My focus in this role is to manage the people, processes, timelines, and interests of all affected stakeholders relating to the optimized and profitable use of space across the Woolworths food stores. We create and evolve the blueprints of space utilization across our format strategy.This role has a strong focus on systems. We currently use Blue Yonder’s suite across floor & plano space and assortment management and align operational efforts by adopting a programme management approach… Show more My focus in this role is to manage the people, processes, timelines, and interests of all affected stakeholders relating to the optimized and profitable use of space across the Woolworths food stores. We create and evolve the blueprints of space utilization across our format strategy.This role has a strong focus on systems. We currently use Blue Yonder’s suite across floor & plano space and assortment management and align operational efforts by adopting a programme management approach across an immediate workforce of 60+ people. A large part of my focus is to facilitate a constructive, collaborative working environment amongst competing business interests which often risk non-alignment. In our 2023 space and assortment optimization effort we added R378m of additional growth by optimizing 107 stores.Some learnings have included the speed of matrixed vs the control of traditional structures as well as the pros and cons of centralization and decentralization. My passion is leadership and the development of the talent pipeline.The biggest unlock for me has been the exposure to a programme focusing on the development of emotional intelligence. It is proving a key enabler to values based leadership.My latest technical interest is to utilize the developments regarding ChapGPT and large language models. Show less

The focus in this role was to develop the selling briefs/ merchandising principles for the group. My exposure in this role extended from promotions through guiding seasonal store model stores and liaising with product planning, buying and real estate functions. Managing the Lingerie implementation part of the real estate programme was a key focus. I covered South Africa, Africa, and Australia.This was a leadership learning opportunity in my career, balancing a collaborative product… Show more The focus in this role was to develop the selling briefs/ merchandising principles for the group. My exposure in this role extended from promotions through guiding seasonal store model stores and liaising with product planning, buying and real estate functions. Managing the Lingerie implementation part of the real estate programme was a key focus. I covered South Africa, Africa, and Australia.This was a leadership learning opportunity in my career, balancing a collaborative product management environment with a competitive centralized merchandising team environment. Values based leadership using enneagram based insights proved a real opportunity but consistency of application throughout the organization remains an opportunity. Show less

The focus in this role, like the Lingerie role, had an added focus on Africa. Trading in 11 African countries required customization to assortments and the impacts on merchandised customer offerings.My learnings included the merchandising development and placement of in-house brands and the benefits that the halo effect had on the rest of the store. The David Jones acquisition, gave us a better understanding of how hard it is to manage brands across continents, companies and through… Show more The focus in this role, like the Lingerie role, had an added focus on Africa. Trading in 11 African countries required customization to assortments and the impacts on merchandised customer offerings.My learnings included the merchandising development and placement of in-house brands and the benefits that the halo effect had on the rest of the store. The David Jones acquisition, gave us a better understanding of how hard it is to manage brands across continents, companies and through acquisitions. Show less

The focus in this role was to adapt the company’s product sales plans into a department specific store sales plan for all stores in largest division in Woolworths at the time.This was a challenging part of my career as a company restructure slowed my career vision of progressing productive space utilization. It took me from a value chain strategic focus to an operational focus, heavily slanted to merchandise planning. It taught me patience and grit more than most of my previous roles.To… Show more The focus in this role was to adapt the company’s product sales plans into a department specific store sales plan for all stores in largest division in Woolworths at the time.This was a challenging part of my career as a company restructure slowed my career vision of progressing productive space utilization. It took me from a value chain strategic focus to an operational focus, heavily slanted to merchandise planning. It taught me patience and grit more than most of my previous roles.To this day I consider location planning a pivotal unlock in managing spatial efficiencies. A key advantage is to link a location view of the future to space apportionment.My time in planning has taught me the value of strengthening this capability when creating teams. It's not my core strength but I add value by ensuring that planning activities connect strategy to implementation. I'm a firm believer that few plans survive first contact in tact, but that they add immeasurable value to challenging problem statements, facilitating option selection and measuring outcomes. Show less

The focus in this role was to develop and refine assortment strategies across a format strategy to maximize profits. We achieved this by emphasizing the dominant categories space allocation and minimizing the use of departments that did not add value.My learnings included the benefits of cross business unit awareness of scorecards. It was hard to drive markdown reduction for profits when stores were incentivized on sales growth, but we managed to find solutions that were mutually beneficial… Show more The focus in this role was to develop and refine assortment strategies across a format strategy to maximize profits. We achieved this by emphasizing the dominant categories space allocation and minimizing the use of departments that did not add value.My learnings included the benefits of cross business unit awareness of scorecards. It was hard to drive markdown reduction for profits when stores were incentivized on sales growth, but we managed to find solutions that were mutually beneficial and resulted in net gains. We reduced markdowns in smaller stores by over R55mil.Today we try to realize foods gains, through a similar structure and approach.A large part of our focus was to cluster stores based on trends and patterns. Some of the biggest lesson in clustering is the varied approaches depending on differing end uses. Product vs store clustering will almost always vary but getting the two methodologies to talk to each other is where the real unlock happens. Show less

The focus in this role was to utilize bespoke systems and processes that we used to support franchise, for the benefit of small corporate stores that were struggling with the bland assortments that often appear in the lower end of the retail store wedge.This period of my career was one of my most rewarding as it brought me closer to stores and product. It stretched my entrepreneurial capabilities. My role was a hybrid of buying management and store regional management. I was guiding store… Show more The focus in this role was to utilize bespoke systems and processes that we used to support franchise, for the benefit of small corporate stores that were struggling with the bland assortments that often appear in the lower end of the retail store wedge.This period of my career was one of my most rewarding as it brought me closer to stores and product. It stretched my entrepreneurial capabilities. My role was a hybrid of buying management and store regional management. I was guiding store management teams in the product selection for 25+ stores. It resulted in our ailing small corporate stores outperforming their larger counterparts by over 5% in sales growth. These results were pivotal to the buy-back of franchise stores into the corporate fold, ultimately increasing the gross profit margin for the company. Show less

During this time, I managed two functional areas. In location planning I partnered one of our most accomplished planners in establishing a parallel planning process that aligned sales plans between the office and the regional and divisional management of stores. I learnt a lot about the benefits of engagement and alignment between business units and the benefits of singing of one hymn sheet. I notice today that a large part of Marks and Spencer’s success in space and assortment optimization… Show more During this time, I managed two functional areas. In location planning I partnered one of our most accomplished planners in establishing a parallel planning process that aligned sales plans between the office and the regional and divisional management of stores. I learnt a lot about the benefits of engagement and alignment between business units and the benefits of singing of one hymn sheet. I notice today that a large part of Marks and Spencer’s success in space and assortment optimization comes from this heightened level of cohesiveness.The other aspect of this portfolio was to continue with my space management portfolio. It taught me the values of stretching oneself beyond the job description. This is particularly valuable when portfolios are naturally good fits relative to a common goal to be achieved. It also taught me about the advantages of having a strong, high performing team - It is liberating and a multiplier regarding ones own capacity.I still believe that floor space planning and plano display planning synergies coupled with aligned assortment management have upside potential. Show less

During these years I established the Fashion | Home and Beauty floor space planning capacity within Woolworths. We grew our staff compliment to 2-4 space planners and I spent a lot of time working on processes, tools and ways of working.My specialization of developing soft systems, which helped us to direct the space planning efforts of 90+ stores at the time (well over 500 today),was born. To this date, I still believe this to be the single biggest competitive advantage over most other… Show more During these years I established the Fashion | Home and Beauty floor space planning capacity within Woolworths. We grew our staff compliment to 2-4 space planners and I spent a lot of time working on processes, tools and ways of working.My specialization of developing soft systems, which helped us to direct the space planning efforts of 90+ stores at the time (well over 500 today),was born. To this date, I still believe this to be the single biggest competitive advantage over most other retailers. Many of these learnings I have used to help establish the Foods space planning capacity. Show less

As a space planner I utilized 2D & 3D CAD systems to create store layouts for all new stores. I worked with merchandising and store managers to create layouts that reflected each merchandise groups seasonal strategy.It was during these days that I took on an external portfolio as an extension of the Bentley software company in chairing a South African Microstation user group in Cape Town. I learnt a lot from networking across industries.In these early days we leveraged the capabilities… Show more As a space planner I utilized 2D & 3D CAD systems to create store layouts for all new stores. I worked with merchandising and store managers to create layouts that reflected each merchandise groups seasonal strategy.It was during these days that I took on an external portfolio as an extension of the Bentley software company in chairing a South African Microstation user group in Cape Town. I learnt a lot from networking across industries.In these early days we leveraged the capabilities of Autodesks AutoCAD infrastructure. I learnt how to run an architectural drawing office and later transitioned our practice to 3D centric Microstation machines. Ultimately we settled on Autodesks Revit and Sketchit platforms.In addition to the traditional CAD software I developed an appetite for supplementary spreadsheets and SQL server databases to help guide proportional space allocation across the sales floors. This is where I developed my passion for linking the real world with data, to drive performance.I also supported visual merchandising which gave me an appreciation for signage, fonts and copy righting. All key instruments to connect our internal intent to the customers shopping mission. Show less

In this job, I explored more of Europe and worked my way through mailing, security, stock room management, till operations, visual merchandising, department sales assistance and floor management. It was my first contact with retail, and it provided me with a solid grounding of the stores’ operational perspective.It is from these days that I appreciate the untapped potential of security cameras relative to the understanding of customer shopping patterns. Paco Underhill understood this in his… Show more In this job, I explored more of Europe and worked my way through mailing, security, stock room management, till operations, visual merchandising, department sales assistance and floor management. It was my first contact with retail, and it provided me with a solid grounding of the stores’ operational perspective.It is from these days that I appreciate the untapped potential of security cameras relative to the understanding of customer shopping patterns. Paco Underhill understood this in his research approach too. These days, ERP systems can offer similar data in a simpler fashion. Show less

This was my first job after my architectural and design studies. It taught me about the necessary transition of the photolithography industry, to what we still know as desk top publishing today. Similar lessons are applicable today regarding the necessary transition of the traditional merchandising role to the more technocratically rooted application of ERP merchandising systems. The lesson lies in retaining the wisdom of the old while leveraging the advances of the new.