Matthew Benner joins Chief Outsiders as a proven leader with a demonstrated knack for delivering results and growing both volume and profits above expectations. Benner’s strengths, which he has applied to great effect in the financial services, telecom, Internet hosting and energy industries, include innovative problem solving, customer insight, and organizational development and motivation, all aligned to deliver breakthrough performance.
Most recently, Benner served as Senior vice President of Marketing and Product Management at The Planet, a $160 million Internet hosting business. His leadership of the marketing, product management and P&L functions boosted monthly sales volume by more than 20%, lowered cost per sale by almost 80% and almost tripled new opportunity volume. He also led the company's successful acquisition by Softlayer.
As Senior Vice President of Retail at Reliant Energy, Benner directed overall P&L, strategy, and all customer-facing functions for the $5.5B retail electric business with a team of 2000 employees. Responsible for marketing, sales, operations, customer care, new product development, and PR, Benner increased the retail contribution margin by 85%, reaching record levels. Benner successfully navigated and implemented major legislative and regulatory changes involving the opening of new markets to competition, integration of renewable energy, and environmental issues. He also improved the Reliant brand's reputation for the first time ever, increasing customer likelihood to purchase by nearly 40%, growing customer count to an all time high.
Prior to his position at Reliant Energy, Benner acted as Director of Marketing at Barclays Bank PLC in London. Responsible for the firm's international retail and commercial marketing, he introduced new branding strategy and marketing campaigns that resulted in best-in-class brand strength and recognition. Benner managed all marketing and product development for the retail banking, wealth management, and private banking businesses across 40+ countries in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. He also helped direct the $5.5 billion acquisition and integration of the South Africa’s largest bank ABSA, enabling Barclays to re-enter South Africa. His introduction of Barclays' first multi-channel and online marketing strategy increased average sales flows by more than 300%.
Earlier in his career, Benner was Senior Vice President at Fidelity Investments, Vice President at AT&T, and Category Manager at Kraft Foods. He was a key driver of dramatic growth for Fidelity, increasing the ECM revenue from 3 % to 55% of total net equity sales. Benner led both B2B and B2C marketing efforts, supported five related business units with nearly $200 billion in assets, and introduced an integrated direct marketing strategy that tripled the number of marketing-generated sales in less than two years. Benner led the team that introduced the industry’s first online service offerings and drove a 45% increase in plans sold for the small market unit overall.
Benner holds a BSE degree in Chemical and Nuclear Engineering from Princeton University.
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