Experience

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  Neat

  • London Area, United Kingdom

  • UK & Europe Operations Director

    • Apr 2023 - Present
    • London Area, United Kingdom

    Oversight of all corporate and franchise activities for the UK & European markets for a fast-paced vegan start-up venture encompassing retail, CPG, and B2B. Well capitalized, with aggressive expansion plans in the pipeline. Remit includes operations, HR, supply chain, maintenance, development, acquisitions, IT/systems, marketing, and finance.

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  Tahir Group

  • London Area, United Kingdom

  • Group Operations & Development Director

    • Oct 2020 - Apr 2023
    • London Area, United Kingdom

    Brought to the group to set and implement the 5 year strategic growth plan to double our group turnover from £40 million to £80 million. Three brands operational with KFC (41 units), Starbucks (3 units), and GDK (2 units). Five new store openings in 2021, seven in 2022, and led the acquisition of a portfolio of KFC stores from another franchisee into our business. Responsible for operations, people, P&L, acquisitions, maintenance, budgets, construction, and development across all three brands.Awards Won:2021 – KFC UKI: Franchisee of the year & Best Guest Experience2022 – KFC UKI: Franchisee of the year & World class leader (individual)2023 – KFC UKI: Team of the Year

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  KFC UK & Ireland

  • England & Scotland

  • Regional Manager

    • Jan 2016 - Oct 2020
    • England & Scotland

    Responsible for all operations and full P&L and budgeting accountability for region of KFC and Pizza Hut restaurants, growing to a portfolio of 63 restaurants across 2 regions located throughout England and Scotland, developing a team of 8 Area Managers and encompassing 1500 employees with highest sales turnover region in group with sales of £80 million. Strategic planning to build a high performing team to unlock sales and profit potential. Key influencer and decision maker around operations platform across the group with involvement in leading business wide projects to improve operations, efficiency, and profitability. Built key relationships across various functions across the group and wider KFC UKI business.

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  KFC Tanzania

  • Country General Manager

    • Feb 2012 - Dec 2015

    Recruited to set up the structure and strategic planning to open the KFC market and lead the development of the business in Tanzania, on behalf of the East African franchisee for KFC. Key responsibilities included the management of the supply chain/logistics functions, accounts, budgets, full group P&L, full marketing calendar/menu, recipes/new product development, POS database, site identification, lease negotiations, construction/development, internal communications and overseeing daily business operations. There was a staff complement of over 100 with three stores open, and was in the process of developing a further two units which became operational at the beginning of 2016.

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  Chickin Tyme

  • South Africa

  • Brand Manager

    • Jan 2009 - Jan 2012
    • South Africa

    Chickin Tyme was a new franchised flame grilled chicken concept. Recruited by the franchisor to bring the concept to life, manage all of the day to day operations and strategic planning for the brand. Key responsibilities included creation of the menu, recipes, training modules, procedures, operations manual and staff recruitment/development, with key involvement in procurement, store design, brand identity creation, point of sale database creation and the marketing calendar. The brand had initially 3 outlets, with various potential franchisees searching for available, suitable sites for the concept rollout at point of relocating to Tanzania.

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  Nando's South Africa

  • Restaurant General Manager

    • Jan 2005 - Dec 2008

    Managing the second ever Nando’s opened which was a flagship store, and was located in Savoy Johannesburg. The international head office of Nando’s was situated above the store and we were used as a training facility for the franchisees, both local and international, as well as trading to the public in the form of deliveries/full table service/drive through/and take-away. Key responsibilities included day to day running of the store operations, health and safety, customer satisfaction, marketing, stock ordering/issuing, sales, budgets, rosters, hiring, cash control, training and development.