Dubai, United Arab Emirates
As Vice President Retail for Shoemart, Shoexpress and Pablosky, I lead the largest fashion footwear retail businesses in the Middle East, overseeing operations across 100+ stores and multi-market teams in the UAE, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and Bahrain. My mandate is simple: drive growth, elevate customer experience, and build a retail organisation that performs with grit, discipline, agility, and purpose. With 20+ years in retail leadership, I’ve shaped businesses through rapid market shifts, large-scale expansions, and transformation programmes that unlock sustainable, measurable results. I believe growth is built on the shopfloor, delivered through people, and sustained through Customer Obsession, a philosophy I’ve embedded across service models, operations, and culture. I lead cross-functional transformations that strengthen our commercial engine, accelerate productivity, and elevate the customer journey. Core Areas of Impact: ✔ Multi-Market Retail Leadership - Driving performance across GCC markets with scale, speed and operational precision. ✔ Commercial Excellence - Strengthening profitability, category performance and execution through structured, data-led frameworks. ✔ Transformation Delivery - Designing and implementing programs that reshape service, stock efficiency, and frontline capability. ✔ Customer Obsession - Embedding behaviours, tools and culture that redefine the Middle East footwear shopping experience. ✔ High-Performance Culture - Building teams that operate with accountability, empowerment and the “I’ve Got Your Back” mindset. Retail continues to evolve at incredible speed. I thrive in environments where ambition is high, decisions are fast, and customer impact is non-negotiable. My purpose is to build retail businesses that win through people, culture, discipline, and relentless execution.
SHOEMART is the largest footwear retailer in the Middle East. Part of the Landmark Group, SHOEMART was founded in Dubai in March 1990 and has since expanded to over 163 stores across 13 countries worldwide. Featuring an extensive collection of fashionable, contemporary footwear and bags, as well as a vast array of accessories, our products walk the line between trendy and classic. In addition to our in house brands Celeste, Dash, Haadana, Le Confort, Lulu - Loves Celeste, Love our Planet, Ipanema; SHOEMART proudly represents international brands such as Pablosky, Asics, New Balance, DISNEY, ELLE, Kangaroos, Kappa, LEE COOPER, Adidas, Nike, Puma, Reebok, Skechers, Missy, Kendall & Kylie. Our vision is to be on the feet of every customer in the Middle East, to be the first choice of footwear for all occasions, offering great quality & comfort in the most relevant fashion trends which appeal to everyone at an affordable price.
Started in 2009, Shoexpress aims to offer customers a real value experience, through an extensive assortment of fashionable footwear and accessories at truly unbelievable prices. It currently operates more than 110 stores across the Middle East & North Africa. Shoexpress offers a true value experience for the entire family through an extensive range of footwear & accessories at an unbelievable everyday value. "EXPRESS YOURSELF, FOR LESS"
Initiated, developed, and implemented innovative growth strategies generating $85M turnover; leveraged market insights while defining procedures to improve success rates for the acquisition and development of new business across UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, and Bahrain. Key achievements: • Oversaw sales strategy definition and implementation while embedding staff and processes in preparation for sales. • Created full organizational chart; from brand-centric to a focus on regional operations management. • Reduced wasted travel times having combined both ALDO and ACC stores based on geography. • Recruited talented regional management to facilitate store operations, resulting in enhanced performance and profitability. • Restructured recruitment process, store, and regional management best practices. • Implemented “Big Four” assessment training tool and inter-departmental weekly strategy meetings, across all regions in accordance with "Service Leadership" principles.
Country General Sales & Operations Manager of Aldo Group KSA which consists of three international brands Aldo Shoes, Aldo Accessories and Call it Spring. A total of 105 stores divided into 3 regions East (Dammam) 22 stores, West (Jeddah) 44 stores and Central (Riyadh) 39 stores. Group expansion plans will see us open a further 4 stores in this financial year which will increase brand awareness further still. I report directly to the KSA Executive BU Head and within the business, I have over 400 staff and 10 direct reports. 3 Regional Brand Managers, 6 Area Managers and VM & Marketing Manager. My role covers, but is not limited to the following: • Advocates / promote organisation change related to organisation mission. • Supports motivation of employees in organisation products/programs and operations. • Looks to the future for change opportunities. • Oversee the operation of all departments which include HR, Retail Sales, Brand Management, Training, Operations, Construction, Inventory Management, Logistics, Finance, Visual Merchandising, and Marketing. • Providing executive leadership. • Develop an organisational environment that promotes positive staff morale and performance. • Influencing and further developing relationships with our Brand Partner. Responsible for all aspects of running the business which covers meeting sales and profitability targets, maintaining brand integrity through visual and people standards, HR/Operations management, loss prevention and Marketing.
Directed sales and store operations district-wide for Europe’s largest shoe retailer with stores throughout 24 countries. Provided team with training, support, guidance, and motivation with a focus on Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and surpassing challenging objectives. Key achievements: • Boosted sales opportunities through strategic communications. • Built a talented team of store managers; embedded culture of customer service and operational excellence. • Headed new store openings, closures, and/or relocations. • Prepared, submitted, and executed a one-year business plan to the Board of Directors encompassing cost control, staff retention, recruitment and staff promotion six months ahead of schedule. • Project Managed the new S2H (Ship to Home) e-commerce initiative. • Produced and embedded the “New Deichmann Spirit” to enhance operational performance. • Project managed and executed a “Basic Rota”, implemented across all UK Deichmann store operations. • Pivotal in the district being recognised as “The Hub” for future Managers to join and train.
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