An accomplished marketer, campaign manager, product manager and project manager. Powered by a first-rate knowledge of practical and tactical marketing techniques (across both traditional and leading-edge digital marketing activities), product & software development and web application project delivery.

A skilled businessman and strategist whose ability to set and achieve goals, manage budgets, drive revenue targets and a natural affinity with technology, is at the heart of my success. A highly motivated and goal-driven team player with innate leadership skills merged with unrivalled tenacity and ingenuity.

A gifted presenter, copywriter and data analyst, delivering a unique mix of creativity and logic and an unrivalled attention to detail.

Offering a strong track record of success in every position, campaign and venture embarked upon.

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Franco De Bonis

This role was a dual role in which I worked closely with the product development and audio scientist teams to help define future product direction, but also with the global brand marketing teams to define and deliver launch & ongoing marketing campaigns. This involved running a global research program and feeding the results back to the development teams. Once a new technology set reached a point where it could be productised, my role would then entail working with the product teams to guide direction in productisation, developing the product’s name & brand identity and the packaging design & copy. In tandem I would be developing the global launch strategy and working with the various Regional Sales Offices (Europe, US, Asia) to ensure that specific and appropriate local launch and marketing plans were created and implemented. I would further work with the local product managers to define sales forecasts that would drive production, ensuring that there was appropriate upside to meet spikes in demand, but without over-estimating.

During my time in this role I led the global launch of Creative’s latest and greatest audio product (Sound Blaster X-Fi) from inception in 2003 all the way through to the retail launch in 2005, while simultaneously launching numerous sales and marketing programs to grow overall business.

My main responsibilities were:

• Product sales targets (For 12 months following launch)
• Global PR
• Product development strategy
• Product launch strategy
• Ongoing global advertising & marketing strategy
• Product forecasts
• Product EOL & Transition
• Global research programs

Notable Highlights:

• Led the most successful product launch in the history of Creative Labs. 2 years in the making, global sales topped $27M in the launch quarter – over 50% growth from the previous equivalent quarter.
• Conceived, worked with development team, and launched the world’s first 5.1 surround sound discrete card for PCs. A game changer for Creative that rejuvenated falling audio card revenues and delivered over $400M annually in sales.
• Launched the world’s first hard disk MP3 player (Creative Jukebox) across Europe with a $10M budget, achieving $25M in launch quarter sales.
• Designed and launched the “Platinum Partnership Program”, allowing Creative to leverage co-marketing opportunities in the retail space with key games publishers, delivering over 100% growth in high-end audio card sales.

The DG Group was the business I started from zero. It provided key marketing services to organisations of SME level to Corporate. With hard work and dedication to delivering the best possible service, it grew year-on-year until annual turnover was over €500K from a team of 11. I provided high-level client direction and strategy and then worked with my team to deliver the specifics for each project. We provided a wide range of services, from traditional print marketing to website design, advanced application development, SEO, PPC, copywriting/content marketing, social media campaign management, email/SMS campaign management and general graphic design services.

In my time as business owner I personally spec’ed and oversaw the delivery of over 400 brochure websites, ~100 E-Commerce sites and ~20 bespoke web applications. I also wrote the copy for over 100 sites in full and countless articles. I also became a regular speaker at Failte Ireland’s yearly digital conference and a contributor to InBusiness Magazine with a quarterly article on web/digital marketing.

In 2012 (in response to Google’s continued hardening of the SEO algorithm) I worked to establish a holistic digital marketing service for our clients. It took a few months to work out the exact approach and logistics, but by early 2013 this service was contributing over €10K of monthly incremental and ‘sticky’ revenues to the business.

It was acquired by Snap Printing in January 2014 and I managed the handover of the business until June 2015.

My main responsibilities were:

• P&L
• Management of key account campaigns
• Management of client marketing strategy
• Management of internal business marketing strategy
• Growing the DG Group brand and web presence
• The efficient running of the 11-strong team
• Sales and client relations
• Business development
• Oversee the management of The DG Group’s many web servers

Notable Highlights:

• Grew the business from zero to €500K annual turnover in 5 years with average net profit of 10%
  (during the worst recession in living history).
• Oversaw the successful delivery of over 400 brochure websites, 100 E-Commerce sites and 20 bespoke web applications.
• Drove a pitch that won Hyundai Ireland’s bespoke web development project and ultimately ran the project that delivered the new bespoke website and CMS in only 14 weeks.
• Part of Negotiating team that acquired a rival digital agency and led the absorption into Snap.

Built specifically for SMEs to use and partners to implement, 21CMS is a PaaS system packed with all the features that every business owner needs to successfully promote their business online. 21CMS is as simple to use as it is powerful and is the world’s first combined website management and internet marketing system built specifically for SMEs.

Initially funded by me and my business partner, the system grew quickly and gained partner clients. This allowed us to seek and gain major round 1 investment of €500K.

Before its sale (as part of the acquisition by Snap), the system hosted over 1,000 brochure and ecommerce websites.

My main responsibilities were:

• Research implementation
• Product development lead
• Product marketing strategy
• Partner recruitment strategy
• Investor relations
• Business development

Notable Highlights:

• Oversaw the development of a system, which housed over 1,000 brochure and ecommerce websites at its peak.
• Pitched and was accepted into Enterprise Ireland’s HPSU (High-Performance Startup Unit) program.
• Gained €500K in round 1 funding (from private and government funds).
• Won major clients in Ireland and UK (Snap and Prontaprint/KallKwik).

Defined, executed and led a company and product marketing strategy for this second-stage Fleet IoT start-up.

My main responsibilities were:

• Led development of a market-leading company website
• Development and management of yearly budget (€450K)
• Defined and implemented a multi-threaded digital marketing campaign
• Management of PR strategy
• Defined and led restructure of the company and brand message
• Developed and led partner strategy and key online assets
• Developed and executed a client video case study program

Notable Highlights:

• Drove inbound leads from zero in Jan 2017 to >€250K/month YoY.
• Increased YoY organic traffic to the site by >500% and Pageviews by 380%.
• Established ‘CameraMatics’ as a market-leading technology term and ProVision as thought leaders.
• Nominated for 5 awards in a 12-month period.

If you would like to discuss how I can help your organisation in a permanent, contract or consultancy basis, you can contact me as follows:

P:  +353 87 132 5046
E:  [email protected]