Experience

• 

  GCH Retail

  • Malaysia
  • Retail
  • 700 & Above Employee

  • Regional Manager

    • Feb 2018 - May 2020

    GCH Retail (M) Sdn Bhd is Malaysia's leading retailer with USD One Billion sales and part of the Dairy Farm (Hong Kong) Group. GCH Retail operates 155 stores across 4 banners: Giant Hypers, Supers (mass-market), Cold Storage, Mercato and Jasons (upscale) with 10,000 employees.In a new role I have full P&L accountability for East Malaysia and Brunei for both operations and commercial in this diverse and different market place compared to peninsular Malaysia.

  • Merchandise Director

    • Apr 2016 - Feb 2018

    Reporting to the CEO with full accountability for the sales and total food income of the company and leading a merchandise buying team of 60 staff. Also leading the food safety, quality assurance team and the space, range and display team.

  • Marketing director (acting)

    • Jan 2016 - Apr 2016

    Reported to the CEO and based at the Head Office in Kuala Lumpur managing a team of 30 in the marketing department.

  • General Manager, East Malaysia & Brunei

    • Feb 2014 - Jan 2016

    Formed part of the senior leadership team with personal responsibility for East Malaysia and Brunei with 26 stores and 2,300 staff.• Directed the business strategy for all commercial activity including buying, marketing, sales, supply chain and new store development whilst reporting to the Merchandise, Marketing & Supply Chain Directors while collaborating with the EM head of operations. • Owned P&Ls to achieve planned growth whilst maximising value and efficiency of business operations, increasing profits and redesigning processes and operations to reduce costs while improving performance. • Led asset growth with 5 new hypermarkets under construction and several more in the pipeline.• Rebuilt the supply chain model to focus on efficiency and availability, opening a new Distribution Centre in Sarawak and then bringing in stock from West Malaysia. • Aligned product selection and market strategy with the local consumer market. Introduced everyday low prices ‘EDLP’ to specifically target competitor activity. Following execution, the business successfully redefined pricing and marketing strategies to incorporate EDLP.• Localised marketing and advertising campaigns whilst countering competitor marketing activity.• Re-structured the buying team to give a category focus which improved buying income and gross profit.• Set specific objectives for loss prevention (shrinkage) and KPI’s. • Led a commercial team of 20 buyers and marketing staff through a team of 4 direct reports being Senior Merchandise Category Managers and the Marketing Managers.

  • General manager, Sarawak, East Malaysia and Brunei

    • Jun 2011 - Jan 2014

    Reported to the Operations Director with P&L accountability for Giant and Cold Storage in Sarawak and Brunei and included Operations, Merchandise, HR, IT, Finance and loss prevention teams.• Set the commercial strategy for Sarawak and Brunei and led the development of the brand to drive market growth and establish GCH as a market leader throughout the region. • Owned the sales review and plan, gross profit and buying income review and plan, and implemented robust operational plans and strategies to overcome highly competitive and cost-driven economic conditions.• Successfully turned Sarawak Giant from a loss making business to profit within two years. • Project managed the opening of 5 new hypermarkets in the Sarawak State; overseeing each stage from fit out through to concept and then launch of the new store. Implemented SOPs and KPIs around operations management, security, supply chain, HR/workforce, and all associated operational activities.• Managed contracted out service agreements such as security and cleaning companies.• Worked in collaboration with the HR Manager on setting out workforce plans and strategies, as well as people development and recruitment across a workforce of 700+ staff.• Built and developed a high performance sales team with 5 direct reports being the Merchandise Manager, Operations Manager, Loss Prevention Manager, Auditing Manager, and HR Manager.

  • Regional Manager & Acquisitions

    • Mar 2008 - Jun 2011

    Managed regions of Hypermarkets with full P&L accountability and undertook two key projects. • Part of a team assigned to East Malaysia to turn around an ailing business which had major issues across sales, shrinkage, profitability and supply chain. • Played a key leadership role in the GCH Retail acquisition of the 18 store Bintang group. Planned and managed the renovations of the stores to the Giant footprint.

• 

  Reliance Retail (Reliance Industries - India)

  • Mumbai Area, India

  • Asst Vice president Operations

    • Mar 2007 - Feb 2008
    • Mumbai Area, India

    Reliance Retail Ltd. is a subsidiary company of Reliance Industries. Founded in 2006 and based in Mumbai, it is the largest retailer in India in terms of revenue. It has a total of 2000 stores in India with an area of approx. 9 million square feet across 155 citiesAppointed to introduce a large format organised retail in India. Plan and implement new store hypermarket openings across North India while developing the local management and setting up standard operating procedures.• Opened Reliance Retail’s first and India’s largest hypermarket (230,000 sq ft) in Ahmedabad, Gujarat State and rolled out a further 20 stores to achieve on the Board’s goals for expansion.• Defined and setup the New Store Opening (NSO) at National level, developed and implemented processes and NSO calendar according to the store size, coupled with a training kit for NSO team in the Indian States.• Coordinated the set up process between the various business verticals.

• 

  Builders Warehouse (Massmart - South Africa)

  • Johannesburg Area, South Africa

  • General Store Manager - Hypermarket

    • Mar 2005 - Feb 2007
    • Johannesburg Area, South Africa

    The Massmart Group Ltd is the third biggest retailer in Africa and the largest retailer of home improvement, general merchandise and food wholesale on the continent. Served as General Manager for a 160,000 sq foot builders warehouse store with more than 250 employees and generating sales in excess of USD 40m per annum.• Inherited an under performing and run down flagship store.• Coordinated and led a change management programme that reinforced Massmart as the Employer of Choice in the industry, whilst personally overseeing the recruitment, selection & development of the management team and staff. • Project managed a much-needed USD 3m refurbishment which coupled with the change management programme resulted in a sales increase of over 30%.

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  Shoprite Checkers South Africa

  • General Store Manager - Hypermarket

    • Apr 1999 - Mar 2005

    Managed various Hypermarkets in South Africa. • 100,000 sq foot hypers with over 80,000 sku's. • Full responsibility for the P&L. • Developing strategies for sales via local advertising, special deals, promotions, merchandising & layouts• Inventory management • Human Resources – the recruitment, selection & development of the management team and staff• Legal Requirements i.e. Occupational Health & Safety Act, Labour Relations Act, Wage Determination ActIncreased net profit by 46%. Successfully completed $6 million refurbishment and re-launched store with company record sales.

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  The Hyperama (OK Bazaars - South Africa)

  • Johannesburg Area, South Africa

  • Senior Buyer - Perishables and Fresh

    • May 1996 - Jun 1999
    • Johannesburg Area, South Africa

    To define and set up the merchandise strategy for perishables and fresh foods. To establish a central supply chain model.• Managing the gross margin• Supplier negotiations for pricing structures, deals, trading terms & promotions• Collection of adhoc promotional spend• National advertising• Price benchmarking• Maximize sales opportunities via promotional grids with suppliers• Continuous assessment of operational requirements• Production scheduling• Management of recipes & costingConsolidation of the Perishable supply chain into one focused entity. Increased Bakery gross margin from 40% to 52%.

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  The Hyperama (OK Bazaars), South Africa

  • Cape Town Area, South Africa

  • Division Manager

    • Aug 1989 - May 1996
    • Cape Town Area, South Africa

    Held various division head positions in groceries, fresh and non foods in hypermarkets in Cape Town, South Africa.

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  Asda

  • Leicester, United Kingdom

  • Department Manager

    • Sep 1986 - Jul 1989
    • Leicester, United Kingdom

    Department manager, non foods in Asda hypermarkets in the UK.