Anthony Mitchell

Strategic role delivering F&B commercial growth and customer experience improvements across various sectors in circa 4,000 locations. Combined multi-site oversight, operational and range optimisation, and team development to drive measurable results. Key elements and achievements include: • Created multi-site retail portfolio optimisation strategies • Increased like-for-like sales in the Premium sector from 13% to 20% • Rolled out Retailing Excellence guidelines, layout strategies, and compliance programmes across all sectors • Directed premium sector Coffee Shop performance review, improving customer experience and increasing average basket spend by 5% • Delivered volume growth of in key categories of circa 13% and 9% respectively • Designed scalable operating models and training frameworks to upskill teams, embed operational discipline, and strengthen retailing principles • Partnered with brand partners cross-functional teams and suppliers to enhance customer journeys, deliver brand experience events/activations, and improve category and product performance • Contributed to company D&I steering committee, promoting inclusivity, culture and awareness

A voluntary position that I'm able to influence and assisit with community growth and development What the charity does: Education/training Religious Activities Who the charity helps: Children/young People Elderly/old People People Of A Particular Ethnic Or Racial Origin Other Charities Or Voluntary Bodies How the charity helps: Provides Buildings/facilities/open Space Provides Services Provides Advocacy/advice/information

Voluntary Director of company that provides the buildings and grounds maintenance, upkeep and continuous improvements to an estate of privately owned flats

Delivered a customer-focused merchandising strategy across 1,500 sites spanning 11 brands, combining commercial insight, operational excellence, and team capability building to enhance sales, brand visibility, and the guest journey • Developed and executed merchandising layout strategies, optimising product visibility and guest engagement across all sites • Applied customer journey insights to design intuitive layouts, flows, and retail activations • Designed and delivered training in VM, layout, product storytelling, and POS best practice principles • Project-managed new site designs and refurbishment plans to ensure all space was optimised, commercially focused and elevated the customer experience • Aligned merchandising plans with marketing campaigns, seasonal concepts, and brand narratives to maximise sales and commercial impact • Leveraged performance data and market insight to optimise category strategies, delivering 11% sales uplift during key promotional campaigns • Designed and rolled out learning & development programmes, elevating operational capability and merchandising standards across teams • Initiated experiential brand-led events to strengthen brand presence and engagement • Collaborated with senior stakeholders to influence strategic promotions and site development decisions

Oversaw 164 UK & ROI stores, improving commercial performance, operational efficiency, and store capability while ensuring consistent delivery of brand standards. Key elements of the role included: • Conducted space analyses to optimise department layouts for commercial and customer outcomes • Developed and tested retail estate initiatives to drive sales and operational improvements • Produced training materials and frameworks to upskill teams, embed retail standards, and improve consistency • Streamlined head office-to-site communication, enhancing clarity, speed, and execution otional events

Founded and led a new Visual Merchandising function, establishing strategic direction and operational frameworks that delivered measurable trading improvements, elevated the customer experience, and strengthened brand standards across the store network. Notable achievements included: • Established VM strategy and team, driving product presentation, store design, and compliance standards • Developed new retail fixtures and POS to optimise space usage and brand communication • Created and implemented VM guidelines, training workshops, and a 10-person Area VM team • Provided hands-on support for campaign execution, window displays, and site standards • Collaborated with merchandising and operations teams to align VM initiatives with commercial objectives • Streamlined in-store processes to improve efficiency, enhance customer flow, and optimise space usage

Senior member of the H/O VM team, responsible for ensuring a best-in-class customer experience and brand consistency across key flagship stores. Delivered strategic and hands-on leadership in visual merchandising, team capability, and operational standards. Notable achievements: • Oversaw flagship site refurbishments and new openings, approving layouts and visual standards • Developed VM and store team training programmes to embed best-in-class customer experience • Implemented VM guidelines across multiple sites, ensuring compliance, brand consistency and commercial impact

Working closely with Directors, Store and Regional Management in improving VM standards and procedures Producing clear informative instruction documents based on key corporate strategies Creating exciting commercial and visual store layouts Planning, setting up of and managing refurb projects and new store openings Managing and training teams through major projects. Usually between 15-30 people Project Management of new store concepts, brand insertions and other visual initiatives Accountable for designing and running informative visual merchandising development workshops for store-based teams

My remit was to set up their brand new flagship store from initial recruitment of Visual team through to finalising the standards prior to opening. Then to manage the Visual Merchandising operation of the store from window design and internal mannequins through to product handling and fixture layout. Budget control, training and development were key components of the role .

Accountability for my decisions, team recruitment and development, managed the VM standards across region. Decisions based on interpretting guidelines and commersial data

Learnt about importance of Visual merchandising, commercial awareness, retail standards, customer service, people management,