Alan Morris Email & Phone Number

London, United Kingdom

London, United Kingdom

Headhunted for a role with a leading high street shoe retailer. This was a newly created role reporting into the CFO with the central goal of reinvigorating the finance function whilst providing strategic guidance and insight through the planning, reporting and analysis of business performance. Early focus was on centralising commercial processes, improving reporting and strengthening the internal stakeholder network paralleled with supporting the sale of the business. Latterly, accountability has been held for improving productivity and driving strategic change.• Played a fundamental role in the sale of the business, including construction of the 5-year financial models, ownership of the transaction deck and management of external relations.• Saved +13,000 hours of administration time annually, to be redeployed on sales driving activities, by designing and building an Excel-based automated daily sales solution. • Achieved £300k of incremental cost savings by instigating and leading a business-wide budget redesign process that included building the financial models, coordinating key stakeholders and board level presentations.• Delivered strategic change and enhanced cost management by initiating numerous commercial control processes; including a quarterly store chain review, monthly cost centre reviews and an improved investment appraisal process.• Generated incremental profit by spearheading a project to improve productivity and returns which has reduced in store fraud and increased visibility of performance across the business units.• Key member on multiple additional projects focusing on expansion and growth, internal communication, commitment visibility and stock ageing.• Saved +1,000 hours of head office departmental time on an annual basis by delivering improvements in trade reporting, bonus and commission calculations, chargeback prioritisation, time and attendance reporting.

London, United Kingdom

Secured a commercial finance role with the Dorothy Perkins & Burton business. This was a fast-paced and exciting role involving significant strategic input. Role scope included building and sustaining a finance team culture of high-performance. • Delivered the 2014/15 plan for Dorothy Perkins, including presentation to CEO and Board members, and compiled the 3-year and 5-year retail strategies for both brands.• Drove the expansion of concession store presence through financial analysis and compilation of capital expenditure requests, in conjunction with retail operations team. • Realised £1.3m of payroll savings by leading a project to deliver a joint site management restructure. • Improved commercial performance of 950 stores through wide-ranging analysis and participation in regular commercial updates with the Brand Director, Retail Director and senior team.• Led strategic integration of retail finance functions, across both brands, including the development of best practice reporting and providing value adding management information.

London, United Kingdom

Directly recruited by the Group FD to a Group level role, leading a team of 5 responsible for group reporting, cash flow and capital. The role operated as a key point of liaison for finance community including Group FD, Group FC, Head of Treasury, Head of Accounting Centre and brand finance teams. Remit included ownership of all management information and production of a suite of reports, including weekly P&L analysis and Board pack. Providing accurate and insightful analysis was essential. Key authority was held for the Treasury function, approving £multi-million movements of cash between bank accounts.• Leveraged strategic business goals by masterminding the 3-year strategy for the Group using a bottom up approach; including profitability by brand, country and channel, capital planning and cash flow analysis.• Pivotal in the reporting change driven out of the successful purchase of a 25% stake in Topshop/Topman by Leonard Green & Partners; overseeing the process of splitting the P&L and cash flow reporting to facilitate decision making and analysis.• Facilitated top-level decision making by consolidating annual brand plans to produce a P&L, balance sheet and cash flow for the Group, including summaries for Sir Philip Green and presentations to the Group FD and FC.• Collation of year end data including production of the press release and Sir Philip Green’s interview and presentation facts, plus supporting backup pack.• Deputised for the Group Financial Controller in conducting weekly trading reviews with each of the brands Finance and Merchandise Directors; feeding back potential issues and actions to senior management.• Secured optimum value for the business by negotiating cost savings on all contracts with external suppliers such as the Met Office.

London, United Kingdom

Transitioned to a senior management role within the Wallis business, demanding a strong knowledge of retail costs. Accountabilities included forecasting, budgeting process and analytics. Providing strategic input, financial support and challenge to facilitate best possible business performance and profitability was critical. • Produced brand plan within first 3 months of appointment, including top line strategy and store plan P&Ls which, following successful delivery, led to compilation of the 3-year strategy for the brand.• Succeeded in collating capital requests for submission to CEO and led all subsequent post-investment appraisal.• Maintained the pay to sales ratio including reducing retail payroll spend across the brand through active negotiation with Regional Controllers and Area Managers.• Provided strategic input by deputising for the FD at monthly forecast review with group CEO, weekly trade reviews within brand and with Group Finance.• Maximised analyst skills and capabilities as sponsor of phase 2 of the analyst development programme, with responsibility for ensuring all courses were delivered on time and to the appropriate standard.

London, United Kingdom

Chosen for a role with the Miss Selfridge brand with a primary focus on the buying and merchandising function. Role scope included ownership of the monthly accounts process, including preparation and presentation of forecast to FD, all B&M modelling, buying plans and management of team submits.• Deputised for FD and SFM in trade meetings, in the case of absence, with accountability for taking decisions on year end stock provisions.• Optimised buying and merchandising practices by constructing and collating brand markdown model to allow sense checking and challenge of merchandisers view at department level.

London, United Kingdom

Awarded promotion, in reflection of performance, to take charge of retail finance. Accountability was held for optimising the financial performance of the Dorothy Perkins business. Remit included financial controls, budgeting, seasonal planning, reporting and the preparation of monthly management accounts. • Delivered £1m of incremental profit having identified an opportunity during a detailed property strategy review.