Andy Knowles Email & Phone Number

Leading the Cluster/Domain across UK Retail, CPG and Hospitality, connecting the Digital capabilities of UST with the needs of our customers and ensuring they are continually delivered to world class standards.

Taking some time out to support family health recovery.

., Gb

Leading IT across the Wilko group of companies and statutory Director of Wilko Retail and Wilko Digital

., Gb

Converted from interim to permanent in role. Accountable for the IT strategy, Architecture, Project/Programme Delivery and Service Management for the Wilko business. Delivering a full IT transformation aligned to the business strategy, focussing on ensuring IT delivers for our stores, supply chain and head office team members. Proud to lead a brilliant team of people and working with the Trading Board to ensure IT is a key enabler of our growth agenda.

., Gb

Covering the Head of IT role on an interim basis. Responsible for IT strategy, Architecture, Project Delivery and Service Management. Currently running a SAP re-platforming, IT Service transformation, Data Centre strategy and Store Infrastructure replacement (including the replacement of till systems). IT delivers to the Head Office in Worksop, 2 Distribution Centres and to 380+ stores across the country with a brilliant team based at the Worksop office.

., Gb

Responsible for all aspects of Wilko's IT Service including Infrastructure Management, Application Management, and Service Operation. Looking after a great team of people committed to the growth and success of Wilko.

Deerfield, Il, Us

Leading Customer Care, Operational Support for Stores, Contact Centre Workforce Planning and Quality for the Customer Support Centre. Key member of the leadership team developing the support for stores, driving insight across the organisation to deliver efficiency and innovation. Leading projects for workforce optimisation, CRM,management information, voice analytics and knowledge management. Customer Care contact centre includes Boots.com, Advantage Card Loyalty scheme, Customer Management and Exec contacts, Opticians appointment bookings and enquiries, Social Media.

Deerfield, Il, Us

Responsible for the delivery of Operational Service Management across all of Boots UK Operations (stores and central functions) reporting to the Director of Service. Accountable for Incident Management (including full IT Service Desk), Problem Management, Request for Service, User Administration and Store Operations Support. Leading a team of Service Managers and Desk Managers to deliver the agreed service to our Retail Business, the Healthcare Business, and our Central Support Functions. This team manages the service from all our outsourced providers giving a true End-to-End service for our customers.

Deerfield, Il, Us

Managed the Delivery of all Programmes and Projects that impacted the Retail Function. Managed a team of in-house and contract Project Managers, Solution Designers, Business Analysts, Release Managers, Test Managers, and the EPOS development team. Full budget accountability for projects along with resource forecasting and sourcing. Delivered 50+ projects per year with annual budget of £3m to £4m per year, with the heavy use of outsourced partners Infosys, Steria, IBM and Fujitsu.• Delivered a fully productionised Contactless Payment solution in Boots stores that won the 2011 Retail Week Technology Award for EPOS projects.• Implemented new online authorisation and settlement solution (Postilion) to replace the out of support legacy solution, to meet Payment Card Industry standards (PCI) and to enable future functionality.• Integrated Boots payment solution with Blackhawk to allow sales of other retailers’ Gift Cards• Integrated Boots EPOS with Alliance Pharmacy technology following the merger of Boots and Alliance Unichem. This was deployed as part of the full rebranding programme of 1,000 Alliance Pharmacy/Moss Chemists store to become Boots.• Replaced legacy (DOS) stock management solution with new, functionally rich, solution on Pocket PC’s that matches the look and feel of the current Radio Frequency (RF) solution in Boots top 300 stores. Setup a 3 year programme to replace the stock management hardware and software in 2,200 Boots stores.• Delivered 6 major releases to the boots store estate to tight quality standards for deployment to the full 2,500 store estate. Included releases for positive receiving, simplified model day, PCI encryption of card data in stores, auto markdown of prices in store for clearance, improved returns process, multichannel order, delivery and collection in store, improvements to speed of transaction.• Delivered the new store and refit programmes

Deerfield, Il, Us

Manage IT demand for Boots UK stores, focussed on 3 year planning and in year Operating Plan. Operates as a partner to the business to ensure IT is embedded into the strategic planning for the retail operation

Nottingham, Gb

Manage the IT demand and programme delivery to the Boots.com business. Includes the transition to offshore project delivery capability. Scope of role covers full end to end solution of website, order management, fulfillment and central systems (SAP).

Bsc (Hons), Computer Science

Ond, Computer Studies