David Empson Email and Phone Number

I am a consummate retailer ..rooted in the Corporate world of M&S from their graduate scheme to Executive Director at Sainsbury’s of their Non Food.This was followed by Venture Capital backed businesses where I was part of the management buyout of Adams Childrenswear from Philip Green; and Bridgepoint appointed me as Strategy and Business Development Director.There I identified that the business could design and source Children’s clothing very profitably, so I met with Boots Trading Director and put to him that they were a destination for "young Mums and Mums to be” but they didn’t have a clothing offer. I suggested we should have a JV and I would deliver and run their clothing business. He quickly agreed and 12 months later I launched my first entrepreneurial venture Mini Mode/Club, which you still see in stores today. Shortly after, Sainsbury’s CEO came to me and asked if I could do the same for them, so I set up another JV, building their Buying team up in Coventry and launched their brand TU. In due course, I sold both JV’s, providing significant value for Bridgepoint. For the last 10 years I have been more energised to be entrepreneurial and create value for myself, so I partnered Robbie Williams and launched his clothing brand Farrell globally, before selling it to Peter Jones of Dragons Den. 3 years ago I launched Generous APE and am building it up to be the destination for stylish sustainable brands where we “Curate” them both on our Marketplace and in Department store concessions. We also “Incubate” our partner brands with an Accelerator/Advisory and Agency services. Specialities:- Retail- Proposition / Product development- Innovation- Change project management- Corporate / Business unit strategy, including new market entry strategy- Multichannel operations development.