Robert Canning Email & Phone Number

Dubai, Dubai, Ae

At GMG, I serve as the Vice President of the GMG Home Division, where I oversee a dynamic portfolio of brands and initiatives. Building on the success of Suncoast (Outdoor Furniture), I played a key role in the creation of the GMG Home division. My responsibilities include:Leadership of Multiple Brands: Manage and strategize for Suncoast and Monoprix Maison, a premier homewares store, ensuring growth and market competitiveness.Fashion Management: Oversee the fashion segment of Monoprix supermarkets, aligning product offerings with current trends to enhance customer experience and sales performance.Business Expansion: Actively seek and evaluate potential brands to introduce to the market, aiming to expand our division and diversify our portfolio.Regional Distribution: Represent and distribute several brands across the MENA region, developing partnerships and driving regional sales initiatives.Executive Collaboration: Report directly to the owners and participate in board-level discussions, contributing to high-level decision-making and strategic planning.My role is centered around driving growth, fostering brand development, and exploring new market opportunities to solidify GMG Home's position as a leading division within the industry.

Dubai, Dubai, Ae

Notable highlights in this role include:- Taking this struggling business and improving business performance, profitability anddevelopment by managing transformative growth initiatives and projects, showing ayear on year growth of 100% in the last 5 years.- Creating and promoting the vision, strategy and long-term planning of the companyby taking full ownership of the business and all decisions, including full budget andP&L responsibility and reporting P&L results to the board.As General Manager I hire the most suitable candidates for the Sales and Management teamand provide training and mentorship to ensure maximum efficiency.I continuously meet business and profitability growth objectives by directing andcoordinating all departments’ activities, developing and implementing long-range goals andmanaging all company policies, processes and performance reports, data and analysis.In this role I focus on proactively realising the sales and growth strategy by planning, creatingand implementing a full marketing plan for all aspects of the business unit.I oversee sales management of both the retail and B2B sales to provide cost reduction, meetcustomer requirements and ensure market growth. I also direct stock management through end-to-end stock forecasting and selection as well as purchasing budget planning for thebusiness unit’s stock holding.Leveraging my strong negotiation and networking skills, I manage supplier selection, overseestrategic negotiations and build strong business relationships.

Ae

I established and oversaw the daily operations of En Vogue, a luxury home concept store,interior design and fit out company in Dubai, serving both the residential and commercialmarkets. En Vogue also represented international design brands in the Middle Easternmarket, which allowed me to source new suppliers from around the world, giving them alocal presence.In this role devised and implemented all systems and policies across the business as well asan on-going marketing strategy. I directed accurate and timely P&L planning andmanagement for all departments of the business.I obtained and negotiated contracts and agreements with new suppliers whilst maintainingpositive business relationships with existing suppliers and hired all team members for allaspects of the business to optimise the success of the business and corporate reputation.

Herning, Dk

Key highlights included:- Project managing all new store openings in existing countries and new markets,setting up the retail business and implementing effective strategies for establishingthe brand in areas where it had no market presence.- Successfully project managing store openings in U.A.E., Casablanca, Marrakech,Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Tehran, Riyadh and Algeria.- Leading and executing sales, marketing and improvement strategies in line withbusiness objectives to increase sales across the region by 60%.Leveraging my strong communication and networking skills, I provided a communicationchannel between the corporate organisation and existing and new franchisees, establishingand developing strong working relationships.I enhanced alignment with brand strategy and maintained brand integrity by designing andimplementing effective marketing campaigns as well as training staff to ensure quality serviceacross stores in all countries. I also increased brand awareness and business growth throughcreative merchandising of showrooms.I analysed business performance and designed structured business plans to facilitate theimplementation of improvement strategies by regularly visiting franchisees in differentcountries.Furthermore, I conducted competitor activity research, maintained current knowledge ofmarket trends, finances and products and trained and developed staff to ensure consistentstandards of performance across all stores in all countries.

Herning, Dk

Highlights in this role include managing all business operations of BoConcept stores in theUnited Arab Emirates, Qatar and Kuwait, including overseeing financial and developmentalaspects of each brand store and warehouse. I also provided insightful and value-addingexpertise to the re-structuring of the entire BoConcept brand organisation, includingmanaging all aspects of HR, operations, sales, marketing and product line.

Gb

• Fulfilling all responsibilities involved in the daily operation of a £3million turnover store, selling a wide variety of home furniture including kitchens, bedrooms and bathrooms• Actively participating in a team project to design and implement induction and management training programmes• Providing comprehensive management, sales, finance and product knowledge training and efficiently managing a professional installation/delivery team, ensuring high standards of quality and timely deliveries• Managing and motivating personnel to achieve sales targets within deadlines and diligently analysing sales statistics, forecasting future sales volumes to maximise profits• Analysing and interpreting trends to facilitate effective business planning and utilising IT proficiency to maintain accurate records of sales and to perform data analysis/forward planning• Fulfilling a variety of HR responsibilities including interviewing potential staff, conducting appraisals and performance reviews, identifying training needs and providing opportunities for career progression• Consistently monitoring performance to ensure compliance with standards for quality, customer service and health and safety, promptly resolving health and safety, legal and security issues as they arise• Responding to customer queries and complaints professionally and in a time efficient manner, ensuring high standards of customer satisfaction and maintaining the reputation of the company• Regularly participating in promotional activities with local schools, newspapers and the general community to raise the profile of the business and increase sales revenue• Researching competitor activity and identifying market trends in the retail industry and maintaining a current knowledge of customer initiatives to facilitate the growth of the business

Reading, England, Gb

London, London, Gb

A Level, Business Studies

Gcse, General