Skill set
Industry fields of expertise
Richard in a few words
A high-profile commercial leader with deep expertise in retail transformation, store format and concept development, omni-channel retail revolution, space & range optimisation and AI-driven decision-making.
Proven ability to design and deliver large scale change, aligning business priorities with customer-centric, data led decision making. Extensive experience in leading multi-billion pound transformation programmes, optimising operating models, and embedding governance and processes.
Experience
- ReBar ConsultingFounder, DirectorJanuary 2019 - January 2024 (5 years)
- Flexible Engagement Model: Operating across short-term advisory roles and longer-term leadership appointments, delivering high-impact transformational change
- Strategic Retail & CPG Partnerships: Partnered with global retailers, brands and CPG firms to optimise costs, improve governance, and implement AI-powered decision-making frameworks.
- Business Model & Operating Transformation: Delivered £250m+ in efficiency savings through business model restructuring, AI-powered analytics, and strategic operating model shifts.
- Retail & Digital Innovation: Supported businesses in developing future-state retail formats, embedding AI into space, range, and commercial strategies, and driving customer engagement.
- Marks & Spencer (M&S)Director, Space / Store TransformationJanuary 2020 - January 2024 (4 years)
- Estate & Space Transformation: Led transformation across 350 stores (£5bn sales, Clothing, Home, Beauty), identifying £1bn+ revenue opportunity through range optimisation, store format redesigns, and omnichannel alignment. Introduced brands across the estate and brand new categories.
- AI & Data-Led Strategy: Introduced AI-powered insights, embedding predictive analytics, digital and systems transformation into commercial and store planning, step-changing P&L performance
- Customer & Commercial Growth: Built a ‘customer, catchment, competitor and contribution’ strategy, contributing to 100s millions in revenue uplift and protecting Online.
- Space & Range Optimisation: rebuilt the Space Strategy and defined a brand-new operating model. Drove store performance by redefining category allocations, store blueprints and optimising the end-to-end range and assortment planning with brand new capabilities and insights.
- Cross-Functional Leadership: Redefined the end-to-end store development process, incl governance and decision making. Built a brand-new ‘Customer’ Op Model to embed omni-channel. Redefined cross-business metrics to harmonise teams through a ‘When is Good, Good’ programme of change.
- English HeritageRetail & Development DirectorJanuary 2012 - January 2015 (3 years)
- Strategic & Commercial Leadership: Managed a £50m revenue business, leading 5,000+ employees and volunteers, across 412 sites.
- Retail & Hospitality Transformation: Overhauled retail, online, product, hospitality, and film operations, reducing working capital by 20%, aligning teams on profitability & customer experience.
- Membership & Engagement Growth: Increased membership by 180k through strategic estate master-planning, customer engagement initiatives and unlocking brand potential.
- Cultural Change & Leadership: Cultivated a culture of democratic engagement, improving team satisfaction by 35%, through furloughs and periods of operational transition.
Recommendations
Education
- DegreeStaffordshire University1998Psychology