Daniel Pountney's Linkedin Analytics

I am a seasoned business development professional with over thirteen years of experience in the consumer electronics and sales agency sectors. Currently, I play a pivotal role at ASBIS, driving the market expansion of the AENO range of SDA, personal care, and smart home products across the UK and Nordics. Throughout my career, I have excelled in fostering strategic partnerships, expanding market reach, and managing key accounts for a diverse range of brands—from ambitious startups and scale-ups to multi-billion-turnover multinationals. My extensive background includes a significant tenure at Unlock EMEA, where I was instrumental in establishing and nurturing retail and distribution networks across the EMEA region for products in categories such as lighting, accessories, smart home, audio, and toys. I firmly believe that "network is net worth," and I take pride in working closely with some of the finest retailers and value-added distributors EMEA has to offer—many of whom I consider close personal friends. As a creative problem solver, I have secured profitable retail partnerships across sectors including consumer electronics, luxury, travel, gifting, discount, impulse, duty-free, stationery, and FMCG. My expertise lies in market entry, and I take immense satisfaction in seeing the brands I represent successfully launched and prominently displayed on major retailers' shelves. I thrive in customer-facing roles and enjoy the pressure of face-to-face meetings with buyers. During the pandemic, when in-person meetings were no longer possible, I leveraged my creativity and resourcefulness to maintain meaningful connections with buyers. I initiated a campaign involving over 20 bespoke, highly personalised pitch videos, each meticulously crafted to address the specific interests of individual buyers, effectively bringing the essence of in-person meetings into a digital format. While only one in twenty buyers responded, that single engagement became significant business. The buyer who connected with my video facilitated the successful listing of a toy brand with a major UK retailer, generating substantial revenue. This experience underscored the importance of persistence and the effectiveness of creative, tailored approaches in overcoming challenges and achieving meaningful results. In my spare time, I am pursuing an MA in comedy writing (no, I don't have any jokes), which not only fuels a personal passion but also enhances my written communication, enabling me to craft even stronger and more compelling messages for the brands I represent.