An accomplished Manager and expert 360 degrees within Travel Retail and High Street Retail industry both with brands and with operations, with exemplary and extensive experience within luxury markets, developing a strong understanding of client’s needs, matching products to requirements. Lead and develop capable teams, promoting the sharing of knowledge and best practice.
Â
Areas of Expertise
•        Embed innovative sales initiatives
•        Manage operations
•        Develop business offering
•        Recruit and lead teams
•        Oversee training and coaching
•        Lead product development
•        Collate and analyse sales data
•        Negotiate contracts
•        Increase global client engagement
2018 - present
Head of Travel Retail: Operations Manager
Lead all account activity, identifying and securing new business opportunities, undertaking in-depth market research. Spearhead entire store review, assessing category layout, merchandise planning and range management, ensuring alignment with PAX profile and customer needs. Manage seasonal changes, devising new strategic plans. Establish monthly/annual sales targets, analysing previous sales. Devise and implement marketing calendar, planning HPP/SPP promotions, considering seasonal demands, PAX flow and new range launch. Direct and develop team of staff, delivering training to enhance capabilities. Build and nurture strong customer, partner and stakeholder relationships. Negotiate contracts, including T&Cs, optimising revenue.
·       Expanded brand across 6 new points of sale, utilising available contacts/ TFWA exhibitions, negotiating optimum conditions and providing support Â
·       Increased sales turnover from $4m to $5.5m, YTD, analysing sales KPIs
·       Launched new range, securing a 20% increase in sales
·       Identified additional expansion opportunities in the Middle East, Europe and Eastern Europe, nurturing trustworthy relationships
·       Delivered product performance analysis, implementing action to increase sales potential
·       Developed staff incentive programme
2015 - 2018
Operations manager: COS
Supported the opening of 4 New COS stores, in Dubai, delivering $12m pa, sourcing, recruiting and training staff, aligned to operational ethos. Devised annual budget, managing expenditures and assessing variances. Oversaw merchandise availability, liaising with merchandizing team, aligning stock with the customers profile and store demand. Implemented promotions and seasonal layout changes, collaborating with the VM team, adhering to brand guidelines. Devised pricing strategies, including targeted promotions, analysing sales trends. Liaised with new current and potential customers to define needs, forecasting future requirements. Assessed achievement of KPIs, devising improvement strategies.
·       Implemented new inventory control system, incorporating shipping, purchasing, receiving, storage, tracking and reorder
2013 - 2015
Group Category Manager Fashion & Accessories
Identified and onboarded key luxury brands, undertaking market research to ensure products were aligned to customer needs. Negotiated with suppliers to optimise contract conditions, enhancing profit margin. Recruited and developed all staff, sharing knowledge and best practice to increase capabilities. Oversaw all financial tasks, optimising P&L.
·       Increased entire global margin by 2.1 points, negotiating with suppliers, presenting company vision and embedding a global approach to product procurement
·       Reviewed luxury goods categories, overseeing the restructure of strategies and the relaunching of products, growing sales by $7m+ pa
·       Managed the opening of a 179m2 multi brand luxury goods Boutique in Caribbean St Marteen, securing $2m annual revenue, and 2 multi brand / multi category stores in Asuncion, Paraguay, with an annual turnover of $2m
·       Established 2 multi brand stores in Salvador de Bahia, Brazil, with a turnover of $11m
·       Raised annual turnover for luxury goods categories by 40% in Poland, leading vendor negotiations, enhancing gross margin by 6% per annum
·       Devised e-commerce solutions for online diplomatic business channel, identifying appropriate products, preparing data base for further uploading onto e-commerce platform
2004 - 2013
Travel retail Category Manager: Fashion & Accessories & Perfume and Cosmetics
Education and Professional Training
Internet Marketing – online course (Tripmydream: 2021)
Management Development (Irish Centre for Business Excellence: 2008)Â Â Â Â
Specialist Degree in International Economics (University of Civil Aviation: 2007)
Master’s Degree in Engineering (University of Civil Aviation: 2000)
Â
Additional Information
Language skills: English (fluent); Russian and Ukrainian (native language); French (upper- intermediate); Spanish (intermediate); Arabic (intermediate)
IT skills: Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, PPT; Internet Marketing; SAP / Navision