A driven Retail Director, who thrives on high-profile store openings for major brands. Has an outstanding record in delivering regional sales, team and brand objectives through an understanding of customer motivations, their drivers and behaviours across multiple luxury brands. Is highly skilled at developing and executing buying, selling, marketing, logistics, financial management, account management strategies that secure global brand growth. Focuses on communicating clearly with multiple teams across lead the delivery of long-lasting relationships that are based on trust and geared for longevity.
Promoted into role for this global brand headquartered in London with 200 employees worldwide, reporting to the CEO and overseeing a team of 25 direct reports across six stores in London, Paris and Geneva •Supported new boutique openings in East Hamptons and Madison Avenue, taking the lead on staff training, buying collections, establishing operational and customer processes to ensure each store delivered its targets •Collaborating with multiple teams, including Production, Finance, Inventory and Logistics teams to ensure effective demand planning as well as Store Managers to ensure smooth delivery of a high-performance supply chain •Working with the CEO and Senior Leadership team to support delivery of effective corporate governance and ensure all sales activities align with corporate and business goals •Ensuring stores and teams deliver all KPIs, working with individual store managers to rectify underperformance •Supporting recognition for staff and Retail Managers across multiple regions and countries to maximise regional team cohesion and ensure results-driven culture across all regions •Spearheading maximum efficiency business wide through identifying opportunities to streamline and improve business systems and processes through leading business transformation initiatives •Coaching and mentoring teams and overseeing performance reviews to ensure healthy leadership pipelines •Streamlining business operations through use of self-authored operational frameworks to foster greater regional cohesion between management and teams
Brought in team and reporting to Commercial Director to support brand and store objectives for this new concession, including building new teams, buying and merchandising, successfully delivering 50% growth YoY •Oversaw global launch of Ralph Lauren Collection boutique embedding RL's unique culture into all boutiques •Coached and mentored teams ensuring team exceeded individual and team targets as well as delivering all KPIs •Collaborated with all teams to deliver target successfully meeting monthly, quarterly and annual targets •Worked with multiple teams across Harrods to promote tie-ins, including Wimbledon and Downtown Abbey •Reviewed market audits, including existing fashion retail markets and competitor performance CAREER BREAK DUE TO MATERNITY LEAVE OCT 2012 – NOV 2014
Reported to Princess Marie Chantal of Greece as Retail Director overseeing all operational management, successfully managing a 30-strong retail team in eight stores in the UK and the US, including Hawaii •Appointed as VIP Event Planner and represented brand at events and media as their Ambassador •Led end-to-end revamp of customer service procedures successfully addressing all key pain points in customer journey and increasing customer service score •Maximised market reach through improved collaboration with sales teams in different stores •Performed staff training programmes and inductions to ensure all new starters contributed from day one
Reported to Regional Manager and tasked with overseeing operational management of in-store sales across 11 stores, overseeing a 45-strong sales team to deliver all targets and margins across multiple brand collections •Led multiple successful store openings, overseeing Dubai Mall store openings for Celine, Marc Jacobs, Marc Jacobs, Paul Smith, Paul & Joe and Dsquared2 •Developed high-performing team all recruited for their commitment to sales and customer service •Thrived in a highly competitive environment to maximise sales leading a retail team that exceeded all targets
Reported to Regional Manager to deliver regional management of individual boutiques, including Gucci, Saint Laurent, Bottega Venetta, Etro, Manolo Blahnik, Prada, Miu Miu, Goyard and Dolce & Gabbana among others •Developed high-performing team all recruited for their commitment to sales and customer service •Thrived in a highly competitive environment to maximise sales leading a retail team that exceeded all targets •Led end-to-end revamp of customer service procedures successfully addressing all key pain points in customer journey and increasing customer service score •Maximised market reach through improved collaboration with sales teams in different stores
Brought into the team to oversee a £5M annual budget and an eight-strong team as well as overseeing all buying for entire collection at Dior HQ, Paris delivering a 25% YoY increase while significantly reducing annual wage bill •Maximised market reach and added value proposition for customer base through developing strong relationships with Personal Shoppers and Stylists •Secured increases in customer satisfaction training team to deliver improved customer service and more effective complaint resolution taking long-running complaints to zero •Worked with Paris buying team following feedback from London merchandising team to support the development of a strong collection to appeal to the London market EARLIER CAREER
(Awarded third finalist of Best Eveningwear in the UK by Drapers Record in 1995, alongside Selfridges)