COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR in BERKSHIRE & SURREY
I help SMEs make sustainability commercially viable and build a more resilient business.
The problem.
Your customer is asking for sustainability evidence, whether that’s a risk assessment, carbon reduction plan, social value impact or governance practices. You need to know what’s required, what you can credibly provide and what it means for your business.
But the questions go beyond a tender response. How is your business currently performing? Where is your business exposed? What needs attention? Which customer demands do you have to meet, and at what cost? What cost savings can you make? Which investments, such as renewables or circularity, are worth making for the business itself? And how resilient is your business, really?
How I work
I work through each question with you through a sustainability and business risk and resilience lens, to identify the risks, gaps and opportunities that matter to your business and what to prioritise.
What business are you really in?
Where do you make the money?
Is your business proposition accurate. Is the positioning clear to everyone?
What is your competitive position?
Is this a good market to be in?
What customers and markets should you pursue?
What resources and capabilities do you need?
What should you stop doing?
Should you do something else?
What I offer
Commercial and sustainability review. Understand the requirements, risks and gaps that matter to your business, and agree practical priorities.
Business case and investment decisions. Test whether carbon reduction, renewable energy or a sustainability change makes commercial sense, and what it’s worth to your margin, customers and resilience.
Workshops and leadership sessions. Help your team understand the issues, explore the choices and agree what to do next.
Hands-on project support. Focused help with a specific requirement, such as a tender response, sustainability plan or carbon reduction project.
About me.
I’m a commercial director with over 25 years on the commercial side of businesses, including BBC Worldwide, Universal Pictures and managing director roles in B2B media and marketing. Now I work with SMEs on the commercial decisions that sustainability requires, from customer demands to cost, risk and resilience.
I look past the story a business tells about itself and get close to what’s actually happening, then help you decide what to do next.
Tell me a little about your business and what feels stuck.
Qualifications
MBA and Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing (FCIM)
Future-Fit Business Benchmark Accredited Advisor
Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL)
25+ years’ P&L experience, including BBC Worldwide, Universal Pictures and SME managing director roles
Other accreditations: Accredited Carbon Literacy Facilitator; Course Director, CIM Sustainability & Marketing; Corporate Governance Institute, Board Oversight & ESG Governance.
What clients say.
Clients value the combination of commercial experience, practical sustainability knowledge and an ability to make complex issues useful and engaging.
“Gavin combines commercial thinking with practical sustainability expertise. He focuses on what sustainability means in real business terms rather than theory or ESG reporting.
He provided clear, actionable advice and a coaching style that helped us rethink how we approached the challenges we were facing.
He also delivered a written strategy document that gave us a practical foundation and pathway for moving forward.It was a strong mix of commercial clarity, practical sustainability insight and hands-on support.”
-- Nick Payne, Managing Director SA Brain
“What really sets Gavin apart is how well he gets both the sustainability world and the commercial one. That mix meant we ended up with a strategy that wasn’t just ‘nice to have’ but something people could get behind and deliver. He brought our teams along for the ride and helped us talk to clients about it in a way that felt honest, inspiring, and practical.
He made a big difference to our journey. I’m really glad we had him on board and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend him to anyone looking to do sustainability properly."
-- Group Managing Director, Retail Marketing & Logistics Company
"Gavin facilitated a full-day sustainability session for a room of people from the same sector but with very different commercial priorities. He managed something genuinely difficult - bridging real commercial pressures with genuine sustainability ambition, without making either feel like a compromise.
His candour, warmth and depth of experience created an environment where people felt comfortable being honest and had their thinking genuinely challenged. Lively, enjoyable and substantive - a rare combination.
If you're looking for a facilitator who can hold a complex room and leave people energised, I'd recommend Gavin without hesitation."
-- Cheryl Chung, Corporate & Government Affairs
"Gavin is consistently helpful, knowledgeable, and a pleasure to work with. He's helped us to get started with clarity about sustainability and what this means in practice, well beyond carbon footprints. Thought-partnership in these early stages has been invaluable”
-- Saskie Dorman, NHS Palliative Care Consultant, Forest Holme NHS Hospice
"We had a brilliant workshop with Gavin – lots of fantastic insights and a whole new perspective on sustainability and marketing in a sustainable world."
-- German National Tourist Board“We would like to thank Gavin Miller for his time with the Climate Partnership Steering Group. He has had a brilliant and useful impact on business interactions and the Climate Strategy.”
-- Royal Borough Windsor and Maidenhead Climate Partnership Committee Chair
