1. The role and influence of senior management in KAM
Dublin Institute of Technology
30th March 2017
Professionalising Key Account Management

2. AKAM – on a mission to professionalise key account management
Why AKAM?
Increasing strategic importance of key accounts and therefore key account management.
Commonly poor understanding of KAM and idiosyncratic practice.
Lack of recognised principles/processes/tools to apply to practice
Lack of globally recognised professional qualification for key account managers, or universally accepted competencies.
Lack of broad, balanced and relevant community to develop those competencies
Relatively low levels of research to support practitioners
AKAM – on a mission to professionalise key account management

3. AKAM The AKAM community Key account managers & directors
Corporates: companies & colleges
AKAM
Academics: researchers & teachers
Consultants & trainers

4. Who are we? Current Board members
Diana Woodburn
Chairman, UK
Tony Buckley
Treasurer, Ireland
Mike Green
KAM Director, UK
Richard Ilsley
Consultant, UK
Armelle Dupont
GAM, Switzerland
Jakob Rehme
Professor, Sweden
Antonella La Rocca
Researcher, Norway
Ivan Snehota
Professor, Switzerland
Freddy Couchy
KAM, France
Björn Ivens
Professor, Germany

5. How are we fulfilling our mission?
Building the community and the network
Building Member Resource Centre on website
Developing meetings, workshops and conference, across Europe
Launching the AKAM Diploma in Key Account Management
Certifying KAM development programmes from independent providers
Facilitating research projects

6. Agenda
Session
9.30
Welcome and agenda
Introduction to the KAM challenge for senior management
Dr Diana Woodburn, AKAM Chairman
10.15
The senior manager’s role in optimising team potential
Doug Gordon, Head of European Distribution, Davy Asset Management
12.00
Senior management involvement in KAM
Dr Lesley Murphy, Faculty of Marketing, Dublin Institute of Technology
1.00
Lunch
2.00
Senior management involvement in KAM: Feedback on discussion
2.30
AKAM development
3.15
A General Manager in position, a Key Account Manager at heart
How to make KAM the axis of the business
Dominykas Cibulskas, General Manager, Walmark, Baltic States
4.45
Close

7. Reflections on the role and influence of senior management in KAM
Professionalising Key Account Management

8. A definition of KAM
Key/strategic account management is a supplier-led process of inter-organisational collaboration that creates unique value for both supplier and strategically important customers.
Woodburn and Wilson , Handbook of Strategic Account Management, 2014

9. Organisational and individual roles in KAM

10. Intervening Cultural Factors
Senior management impact in a model of linkages between organisational elements
Moderating Factors
Consistency of commitment
Ability to change
Intervening Cultural Factors
Differentiation sales v K/SAM
Results/time orientation
Customer orientation
Operational alignment
Structure
K/SAM activities & outcomes
Strategy
Systems & Processes
Wilson and Woodburn,
Journal of Marketing Management, 2013

11. Organisation and culture
The journey to BP KAM
Strategy and planning
Organisation and culture
Processes
Woodburn, Cranfield School of Management, 2006

12. What do you want from senior management?
Understanding
Commitment
Medium/long-term view
Consistency
Flexibility
Involvement?
And……