Powering Growth at Arville with Interim Talent from Russam

When Arville, a leading UK-based technical textiles manufacturer, needed to unlock new commercial potential, they turned to Russam to find the right interim leader. The result? Transformational change, measurable growth, and a stronger team prepared for the future.

About Arville

Arville has a rich heritage, originally founded by the current CEO’s grandfather 75 years ago. Specialising in technical fabrics and advanced manufacturing, the business has grown steadily—but recent ambitions called for accelerated transformation.

“I came from investment banking, but Arville offered a completely new challenge,” said the CEO. “I left the City because I wanted to take the business to the next level and help drive its next phase of growth.”

The Challenge

Arville had aggressive growth plans but a lean management team. The board recognised a gap in commercial leadership, especially at the strategic sales and marketing level.

“We’d tried permanent recruitment before but couldn’t quite find the right fit,” the CEO explained. “We needed someone seasoned—an interim with experience scaling businesses who could hit the ground running.”

There were concerns, of course. “Would an interim just fly in and out? Could they become part of the team?”

The Solution

That’s when Russam stepped in.

“Russam were excellent,” said the CEO. “They didn’t just throw CVs at us—they really understood our brief. Out of five or six strong candidates, they shortlisted three who were all capable.”

Steve, a highly experienced interim Chief Commercial Officer, was brought on board.

“He was there five days a week from day one— fully committed. He immersed himself in the business and understood our people and challenges immediately.”

Steve introduced accountability across the sales team, brought in a new Chief Marketing Officer through his industry network, and restructured the commercial function for long-term scalability.

The Results

· £1 million in cost savings through supply chain improvements
· Four new sales hires and the creation of a new CTO role
· Significant growth in both order book and sales pipeline
· Respected advisor at board level

“Steve didn’t feel like a consultant. He was part of the team from the get-go“

Legacy and Future

Steve’s legacy is a scalable, structured commercial team ready to support a larger, more complex business. With clearly defined roles, a revamped marketing strategy, and a high-performance leadership team, Arville is ready for the next chapter.

“He’s built a framework we’ll continue building on,” said the CEO. “The surprising part? How seamlessly he fitted in. We didn’t blink—he became a core part of the team.”

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