CEO MONTHLY / MOST INFLUENTIAL CEO AWARDS 2023 58 CEO MONTHLY / ISSUE 6 2023 8 Thomas Chacko – Leading Productive and Efficient Teams Best Sheds and Stone Homes (Best Sheds) is a market-leading Australian company that manufactures and sells high-quality steel sheds and garages, delivering customers the best possible value for money. The company has grown considerably since its formation in 2012 and is now headed by CEO, Thomas Chacko, an innovative, experienced, and hardworking leader. As a result of his impressive accomplishments within Best Sheds, Thomas has won Most Influential Shed Manufacturing and Sales CEO in the Most Influential CEO Awards 2023. Here, we speak to Thomas to discover more about the success of the business. ith combined experience equal to over 150 years, Best Sheds and Stone Homes is an Australian family business owned by Dennis McFadden and it is one of the world’s largest independent manufacturers and sellers of steel sheds and garages. Most of the shed components are locally manufactured in Port Kembla, Australia, and are sold in a kit form, directly to the customer with a 20-year warranty. With no middleman, Best Sheds is able to sell its products at competitive prices, so customers can trust that they will be paying the lowest possible price for the best quality shed. Since its establishment in 2012, Best Sheds has achieved organic growth, with its revenue and earnings increasing steadily yearon-year. As the leading manufacturer of sheds in Australia operating a direct-to-consumer (DTC) sales model, Best Sheds has captured the market share from competitors who largely generate sales through intermediary arrangements. This has been supported by the company’s promotional pricing strategy, which involves consistently pricing products at over 20% lower than competing brands. Delivering both quality and value to customers across Australia, Best Sheds aims to become the number one shed company in the world. To achieve this goal, the company must be headed by a driven leader who is not afraid to tackle the challenge of maintaining profitability while continuing to offer enticing, competitively priced products. In 2018, Thomas Chacko joined the company as CFO and, after just six months in the role, was appointed CEO of the business. With over 25 years of experience including prominent Australian brands such as BlueScope Steel, Downer EDI, Fletcher Buildings, and Viadux – Reece, Thomas is well versed in the challenges of leadership, having worked in various managerial positions throughout his career. He is known for his ability to align teams with a business strategy and collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to increase market share and profitability. Born in a remote village in South India, Thomas lost his father at the age of 8. He believes working through this extremely challenging experience so early in his life made him the resilient and determined person he is today. After migrating to Australia from India in 1999, Thomas worked in various accounting roles while achieving tertiary and professional qualifications such as his MBM and CPA. Throughout his career, Thomas has always been dedicated to working with integrity and excellence. Thomas says on the topic, “I enjoy my work and contribute to the best of my ability. I have always aimed to be a happy, productive, and valuable member of any team I work for.” When he was appointed the CEO of Best Sheds, Thomas was thrilled to Apr23092 W take on the exciting new responsibilities that came with the role. “As Chief Executive, I lead all operations and strategic direction, with full responsibility for bottom line factors, including setting up safety systems and processes, developing and implementing long-term and short-term strategic plans, driving market share growth, increasing productivity, reducing waste, and developing IT infrastructure,” Thomas explains. “I also provide cross functional management support of the manufacturing, sales, commercial, finance, and IT departments. As well as this, I oversee the company’s 100 employees and am responsible for the revenue of the entire Best Sheds and Stone Homes group.” The three key portfolios in the business (Sales, Logistics, and Manufacturing) are run by visionary and driven family members (Graham, Michael, and Steve), making the decision-making process within the business smooth and efficient. Thomas is proud to be responsible for the continuous
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