Markets and distribution
Business leadership and after-sales responsibilities across Asian markets, Europe and the USA, including experience with Piaggio and Aprilia.
About Andrew Clayton
Experience that connects
strategy with delivery.
More than 30 years working across Asia, Europe and the USA, with a background spanning engineering, commercial management and business leadership.
Professional background
Understanding the business
from more than one angle.
My career began in mechanical engineering and developed into responsibility for businesses, commercial teams and international operations.
That progression shapes my approach to consultancy. A sound strategy needs to make commercial sense, but it also needs to work within the organisation’s capabilities, resources and operating conditions.
My experience spans motorcycles and mobility, industrial manufacturing, marine equipment and power generation. Across these sectors, the recurring challenges are familiar: choosing the right markets, building effective channels and delivering consistently for customers.
Relevant experience
Commercial and operational breadth.
Manufacturing and management
Leadership experience with Marelli Motori in Asia, connecting commercial objectives with manufacturing operations and organisational development.
Sales and after-sales
Regional leadership experience with MAN Energy Solutions, bringing together customer relationships, service delivery and commercial performance.
Education and perspective
Practical experience.
Structured thinking.
MBA · Manchester Business School
Study focused on distribution channel management, including Italian motorcycles in Japan.
High Impact Leadership · Cambridge
Postgraduate certificate in High Impact Leadership, as listed in my professional profile.
International experience has reinforced the importance of understanding local context rather than assuming that one management approach will work everywhere.
Professional discretion
Experience without disclosure.
Client assignments and commercially sensitive information are not used as public case studies. The focus here is on professional background, relevant expertise and the approach to solving business problems.
Markets and sectors
More than three years of working experience in each of Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, the UK and the USA.
Additional market experience: Australia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Korea, Myanmar, New Zealand, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.
Sector experience includes automotive, cogeneration, hydropower, industrial motors, machine tools, marine, motorcycles, oil and gas, power generation and rail.
Tools and operating disciplines
SAP Business One, Microsoft Dynamics/Navision, Power BI, Microsoft Access with SQL and Visual Basic, and ERP, CRM and maintenance-management systems.
Working methods include Lean, Six Sigma, Kanban, 5S, balanced scorecards and KPI reviews. Experience also covers ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 frameworks.
Commercial capabilities include key accounts, pricing and margins, service contracting and value-based selling. Operational experience spans inventory planning, logistics, forecasting, change leadership and team development.