Full Name
Matt Dobbs
Job Title
Practice Leader Digital Technology
Company
Stonehaven Consulting AG
Speaker Bio
Matthew C. Dobbs BVM&S, Cert CHP, DipLaw, MRCVS
A leader with a proven track record of creating, developing and growing profitability in animal health businesses, having set up his own business and grown it to become the largest in its sector, before managing a successful Private Equity buy-out. Matt continued to manage the growth and operation of the business through PE ownership and subsequently led a successful trade sale.
As an entrepreneurial leader and a CEO from first principals, Matt has experience in all aspects business management and leadership. From developing a results-oriented delivery team, through to focusing on relationships and outcomes with customers and patients, Matts industry leading expertise is in growing healthcare businesses that deliver value for all stakeholders.
Matts wide network and ability to form strong relationships, give him a unique broad insight into the veterinary, agricultural and companion animal sectors.
Leadership and Management
Matts key ability is to build, develop and lead a team that can deliver both professional and financial results. Matts leadership abilities were most notably demonstrated by the growth of his veterinary business, Westpoint, which grew from a small Sussex based practice to a multi-site internationally recognised Livestock health service business.
As a founding partner of the Westpoint practices and subsequently the Managing Director of Westpoint and Farmacy, the UK’s largest online medicine supplier, Matt grew the businesses from a small locally focussed single practice, to a multi-site, national business, employing over 150 staff, generating revenues of £11m. In 2014 he successfully managed a Private Equity buyout to August Equity (£1.5m Ebitda at x6.5).
Since 2014 he led the new business (Origin) on a buy and build strategy focussed on developing the UKs largest network of production animal health businesses. Through this period by both acquisitional and organic growth, as a hands-on Managing Director, Matt managed the team, to grow the business to 320 employees, including 150 veterinary or animal health professionals. Under his management, group revenues grew to over £41m producing an Ebitda £5.0m.
In the last 24 months Matt managed the business to improve margins from 12 to 15%, streamlining head office systems, improving the remote management of the practices and enhancing the customer/client experience. From March 2018 he led a process to sell Origin, resulting in a trade sale to VetPartners) for x11 Ebitda, completing in July 2018.
His leadership style was developed through early experiences, including sole charge of the Farm Animal Ambulatory practice at the University of Sydney, where the commercial realities of running a livestock focussed vet practice, were coupled with the responsibility of teaching final year veterinary undergraduates and delivering field-based research.
Following time in Australia, Matt was appointed Senior Clinician at the Royal Veterinary College, London, where he had sole responsibility for running the Farm Animal and Equine Teaching Unit. Alongside teaching responsibilities, Matt developed a team of farm and equine vets that delivered an ambitious growth plan for the farm practice, ensuring a larger case load for students. Matt was also responsible for the P&L of the practice and ensuring the practice return a profit – the first for a University practice.
In 2018, in recognition to his leadership credentials, Matt was awarded the Farmers Club Charitable Trust award and attended the Windsor Leadership Trust. Matt has led small and large teams, involving both professional and support staff. He is a current member of the Farmers Club “think tank” on the future of Agriculture in the UK.
Entrepreneurship
In 2001, Matt was awarded a Nuffield Scholarship, to investigate the changing role of the farm vet in practice. This allowed him to travel extensively, working with several universities and pharmaceutical companies in the USA. This award was followed 10 years later by the prestigious Bullock award for Innovation in Agriculture, in recognition of his innovation in developing and delivering new services and products to UK agriculture.
Matts entrepreneurship drove the growth of Westpoint and allowed Matt to develop several other business streams aligned to veterinary practice. Farmacy is the UK’s leading supplier of medicines to livestock farming, offering a clear and transparent approach to medicine supply. Alongside medicine supply, Matt developed Westpoint’s Contract Research Services and is a Named Veterinary Surgeon for their ongoing clinical trials programme. His understanding of both the development of veterinary medicines and the veterinary medicines market, enabled him to develop and deliver consultancy opportunities for both the Pharma and wholesale trade, in the UK and overseas.
Matt is also an RCVS Advanced Practitioner, holding the RCVS Certificate in Cattle Health and Production.
In 2011 he undertook the Graduate Diploma in Law, developing a skill set that allows him to use his legal knowledge for both commercial, employment and litigation purposes. His unique veterinary and legal skills have been recognised by Lincolns Inn, who have had appointed him both a Lord Denning and Lord Bowen Law Scholar.
Giving Back
With an understanding that personal and business success within a small professional sector will only be achieved through demonstration of integrity and commitment, Matt is active in a number of diverse roles in the wider industry.
Matts financial acumen are further put to good use as a Trustee and Treasure of the Animal Welfare Foundation, the animal welfare charity supported by the British Veterinary Association, where he is responsible for reviewing the governance of the charity and the investment of the charity’s funds. He is also a founding Trustee and Treasurer of the National Cattle Mobility Event, a charity that promotes cattle welfare.
He is an Honorary Lecturer at the University of Surrey and the Royal Veterinary College. He currently sits on the University of Surrey Education Steering Committee, ensuring the next cohort of veterinary surgeons are suitably qualified for the changing nature of veterinary practice.
He is a Director - Surrey Agricultural Society, helping to guide the UKs largest one day agricultural show. He was awarded the Queens Award for Voluntary Service in 2011 for services to the livestock sector for his role in this charity.
He is a former council member and livestock industry advisor for LANTRA, the government skill sector council responsible for developing training and education policy for the UK’s land-based industries. He is a past council member of BCVA and received ministerial appointment to Defra advisory body - TB England Action Group (TBEAG).
He is the retained veterinary representative to the Dairy UK Antibiotic Residues in Milk Working Group and trained Industry communications consultant for Dairy UK, the UK dairy processing and retail representative body.
A leader with a proven track record of creating, developing and growing profitability in animal health businesses, having set up his own business and grown it to become the largest in its sector, before managing a successful Private Equity buy-out. Matt continued to manage the growth and operation of the business through PE ownership and subsequently led a successful trade sale.
As an entrepreneurial leader and a CEO from first principals, Matt has experience in all aspects business management and leadership. From developing a results-oriented delivery team, through to focusing on relationships and outcomes with customers and patients, Matts industry leading expertise is in growing healthcare businesses that deliver value for all stakeholders.
Matts wide network and ability to form strong relationships, give him a unique broad insight into the veterinary, agricultural and companion animal sectors.
Leadership and Management
Matts key ability is to build, develop and lead a team that can deliver both professional and financial results. Matts leadership abilities were most notably demonstrated by the growth of his veterinary business, Westpoint, which grew from a small Sussex based practice to a multi-site internationally recognised Livestock health service business.
As a founding partner of the Westpoint practices and subsequently the Managing Director of Westpoint and Farmacy, the UK’s largest online medicine supplier, Matt grew the businesses from a small locally focussed single practice, to a multi-site, national business, employing over 150 staff, generating revenues of £11m. In 2014 he successfully managed a Private Equity buyout to August Equity (£1.5m Ebitda at x6.5).
Since 2014 he led the new business (Origin) on a buy and build strategy focussed on developing the UKs largest network of production animal health businesses. Through this period by both acquisitional and organic growth, as a hands-on Managing Director, Matt managed the team, to grow the business to 320 employees, including 150 veterinary or animal health professionals. Under his management, group revenues grew to over £41m producing an Ebitda £5.0m.
In the last 24 months Matt managed the business to improve margins from 12 to 15%, streamlining head office systems, improving the remote management of the practices and enhancing the customer/client experience. From March 2018 he led a process to sell Origin, resulting in a trade sale to VetPartners) for x11 Ebitda, completing in July 2018.
His leadership style was developed through early experiences, including sole charge of the Farm Animal Ambulatory practice at the University of Sydney, where the commercial realities of running a livestock focussed vet practice, were coupled with the responsibility of teaching final year veterinary undergraduates and delivering field-based research.
Following time in Australia, Matt was appointed Senior Clinician at the Royal Veterinary College, London, where he had sole responsibility for running the Farm Animal and Equine Teaching Unit. Alongside teaching responsibilities, Matt developed a team of farm and equine vets that delivered an ambitious growth plan for the farm practice, ensuring a larger case load for students. Matt was also responsible for the P&L of the practice and ensuring the practice return a profit – the first for a University practice.
In 2018, in recognition to his leadership credentials, Matt was awarded the Farmers Club Charitable Trust award and attended the Windsor Leadership Trust. Matt has led small and large teams, involving both professional and support staff. He is a current member of the Farmers Club “think tank” on the future of Agriculture in the UK.
Entrepreneurship
In 2001, Matt was awarded a Nuffield Scholarship, to investigate the changing role of the farm vet in practice. This allowed him to travel extensively, working with several universities and pharmaceutical companies in the USA. This award was followed 10 years later by the prestigious Bullock award for Innovation in Agriculture, in recognition of his innovation in developing and delivering new services and products to UK agriculture.
Matts entrepreneurship drove the growth of Westpoint and allowed Matt to develop several other business streams aligned to veterinary practice. Farmacy is the UK’s leading supplier of medicines to livestock farming, offering a clear and transparent approach to medicine supply. Alongside medicine supply, Matt developed Westpoint’s Contract Research Services and is a Named Veterinary Surgeon for their ongoing clinical trials programme. His understanding of both the development of veterinary medicines and the veterinary medicines market, enabled him to develop and deliver consultancy opportunities for both the Pharma and wholesale trade, in the UK and overseas.
Matt is also an RCVS Advanced Practitioner, holding the RCVS Certificate in Cattle Health and Production.
In 2011 he undertook the Graduate Diploma in Law, developing a skill set that allows him to use his legal knowledge for both commercial, employment and litigation purposes. His unique veterinary and legal skills have been recognised by Lincolns Inn, who have had appointed him both a Lord Denning and Lord Bowen Law Scholar.
Giving Back
With an understanding that personal and business success within a small professional sector will only be achieved through demonstration of integrity and commitment, Matt is active in a number of diverse roles in the wider industry.
Matts financial acumen are further put to good use as a Trustee and Treasure of the Animal Welfare Foundation, the animal welfare charity supported by the British Veterinary Association, where he is responsible for reviewing the governance of the charity and the investment of the charity’s funds. He is also a founding Trustee and Treasurer of the National Cattle Mobility Event, a charity that promotes cattle welfare.
He is an Honorary Lecturer at the University of Surrey and the Royal Veterinary College. He currently sits on the University of Surrey Education Steering Committee, ensuring the next cohort of veterinary surgeons are suitably qualified for the changing nature of veterinary practice.
He is a Director - Surrey Agricultural Society, helping to guide the UKs largest one day agricultural show. He was awarded the Queens Award for Voluntary Service in 2011 for services to the livestock sector for his role in this charity.
He is a former council member and livestock industry advisor for LANTRA, the government skill sector council responsible for developing training and education policy for the UK’s land-based industries. He is a past council member of BCVA and received ministerial appointment to Defra advisory body - TB England Action Group (TBEAG).
He is the retained veterinary representative to the Dairy UK Antibiotic Residues in Milk Working Group and trained Industry communications consultant for Dairy UK, the UK dairy processing and retail representative body.
Speaking At
