Marzena Ozga

Responsible for all financial and operational aspects of the business, reporting to CEO. Served as a key member of executive leadership team advised on strategic growth initiatives, operational decision making, led finance team ensuring all financial frameworks aligned with organisation's overall mission and strategy.  Drove increase in revenue by 360% spearheading a lean financial management system across the business.  Developed and implemented profit improvement measures; formal budgeting forecasting and cost reduction procedures resulting in net profit increase +126% and exceeding net profit target by 18% during Covid19.  Improved margins to 70% for made to order and 50% wholesale; renegotiated agreements with suppliers and factories, negotiated cost savings initiatives and new vendor terms, reduced operating costs.  Established profitable wholesale business accounted for 60% company's revenue.  Improved cash flow and working capital management processes; restructured treasury and banking operations raised debt and financing as needed.  Directed development of new production plants, led the comprehensive analysis to determine optimal use for facilities, created common operating metrics for all plants that led to improved accountability for operations.  Formalised a seasonal merchandise planning process that helped achieve record inventory turnover rates and lowered markdown rates. Responsibilities: •Monitoring and control of investment funds and supporting the Directors' activities throughout the investment life cycle, preparing board and investor financial reports projections and requirements. •Developing and implementing a comprehensive strategic planning process for the business, providing a greater definition of company critical success factors and establishing KPI measures. •Advising on financial aspects of the development of the company's mid-and long-term strategy and planning to achieve business expansion. •Managing the budgeting process and forecasting cycle translating operational activity into financial impact. •Providing management accounting services including regular monitoring and analysis of trading performance, company revenue and profitability, and formulating recommendations to achieve financial targets. •Monitoring business cash flow, with proactive identification of issues, opportunities, and challenges and management of accounts payable and credit control. •Management of the company's P&L and overseeing financial reporting and submission providing support to the accounting team. •Working with the company's directors to identify and mitigate potential risks to the business and ensure a robust financial control environment, including the recent Covid 19 period, during which we had to take swift and significant measures to protect the business. •Advising the directors on resource requirements, project orders and purchase of materials; negotiating prices with manufacturers and other suppliers; and advising on and implementing procedures for increasing efficiency and cost efficiency. •Taking on oversight responsibility for other organizational functions and aspects, such as infrastructure management, human resources and payroll, operational responsibilities and administration. •Supporting the development of investment strategy, reviewing potential investment opportunities and making recommendations, coordinating due diligence for new investments.

Advisory consultant and Interim CFO providing expertise to organisations and business owners who confidentially need guidance in financial management, strategic planning, and operational improvement. By offering value-led advice I help business owners to identify and overcome challenges that may hinder business growth and recognise opportunities that will deliver success and improve organisational effectiveness. •Financial management: Financial planning, budgeting, forecasting, financial analysis, revenue growth and cost reduction, profits maximisation, cash flow improvement, treasury management, investor management. •Strategic management: Strategy management and development, strategy evaluation, internal organisation analysis, strategy execution. •Operational Improvement: Support in steering the business through difficult trading conditions, building the infrastructure during the company start-up phase, creating and implementing operational procedures to improve efficiency, support with international expansion and entering new markets.

Blue Elephant Thinking is a retail platform for small and medium fashion brands offering unique personalised retail and consulting services, enabling brands to directly engage with customers in the UK market, gain premier visual exposure and business support. I was providing bespoke guidance and result-focussed expertise to businesses, developing and implementing customized solutions supporting the business objectives of the client and their future business goals. •Business planning and development: working closely with the owners to formulate strategy, support re-structuring and re positioning. •Category management and product development: sales and profit forecast by channel and product ensuring that the range plan is commercially sound. •Productivity and process improvement through operational excellence. •Increasing brand awareness through effective marketing strategy, events, and social media. •Customer relationship management: maintaining and growing client base. •Service excellence: identifying areas to improve customer experience, staff training, and coaching. •Designing and implementing effective sales strategy •Human Resource and administration: staff recruitment, preparing annual budgets, monthly reporting, indicative forecasts, cash flow requirements.

Nicole Farhi is one of the top, high-end fashion and lifestyle house, established in 1982. In this role, I was responsible for the financial success and smooth operation of the business, for business development and the turnaround of underperforming stores, ensuring that projects are delivered to the highest quality, within budget by effectively organising, managing and utilising all resources.  Dual site management of underperforming concessions and successfully turned around Nicole Farhi White City business to profitable level + elaboration of the strategy for House of Fraser concessions to open in the near future. Apr 13 – May 14.  Solely responsible for the management of Mayfair Flagship Store during London Olympics 2012 to ensure maximum profitability and exceptional customer experience. Jun 12 – Sep 12  Led the general management of Hampstead store bringing it to profitable level number one in the company. Responsibilities: •Project management: establishing the overall success criteria for a project, including; managing the day-to-day operational aspects of the project, producing timing, costing and scoping documentation. •Business growth, sales generation, meeting and exceeding targets, maximising profitability, maintaining awareness of market trends in the retail industry, understanding forthcoming customer initiatives and monitoring competitors. •Team management, new manager training, recruitment, performance management, disciplinary procedures. •Operations management, including legal /security issues, health and safety, cash and administration management in addition to liaising with local authorities and regulatory bodies on business-related issues. •Marketing and promoting brand locally through collaboration with local newspapers, retail associations and the community in general, organizing promotions and events. •Product management, analysing stock levels, replenishment, allocation and visual merchandising.

In charge of general management, profitability maximisation and improvement of customer service: achieving Guest shopping excellence team award, Highest Guest shopping scores within ladies wear department in Harrods for 2009 (achieved an average of 97% against the target of 90%). Recognition for service excellence, Harrods, London. •Led the project of relocating to the new location within Harrods. Apr 10 - May 10 Ensuring that the project delivers the highest value, including supplier base, use of internal and external resources, working on team structure, targets, costing, estimating and planning the project, monitoring all work is completed in accordance to schedules. •Driving sales, meeting company targets, analysing sales figures forecasting future sales volumes. •Managing budgets, controlling costs at the bottom line. •Buying collections, projecting the requirements of the product at optimum cost, visual merchandising. •HR duties, staff training and development, performance management.

Successfully promoted to Manager of Selfridges concession in charge of opening and running concession in the new location, ensuring consistency of service delivery, and identifying opportunities for developing both the service quality and profitability of the business. •Coordinating and managing all project activity, regularly communicate project expectations to team members and stakeholders, proactively manage project risks and issues. •Increased annual turnover by 54%. •Staff development to the management position. •Dual site management of diffusion brand concession. •Worked closely with other departmental managers to promote overall company effectiveness.