Mr. Klein is a Senior Advisor for Insight to Action. He founded PK Associates in late 2005, a Consumer Products focused growth management consultancy, on the belief that fact-based insights, need-to-do analytics, and the results-driven experience of a seniors-only team will meaningfully benefit client’s in more predictably growing, managing and leading their businesses for enhanced shareholder value.
From March, 2001 through September, 2005, Mr. Klein was Senior Vice President and Corporate Officer of The Gillette Company, responsible for Strategy, Planning, Business Development and Global Marketing Resources; reporting to the Chairman/CEO. He was actively involved in all his areas of responsibility, including acquisitions and divestitures, new products, functional excellence, strategic sourcing, and the sale of Gillette to Procter & Gamble and integration planning. Mr. Klein left Gillette after control change following the sale, which he actively participated in.
Previously he was Executive Vice President and Corporate Officer of Strategy, Business Development, Marketing Services and Global e-Business at Nabisco Holdings Corp. (Nabisco Foods) from January 1998 through December, 2000; and departed Nabisco following its public auction and sale to Phillip Morris/Kraft Foods in December, 2000.
Mr. Klein came to Nabisco Foods with 12 years of consumer product company experience and 17 years of management consulting experience. Similar to his responsibilities at Gillette, he directed Nabisco’s long-term strategy, assured the alignment of corporate strategies with operating unit and functional group plans, developed and implemented cross-company internal and external business development (acquisitions, divestitures, licensing, JV’s), and directed integrated marketing intelligence, marketing services (market research, consumer promotion, media buying), and global e-Business. He also oversaw the Nabisco Foods acquisition of United Biscuits (voted ‘European Deal of the Year’ in 2000) and the auction of Nabisco Foods (largest auction of a U.S.-based public company and voted ‘U.S. Deal of the Year in 2000).
Mr. Klein joined Nabisco Foods from The Cambridge Group, where he was a Partner & Managing Director for 7 years of its east coast office, which he opened in 1991. Prior to joining The Cambridge Group, he was a senior partner for 10 years at Marketing Corporation of America, where he led the Consumer Products management consulting practice and worked across marketing strategy, growth opportunity identification and new products (e.g., Oscar Meyer Lunchables), pricing, promotion, external development, etc.
Before consulting, he worked in line sales, marketing and business development at Sterling Drug, 1978-1981 (Vice President, Business Development), The Gillette Company, 1972-1978 (Director of Marketing & Sales for Braun North America and Group Marketing Manager in Personal Care), Johnson & Johnson, 1971-1972 (Consumer Trade Promotion and Marketing), and Richardson-Merrell (Vicks Division), the summers of 1967 and 1968 and 7 months in 1969 (Field & Headquarter Sales).
He currently provides of counsel, advisory consultative services to CEO’s and senior executives on an annual retainer basis, and speaks and facilitates work sessions across a number of growth management and process topics, based on his strategic and hands-on experience working for blue chip public companies as well as management consultancies. He has published articles and spoken on topics such as growth management, innovation, cross-functional business teams, acquisition, new product development, leadership and business success factors, etc.
Advertising Age recognized Mr. Klein as one of “10 Innovators” and THEDEAL.COM wrote a feature article on Mr. Klein.
He co-authored the book THINK TO WIN — Unleashing the Power of Strategic Thinking, published by McGraw-Hill: The proven plan for making strategic thinking part of any organization’s DNA to drive sustainable growth. In today’s ultra-competitive business world, the difference between success and failure lies in the ability to get every employee to think and behave like a strategist. Think to Win helps business leaders expand strategic thinking out of the purview of “the elite few” and into the company culture and behavior. It offers a simple, proven approach to analyzing and solving old or new challenges and provides a common language that anyone at any level in the organization can understand. The entire book is an Executive Summary!
