David O Callaghan Email & Phone Number

Dynamic and driven buyer working in retail & wholesale over a 30 year period with Eason & Son, Ireland’s largest supplier of books, gifts, stationery, magazines and newspapers. 10 Years experience of retail (including Goods Inwards, Shop Assistant, Trainee Manager, Book Manger and Store Manager) followed by a move to wholesale business in 2000, where I became a Book Purchasing Manager with responsibility for Adult Book Buying and Stock Control. This was soon followed by a sharper focus on the Children's Market over a 20 Year period until 2021 in the role of Children's Category Manager. This role entailed developing, growing and increasing market share in Children's Books through a period often referred to as a "Golden Age" ( growth of such authors as JK Rowling, Philip Pullman, Eoin Colfer etc). Also important during this time was customer confidence and development of the Eason children's brand as a market leader. This was achieved through spotting trends, having the correct books and titles and ensuring in-store staff had a a strong book knowledge.As further trends & phenomenons grew in this area (Twilight Series, The Hunger Games) and further success was obtained, focus then moved on to the in-store experience and bringing it to the forefront of the store.This innovation was created and built in the form of "The Artemis Project" and "Department 51". These areas were key to furthering customer engagement and showcasing the promise of in-store knowledge, market leadership and ease of choice in an exponentially growing market for Children's Books.

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  Maynooth University

  Sociology And Geography