Alex Clyne Biography
Alex is originally from the Highlands, but now lives in Bo’ness. He is married and has two grown up daughters. He studied at Heriot-Watt and Stirling Universities. He is a Hibs season ticket holder but we don’t hold that against him. Alex started out in retail, becoming a Sales Director at the age of 24, then working in Human Resources followed by General Management, before developing his first Internet company 12 years ago. Alex has degrees in Economics and Business and is a member of the US HR community. He was a VP for Human Resources and later the CEO of a national retail group. Having worked with large Global Companies at a Senior level, both National and International, and after successfully selling his latest start up company, Alex has been working in the US for the last two years developing the strategic direction of well known Global companies.
A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP
Alex and David Geddes have worked together since 1995, originally as directors of Linn Motor Group (employing 500 people) subsequently sold in 1997. They created the first Scottish based “internet supplier to the motor trade” – this site provided on-line marketing of car stocks to the public and stock management for dealers. The company was later merged with a car import operation. Alex and David recently successfully sold the company they created (Obvious Solutions) to Norwegian listed company StepStone ASA and exited after an effective integration. They created Obvious Solutions in 1999) and became one of the early founders of the RPO market (recruitment process outsourcing) developing “disruptive technology” using video and the internet to deliver international solutions to customers such as Amazon, BP, CSC, DHL, Exel, GE Capital, HBOS, Microsoft, Goodrich and RBS among others. The quality of work was recognised by a joint award presented to both Obvious Solutions and HBoS by the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (Most Innovative Project) saving HBoS over £500k in the first six months of a programme, which has now been successfully running for 8 years. They are currently engaged in a number of consultancy projects including business reviews and commercial due diligence work for one of the world’s largest companies. They have also developed a new software product and successfully launched it in the US, built two small businesses and worked with Carnegie College and Carnegie Foundation to develop Carnegie Internet Futures.