inventory management, from stock arrival, pick and packing and storage, to distribution and final delivery to clients.
Paul Smith, Operations Manager
Paul's career in the courier industry began in 1991 as a trainee working his way through all aspects of the shipping industry including Courier, Air, Sea and Road Freight.
At Global Options Paul has overall responsibility for Operations. Overseeing the day-to-day processing of all movements, he ensures all export and customs paperwork and security procedures are correctly carried out to effect smooth, controlled export and release to our offices and agents around the world. Paul is also responsible for deciding how Global Options will move client material, who is used to deliver it, and sourcing local agents for new potential routes. An analyst by nature, Paul continually surveys the market to identify opportunities for improved client services, and acts as a systems architect for Global Options’ operations activities.
Paul is IATA (International Air Transport Authority) Dangerous Goods trained and has completed security training level 3 NASP (National Aviation Security Programme).
Colin Northway, Global IT Co-ordinator
Colin has an extensive background in marketing, advertising and IT. He has been working with Global Options for over five years and has been responsible for developing and building the company’s IT infrastructure and computer systems. Colin’s expert understanding of how to apply technological solutions to business requirements has been a significant driver in the refinement of Global Options’ underlying business processes. Colin is responsible for IT in the London, New York and Frankfurt Offices.
Doug Brown, Quality Systems Manager
Doug has a career background in architecture and urban planning. With a special interest in qualitative aspects of work, he has been with Global Options since the Company's inception in 1999, having responsibility for the establishment and maintenance of the Global Options quality management system, devised and currently certified under the ISO 9001:2000 banner.
Doug was jointly responsible for Global Options’ participation in the National Aviation Security Programme of the Department for Transport, achieving certification by H.M. Customs and Excise to carry out import/export clearance functions within the Company, and has represented Global Options at various industry bodies such as the Association of International Couriers and Express Services (AICES). Internally, Doug is also responsible for the Global Options Health & Safety Policy and Procedures, ensuring the company complies with all governing legislation.
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