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Open to Permanent
Open to Permanent

Francesco Paparella

General Manager presso Watches of Switzerland.
About

I am a Senior Retail Director with extensive shop floor management experience in the Luxury industry. I combine exceptional people skills with business-management skills to drive gains in revenue, market share and profit performance. I have designed and implemented retail strategies for new and existing retail units for major retailers. In my current role General Manager at Watches of Switzerland I manage 30 staff members and deliver annual budget. I played a key role in the set-up of company structures including; developing systems and procedures, planning and implementing agreed strategies. I have delivered process improvements through keeping track of KPIs related to inter alia, customer service, conversion rate, product time to market, stock control and shrinkage. Extensive experience has been gained in managing P&L for major retailers, process improvement, staff development, retail data analysis, accounts management, budgeting and regulations compliance. Throughout my career, I have developed an ability to design tailored solutions to customer requirements based on comprehensive customer mapping. My strong ability to facilitate cross-functional team communication and collaboration has prepared the company I worked for, for fast growth and profitability and analysis. To find out more please connect with me and send me an InMail.

Previous Brands
Watches of Switzerland
Mercury
Christian Dior Couture
Brunello Cucinelli
Brioni
Selfridges
Corneliani S.p.A
Mangas - Made to measure
Work Experience
General Manager
Feb ‘20 - Sep ‘23
Watches of Switzerland

General Manager Watches of Switzerland: Audermaur Piguet, Rolex, Hublot, Jaeger Le Coultre, IWC, Omega, Cartier, Tudor, Breitling, Panerai, Bulgari, Grand Seiko, ID Geneve.

Sales Director
Feb ‘17 - Apr ‘19
Mercury

Retail Sales Director Loro Piana, Zilli, Kiton, Ermenegildo Zegna, Brioni Tretyakovsky Proyezd Moscow In this role I am directly responsible for management of 95 staff members and annual budget planning for five locations, I set-up company structures including, achieved annual sales and profit targets and consistently deliver process improvements. I also manage cross-functional teams, design supply chain strategies, and create a customer-centric culture across the retail sales function. I have contributed to stock reduction through implementation of comprehensive stock control systems and stock control staff supervision.

Flagship Store Dior Homme Manager Bond Street
Mar ‘16 - Dec ‘16
Christian Dior Couture

I designed comprehensive plans and strategies for the menswear department prior to the opening of the Mansion, played a role in staff recruitment and development and managed day-to-day operations of the department. I conducted stock audits to minimise stock loss, ensured creative display of merchandise to reflect current demand, built customer loyalty and ensured development of essential sales skills by the sales staff. I also conducted market and competitor analysis and proposed strategies for future market development to the team.

Manager
Jul ‘14 - Nov ‘15
Brunello Cucinelli

I motivated staff and instilled a shared commitment to customer service. I developed a staff development program for the sales team, held full P&L accountability, and collaborated with HR on recruitment and training. Additionally, I designed and implemented CRM tools, reached new customer segments, and increased total sales by 6% through the development of a personal shopping tool. I organized promotional events at the company level and ensured loss prevention by effectively managing procurement, allocation, stock analysis, and audit reporting. Notable achievements: - Increased total sales by 6%. - Developed and implemented a personal shopping tool. - Organized successful promotional events. - Ensured effective loss prevention through procurement and stock management.

Manager
Sep ‘11 - Jul ‘14
Brioni

I managed all sales operations, developed the sales team’s product knowledge, and improved team communication and collaboration. I monitored team performance, analyzed sales figures, and ensured budget targets were met. Additionally, I coordinated with Brioni Directors in the UK and Northern Europe to boost sales and worked with Milan buyers for new season stock. Notable achievements: - Reduced stock loss from 1.5% to 0.1%. - Achieved +12% on target in Year 1. - Achieved +20% on target in Year 2. - Achieved +8% on target in Year 3. - Secured two promotions within my team.

Manager
Jan ‘11 - Jan ‘15
Selfridges

Responsible made to measure
Sep ‘07 - Sep ‘11
Corneliani S.p.A

I supervised a team of 12, provided administrative support to the Store Manager, managed HR functions, and conducted weekly inventory audits. Additionally, I gathered and analyzed market intelligence, introduced new sales techniques, handled customer inquiries, facilitated merchandise transactions, and prepared items for delivery. Key achievements include: - Contributing 20% to the total Boutique turnover. - Achieving £1 million turnover as a Made to Measure Manager and £200k from Ready-to-Wear. - Implementing a business idea that increased annual revenue. - Introducing the first Made to Measure event in the company, leading to the best single sale of £80,000 in a day. - Receiving the Made to Measure Manager of the Year Award in 2010. - Launching Corneliani’s exclusive products for VIP customers.

manager
Feb ‘03 - May ‘06
Mangas - Made to measure

Languages
English - Fluent
Italian - Native
Spanish - Fluent
Education & Training
IT University Bari
‘99 - ‘01
Associate's degree
ITC cerignola
‘92 - ‘97
diploma
London, UK