Ross Telfer - Fractional Commercial & Growth Operator, Exit-Focused Advisor, NED

EXECUTIVE POSITIONING

I work with founder-led £10m+ service businesses to increase sales output, improve commercial discipline and expand EBITDA ahead of scale or exit.

30+ years building, scaling and transforming revenue-led organisations across UK, Europe and South Africa.

Specialist in:

  • Sales engine optimisation

  • Cost-to-serve reduction

  • Outsourcing and offshore structuring (where appropriate)

  • Commission and incentive redesign

  • Governance and reporting professionalisation

  • Exit readiness


I operate on a fractional basis (2–4 days per month) or through defined transformation mandates.

WHAT I DO FOR FOUNDERS

Revenue Acceleration

  • Lift conversion and output from existing sales teams

  • Install forecasting and accountability cadence

  • Redesign incentives aligned to margin

  • Build inside sales / telesales capability where required

Cost & Margin Expansion

  • Structural Opex review

  • Sales productivity modelling

  • Remove non-performing layers

  • Assess and implement offshore/outsourced models (when appropriate)

Exit Preparation

  • Stabilise recurring revenue

  • Improve retention

  • Increase EBITDA multiples through operational discipline

  • Professionalise board reporting

SELECTED IMPACT

  • Grew revenue from €6m to €22m in 18 months (450 FTE multi-lingual sales operation)

  • Delivered £17m incremental EBITDA in large-scale retail contact centre transformation

  • Reduced churn from 25.1% to 15.6% in competitive telco market

  • Built and exited a 400-seat BPO business

  • Closed £30m+ in BPO contracts (3-year value)

  • Led operations of 4,000+ FTE across multi-site international environments

CURRENT & RECENT ENGAGEMENTS

Teleperformance – Global

  • Strategic commercial leadership within Meta sales LOB, focused on revenue optimisation and margin governance.

  • Gazelle Discovery – Founder

  • Advising BPO and sales-led businesses on growth, outsourcing strategy and exit planning.

  • Held senior roles with Mitie, Dimension Data, Vodafone, Talk Talk, Shop Direct, Teleperformance

BOARD & GOVERNANCE

  • IoD Chartered Director Diploma

  • IMD – Finance for Non-Finance Directors

  • Cranfield School of Management – Strategy Programme

Available for:

  • Fractional CRO / Commercial Director mandates

  • Growth & EBITDA transformation projects

  • NED roles within sales-led and service businesses