Retail Director
Almutlaq Furniture
مجموع سنوات الخبرة :31 years, 8 أشهر
Responsible for 20 Almutlaq furniture stores, made up of 14 AMF stores and 6 Warde fabric stores across Saudi Arabia.
5 direct reports: comprising National Sales Manager with 2 Operations mangers, Marketing Manager with Visual Merchandising Manager, Property Manager, and 3 Category Managers with 5 Brand managers.
Responsible for maximising sales and profitability; performance against budget; developing operational efficiencies; and people management, ensuring efficient P&L management for each category and their respective Brands.
Regularly review stock levels with the Category managers to ensure that all approved purchasing budget, are in line with the parameters of the purchasing policies.
Monitor, on a regular basis, all showroom operating policies and procedures to ensure that they are being properly followed by all teams.
Ensure that Marketing & Advertising Plan for the year is in place and followed and react to new trends in the market.
Working closely with suppliers and frequently visiting trade shows, keeping up to date with what new trends are available.
Manage the property portfolio - from conception to opening of the new stores through the Property team.
Promoting compliance of all Brand, Company & Government policies, procedure & guidelines.
Reviewing and recommending business plan budget levels and subsequently managing sales performance and operational costs in line with agreed targets.
Accountable for the processes of succession planning, people development & manpower planning to ensure all operational positions within the department are staffed to optimum level.
Ensure that on-going training and development is in place for the Sales and Brand teams.
Building strong personal network of internal/external contacts. Establishing a strong communication forum that captures Market & competitor activity from line reports.
-Reporting to Business Director, responsible for 74 Aurora stores, made up of 19 Warehouse stores, 30 Coast stores and 25 Oasis stores.
-Responsible for maximising sales and profitability; performance against budget; developing operational efficiencies; and people management.
-13 direct reports: comprising 3 Operations Managers, 4 Area Managers and 6 Visual Merchandising Managers and developing 290 members of staff in stores.
-Leading a team of Managers to seek opportunities & initiatives that result in the achievement of the Business Plan.
-Reviewing and recommending business plan budget levels and subsequently managing sales performance and operational costs in line with agreed targets.
-Accountable for the processes of succession planning, people development & manpower planning to ensure all operational positions within the brand are staffed to optimum level.
-Maintaining key link between operations & brand merchandising & support teams & host brands.
-Building strong personal network of internal/external contacts. Establishing a strong communication forum that captures Market & competitor activity from line reports.
-Promoting compliance of all Brand, Market, Company & Government policies, procedures & guidelines.
-Manage the property portfolio - from conception to opening of the stores through the Project managers and the host brands.
2010-CURRENT: SENIOR OPERATIONS MANAGER, AURORA BRANDS, Middle-East &North Africa
❖ Reporting to Business Director, responsible for 74 Aurora stores, made up of 19 Warehouse stores, 30 Coast stores and 25 Oasis stores.
❖ Responsible for maximising sales and profitability; performance against budget; developing operational efficiencies; and people management.
❖ 13 direct reports: comprising 3 Operations Managers, 4 Area Managers and 6 Visual Merchandising Managers and developing 290 members of staff in stores.
❖ Leading a team of Managers to seek opportunities & initiatives that result in the achievement of the Business Plan.
❖ Reviewing and recommending business plan budget levels and subsequently managing sales performance and operational costs in line with agreed targets.
❖ Accountable for the processes of succession planning, people development & manpower planning to ensure all operational positions within the brand are staffed to optimum level.
❖ Maintaining key link between operations & brand merchandising & support teams & host brands.
❖ Building strong personal network of internal/external contacts. Establishing a strong communication forum that captures Market & competitor activity from line reports.
❖ Promoting compliance of all Brand, Market, Company & Government policies, procedures & guidelines.
❖ Manage the property portfolio - from conception to opening of the stores through the Project managers and the host brands.
2008-2010: SENIOR OPERATIONS MANAGER, DEBENHAMS, Middle-East & North Africa
❖ Reporting to Business Director, responsible for 23 Debenhams Department stores.
❖ Responsible for driving sales, controlling costs & increasing profitability through well executed operational strategies.
❖ 6 direct reports including: 3 Operations Managers and 3 Visual Merchandising Managers and developing 1001 members of staff in stores.
❖ Leading and motivating a team of Operations Managers to take initiative & drive business results through people management & achievement of business objectives
❖ Implemented processes which clearly communicated personal responsibility at all levels for achievement of weekly/monthly sales targets
❖ Ensuring that all Brand, Market, Company & Government policies, procedures & guidelines are implemented
❖ Ensuring all vacancies within the brand are filled by driving succession planning, people development & manpower planning
2006-2008: OPERATIONS MANAGER, DEBENHAMS, KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA
❖ Reported to the Senior Operations Manager, responsible for the efficient & profitable management of 9 department stores across 5 cities with 9 Stores Managers and 1 VMM.
❖ Drove and delivered sales performance of assigned stores.
❖ Managed sales objectives and operational costs in line with agreed business plan.
❖ Ensured stores maximised use of space, anticipated and advised changes to layout based on sales or seasonal history.
❖ Designed and implemented robust stock management to minimise stock losses / shrinkage.
❖ Performed regular training needs analysis for store staff and developed / implemented a store training program in line with business requirements.
❖ Liaised with HR to recruit high performing retail personnel, ensuring that staffs vs. customer ratio requirements were met. Created a 'promote from within' ethos, resulting in a high level of staff retention and highly motivated Store Managers.
2004-2006: SENIOR FLAGSHIP STORE MANAGER, DEBENHAMS, QATAR & UAE
❖ Reported to the Operations Manager, responsible for the operational management of the 10, 000sqm flagship store in the Gulf, with a turnover of $30 000 000.
❖ Maximised store profitability by leading & managing a workforce of 150 people through ensuring the highest levels of customer satisfaction and operational efficiency.
❖ Managed the opening of both Ibn Battuta store and Mall of the Emirates stores.
2002-2004: STORE MANAGER, BRITISH HOMES STORES, UK
❖ Led & managed a team of 110 in a 4000 SQM store with a turnover of $23 000 000.
❖ Department store format aimed at middle income customers.
2000-2002: REGIONAL SUPPLY CHAIN SUPPORT MANAGER, TESCO, UK
❖ Assisted Store Operations Director with general running of the region; specifically stock management and the re launch of Organic foods in 23 stores
1998-2000: PROPERTY DEVELOPER, SOUTH AFRICA
1994-1998: STORE MANAGER, EDGARS DEPARTMENT STORE, SOUTH AFRICA
❖ Led a team of 130 staff in a 4500 SQM store with a turnover of $5 000 000.
❖ Department store format aimed at middle to high income customers.
1991-1994: AREA MANAGER, LANGSTON'S CLOTHING, SOUTH AFRICA
❖ $3 500 00 turnover with 3 stores.