Eric Kish

Interim CEO, Turnaround

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Accomplished CEO and turnaround executive, with expertise in private equity backed turnarounds. Turned around a refining and petrochemicals business from $7M to $450M market cap in three years. Created a retail division from scratch and grew from zero to $3.6 billion in revenue in 5 years, expanding operations in 7 countries. Company was acquired for $3.8 billion.

SELECT EXECUTIVE EXPERIENCE

Company Stage Focus: Late Stage Venture Funded, Private Equity Backed, Turnaround/Distressed, Private, Family Owned

CEO, Rompetrol Refining (PETROMIDIA AND VEGA REFINERIES)

Rompetrol Group is a European oil company that operates in 7 countries throughout Europe, active primarily in refining, marketing, and trading, with additional operations in exploration, production, and other oil industry services.
• Led turnaround of two bankrupt refineries acquired during privatization of Romanian Oil Industry.
• Delisted the company at $7M market cap and relisted after 3 years at $450M market cap. The IPO was considered the largest and most successful IPO in the history of Bucharest Stock Exchange.

CEO, Rompetrol Retail and Distribution ($3.6 billion in Revenue)

Developed and executed strategy based on radical innovation in a traditional business, creating competitive edge through introduction of technology enabled services like wireless vehicle identification at pump and fleet management services.
• Established retail division, growing through organic growth in the home market and acquisitions abroad, reaching $3.6 billion in sales in four years, operating in Switzerland, France, Spain, Romania, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Georgia, and Albania.
• Implemented new convenience store concept, driving non-fuel sales increases of 300%.
• Increased market share from 3% to 23% over four years.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• Turned around bankrupt oil refining business and raised valuation from $7M to $450M in 3 years
• Started Petroleum distribution and retail division from scratch and in 5 years grew from zero to $3.B billion in sales and operations in 7 countries
• Acquired a troubled Retail Software business for $500K and sold for $20M after 5 years
• Turned around cashflow negative HR Outsourcing business and sold for $7.5M in 1 year
• Turned around Database technology company

BOARD EXPERIENCE

• Rompetrol Bulgaria Joint Venture
• Rompetrol Ukraine Joint Venture
• Rompetrol Georgia Joint Venture
• Rompetrol Refining SA
• Conpet Oil Pipeline SA
• Black Sea Oil Terminal
• Retail Petrosystems

CREDENTIALS/EDUCATION

• Masters in Business, Stanford Business School
• Executive Certificate in Strategy and Innovation , MIT Sloan School of Management
• Executive Certificate in Intellectual Property and Business Strategy, Harvard Business School
• Management Program for Executives, Carnegie Mellon University
• Management of Family Businesses, Harvard Business School
• Masters in Electrical Engineering, Polytechnics of Bucharest

Years Executive Experience: (20)
Years as an Interim Exec: (1)
Company Size: ($100k-$10B)

INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE:
• Oil and Gas
• Business Services
• Robotics
• Retail
• Software Development/AI
• SaaS and Cloud Computing

SPECIALTIES
• Board Advisory
• Building a Management Team
• Corporate Development
• Family Run Business
• Joint Ventures
• International Business
• HR
• Acquisition Integration
• ERP
• Outsourcing
• Process Improvement
• Crisis Management
• Bankruptcy
• Distress
• Advancing & Emerging Technologies
• Technology Development
• Technology Team Development