The Reject Shop is a nearly 400 store, $1 billion in sales and Discount Variety Store chain across Australia. Responsible for the brand, customer strategy, marketing, performance marketing, CRM, e-commerce, website and store experience. - Driven comparable store sales of +4% annually during my tenure, and comparable transaction trends of +3% in an environment of inflationary prices and declining retail store transactions. Have opened 39 new stores in 3 years netting growth of +8%.- Leveraged customer research to create a new company name, brand and look and feel. Performed analysis and highlighted the cost to implement and the EBIT positive results of renaming. Implemented new branding around the idea of “Rethink The Reject Shop” to drive reconsideration. This change has increased Net Promoter Scores (NPS) by 50%. - Rebuilt the CRM and Loyalty programs, redesigned all email support and communications. Developed the new Loyalty customer value proposition based on transactions, rewards and gamification, growing the program to 325,000 members with 20% growth in the last year. - Build performance marketing framework, set goals and implemented across 50% of all marketing resulting in incremental sales growth of 8%; and improved marketing ROI.- Redesigned all private label packaging to modernize the look and feel for the customer and make it easier for store team members to replenish and stock store shelves.- Grew e-commerce by 30% in incremental annual sales with DoorDash and UberEats partnerships with an all-new customer base.- Developed Social Media strategy and implemented video content across TikTok and Instagram increasing social engagement nearly 200% year over year from an already very large base.

The Warehouse Group is one of New Zealand’s largest retail holding companies. The Warehouse is $2 billion in sales across categories like Apparel, Food, Pet, Homewares, Electronics and Sporting Goods. Noel Leeming is New Zealand’s largest consumer electronics retailer with $1 billion in sales. Warehouse Stationery is NZ’s largest office supply retailer. Hired to reimagine all creative, customer and CRM strategy, and to develop a pricing and promotion strategy for the company. Led a team of 60 and reported directly to the ELT.- Developed the brand positioning for the company around the idea of “Sustainable and Affordable” to demonstrate our commitment to being NZ’s largest retailer that’s carbon neutral. Campaign made The Warehouse the number one Sustainable company in NZ according to research from Colmar Brunton. - Grew sales 7% to a record of $3.4 billion and online sales to 12% of total sales.- Led the development of a CRM and Loyalty Program that launched in October 2021. Leveraged customer insights and data to define the value proposition that was differentiated from any other program in New Zealand by building a community giveback feature.- Partnered with the New Zealand Olympic Team for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics to create the first of its kind team sponsorship that used our brand positioning to change customer perceptions.- Built the Agile and Tribe structure for the Customer Strategy and Marketing teams including defining the mission, roles, squads and product owners for the Tribe. Tribe was responsible for Ecosystem, Store Network and Space Optimisation, Customer Segmentation and Plan-o-gramming.

Developed and taught MBA marketing courses; one focused on Advertising Strategy and Integrated Marketing Communications the other on Brand Management and Brand Strategy.

Founder and Partner in a start-up advisory with other former CMO’s, Chief Digital Officers and SVP’s of Media. Projects include advising clients on customer acquisition, digital marketing, marketing transformation, marketing operations, CRM/Loyalty programs, and training and upgrading the talent level of their current marketing teams. Clients have included Private Equity, Marketing Technology, Retail, Apps and Consumer Products.

Big Lots is a $5 billion plus, Fortune 500 company with 1,500 stores in 47 states. Led a team of 120. Under my leadership, Big Lots experienced three straight years of positive comp store sales and net income with an all-time high stock price. Reported to the CEO.- Developed the new Brand Identity for Big Lots based on customer research and merchandise strategy. Big Lots had a stigma based on the prior business model of focusing on closeouts and low-quality products. New brand focused on Quality, Brands, Fashion and Value. Defined our customer through ethnographic, quantitative and qualitative research and built out personas.- Shifted the marketing mix to over 30% in digital by optimizing the spend. Rebranded the loyalty program and Customer Value Proposition. Implemented Salesforce for email and loyalty and grew the active file to 15 million from 10 million plus grew sales penetration of loyalty members to 40% from 25%. Developed programmatic and search programs.- Launched an e-commerce business including a Fulfillment Center, Call Center, Merchandise Planning team, Website Operations and User Experience. Used Oracle and Manhattan. Developed the creative and UX for the website. Responsible for the P&L of the business. First year sales over $20 million which crushed the forecast. - Updated the look and feel, brand guidelines and style guide of the stores physical and online to reflect the new brand identity and positioning. Updated all Food, Soft Home, Pet and Baby own brands to ensure each had a distinct meaning to the customer. - Launched Leasing program and Marketing Support. Developed the value proposition. Worked with the external Financing partner to create new sales opportunities. The program is now over $200 million in sales.

Promoted three times during my tenure. Responsible for a $400 million Kmart Marketing budget and the overall marketing and creative strategy, brand strategy, promotional plans and calendar, loyalty program strategy, media strategy, marketing programs and multi-cultural initiatives for Kmart, then a $16 billion retailer with 1,300 stores. Led a team of 60.- Built brand positioning, the strategy and plans for expanding omni-channel retail capabilities. The first initiative was “Ship My Pants” which within the first three months had 28 million views and was one of the top viral videos ever. Plans included YouTube, Twitter and Facebook. Appeared on the Today Show and Good Morning America. Subsequent creative initiatives generated millions of views. Program won four Cannes Lions.- Developed the program, the creative and executed in market the loyalty program for Kmart and Sears Holdings called Shop Your Way Rewards. Defined the Customer Value Proposition and created an emotional connection to the program. Implemented across all Marketing Channels including Video/TV, Radio, Print, Email, Digital, Social and in-store. Created program benefits around Members Always Get More. Program had 60+ million Members, and over 70% sales penetration.- Shifted Kmart digital marketing budgets from 1% of total spend in 2007 to over 10% in 2011 and improved marketing ROI for Kmart from 4% in 2008 to 80% in 2011.- Led the development of overall Kmart Layaway strategy that drove over $1 billion in revenue, prototyped and implemented the Shop Your Way Loyalty program with millions of members, led implementation of multi-cultural and Hispanic marketing initiatives.

Leader in IBM’s multi-channel retail strategy group providing services to retailers to better integrate all channels. Clients included Target, Macy’s, Circuit City and IBM.

Overall responsibility for the profitability, quality, strategy, project management and client satisfaction of an annual $5 million business. Project teams consisted of 20 – 25 strategy, creative, media, project management and technical consultants. Won several Webby awards during my tenure.Clients included Kraft Foods, JC Penney and Avon. Projects ranged from user experience to website development to e-commerce to creative/digital advertising and social media.

Led the Strategic Planning function. Built a department of ten analysts. Responsibilities included developing the annual three-year strategic plan; annual and seasonal sales, gross margin and inventory budgets for all merchandise departments; forecasting corporate 13-week sales, margin and inventory; performing various analyses of operations and leading merchandise reviews with executive management. Developed the three-year strategy for the Plan of Reorganization. Led building Wards.com e-commerce business.

Job responsibilities included preparation of the annual three-year strategic plan and seasonal merchandise and financial reviews as well as project specific, strategic work for the Woolworth General Merchandise Division. Performed detailed financial analysis of the closing of the Woolworth division. This included cash flow projections, real estate analysis, remodel store forecasts and go forward recommendation for the Burger King franchises. Closed four distribution facilities and ensured all products in these facilities as well as overseas was shipped to stores as quickly as possible to ensure maximum return in the liquidation. Transitioned to Foot Locker corporate role leading several enterprise IT initiatives for the CIO.

Hired as a senior consultant. Promoted twice in four years. Specialty was in retail consulting focused entirely on serving retailers with strategic, operational, systems and financial projects. Clients included CVS, Sears, Royal Ahold and Saks Fifth Avenue.