Ken Wilkinson
Belmont,QLD
Summary
Accomplished Senior Sales and Operations Manager, holding over 20 years in retail operations, merchandise planning, and human resources. Experienced in a variety of retail business models and product categories, from fast paced airport retail to consumer electronics and optical. Professional leader with multinational retailers such as EssilorLuxottica, Samsung, and Lagardere Services Asia Pacific. Strong track record with proven success in business analysis, re-structuring business models, and HR development. Energetic, passionate leader with proven ability to identify profit driving opportunities across multiple business units. Successful in executing key initiatives and creating a positive culture of fun, ownership, and growth across the business.
Overview
18
18
years of professional experience
Work History
Regional Sales Manager
EssilorLuxottica
05.2015 - Current
- Over the past eight years, I have successfully managed three distinct regions across two states as a Regional Manager, overseeing up to 29 stores
- My leadership has been instrumental in developing Store Managers into future business leaders
- Over the past five years, I have consistently met budgetary goals and transformed underperforming stores into profitable entities
- Performance Enhancement: Challenge Store Managers to identify and overcome barriers to performance and goal achievement
- Revenue Maximization: Develop and execute initiatives to maximize Eyecare revenue, focusing on technologies like Optos scans, optimizing optometry labour efficiencies, and ensuring appropriate Medicare billing
- Market Insight: Identify and interpret marketplace information to provide valuable insights, ensuring EssilorLuxottica’s success against steep competition
- Oversee 32 Store Managers and a staff structure of over 200 employees
- Stakeholder Engagement: Actively participate in Daily conference calls with key stakeholders to drive progressive direction and achieve premium operational excellence
- Competitor Analysis: Analyse significant competitors to understand their business offerings, strategies, and differentiating characteristics
- Leadership and Accountability: Set the tone through personal actions, creating an environment where values are prioritized, and individuals are held accountable for their actions
- Expansion and Profitability: In 2019, at the business’s request, I took on an additional 11 stores in the NSW mid-coast region to identify business deficiencies and implement a profitable business model
- Within a year, all stores were profitable, and labour costs were streamlined within budget
- Franchise Integration: Led the buyback of four franchise OPSM stores into the corporate business while ensuring the existing franchisee retained two stores and maintained their financial success
- Crisis Management: Managed the temporary closure of 50% of the Luxottica network during the initial COVID-19 period, creating Hub stores to maintain quality eyecare and optical services for customers while major competitors were closed
- Strategic Presentations: Confidently presented business strategies at major Luxottica roadshows, focusing on staff and business structures and premium customer service
- Store Re-fits and Relocations: Managed the re-fit of seven stores, relocating staff and optometrists to minimize financial loss during temporary closures
- Pioneered trading an OPSM store out of a Laubman and Pank store during re-fit to further reduce financial impact
- Local Marketing Strategy: Presented and implemented a local marketing strategy with major shopping centres to better understand the customer journey
- Led centre and marketing managers through presentations to highlight differences in optical businesses, enhancing appreciation for our lens options, frame quality, and optometry technology
National Sales Manager
Samsung Electronics Australia
01.2013 - 01.2015
- As the National Sales Manager, I successfully led the Samsung Brand Ambassador Program, enhancing consumer engagement at the retail level and driving a significant increase in Samsung sales
- I established and maintained a highly professional sales team dedicated to delivering an exceptional Samsung experience to customers
- Recruited, trained, and managed a professional sales team to ensure a consistent approach in listening to and qualifying customer needs, thereby delivering the best possible customer experience
- Led a team of 80-120 Brand Ambassadors, managed a wages budget of $7 million, and was responsible for achieving annual sales exceeding $60 million
- Supervised seven Senior Brand Ambassadors across the country, ensuring alignment with national sales strategies and objectives
- Developed a comprehensive 12-week onboarding program in collaboration with the training team, aimed at creating a best-in-class, professional onboarding experience
- This program effectively identified employee strengths and weaknesses, resulting in a 23% increase in Samsung Brand Ambassador Sales, exceeding $60 million per year in 2014/15 compared to the previous sales period
- Designed and implemented a competitive commission structure for the Samsung Brand Ambassador program, which enhanced profitability by 15% and reduced staff turnover by 30%
- Upskilled the sales team through the creation and implementation of targeted programs and seminars
- These covered areas such as account sales and growth, sales of emerging products and multi-product sales, profitability, improved presentation strategies, competitive strategies, optimal use of sales support, and management of expenses and business/financial issues on contracts
- Managed the operational aspects of the Samsung Harvey Norman conference in 2015 and led strategic initiatives for the event
Regional Manager
Lagardere Services Asia Pacific
01.2007 - 01.2013
- Company Overview: A leading multi-national travel retail company, specializing in providing exceptional retail experiences across major airports, rail networks, and bus terminals both domestically and internationally
- The company offers a diverse range of shopping options, including high-end fashion, duty-free products, Lonely Planet guides, Tech2Go gadgets, as well as books and convenience items
- Led a team of 218 employees, including 14 direct reports, with a focus on recruiting and developing future business leaders while establishing a robust financial foundation
- Oversaw operations for 18 stores and 3 warehouses, achieving annual sales exceeding $60 million
- Authored annual budgets and forecasting updates and developed and implemented tactical strategies to drive business growth
- A leading multi-national travel retail company, specializing in providing exceptional retail experiences across major airports, rail networks, and bus terminals both domestically and internationally
- The company offers a diverse range of shopping options, including high-end fashion, duty-free products, Lonely Planet guides, Tech2Go gadgets, as well as books and convenience items
- Directed a store redevelopment project as part of Sydney Airport’s $600 million expansion, overseeing the closure of 4 stores and the opening of 7 new ones
- Designed and implemented staff training and development programs based on a detailed analysis of previous performance, consistently achieving a 90% mystery shopper satisfaction rate
Education
Diploma of Business Retail -
Australian Retail Association
Who moved my cheese? -
Borders
Turning managers into leaders -
MCA Institute – LS Retail
Interviewing certificate -
S.T.A.R Recruitment
Leadership Discovery Journey -
Samsung
Managing Dilemmas and making decisions -
Samsung
Leading our People – Striving for achievement -
Samsung
Enhancing capability and development -
Samsung
Skills
- Assessing Business Structures
- Strategic Planning
- Financial Analysis
- Communication
- Negotiation
- Conflict Resolution
- Change Management
- Transparent Management
- Retail Location Management
Accomplishments
- Increased sales 7.8 % by developing new marketing initiatives.
- Spearheaded development of Rayban Meta sales program.
- Recruited and developed countless staff to get them to be the sales professionals that they are now.
Business Experience
- Luxottica QLD NNSW, Regional Sales Manager, 01/01/15, Present, Performance Enhancement, Revenue Maximization, Market Insight, Stakeholder Engagement, Competitor Analysis, Leadership and Accountability, Expansion and Profitability, Franchise Integration, Crisis Management, Strategic Presentations, Store Re-fits and Relocations, Local Marketing Strategy
- Samsung Electronics Australia, National Sales Manager, 01/01/13, 12/31/15, Recruited, trained, and managed a professional sales team, Led a team of 80-120 Brand Ambassadors, Supervised seven Senior Brand Ambassadors, Developed a comprehensive 12-week onboarding program, Designed and implemented a competitive commission structure, Upskilled the sales team, Managed the operational aspects of the Samsung Harvey Norman conference
- Lagardere Services Asia Pacific, Regional Manager Sydney Domestic and international Airports, 01/01/07, 12/31/13, Led a team of 218 employees, Oversaw operations for 18 stores and 3 warehouses, Authored annual budgets and forecasting updates, Directed a store redevelopment project, Designed and implemented staff training and development programs
Qualifications And Professional Development
- Diploma of Business Retail - Australian Retail Association
- Who moved my cheese? (Spencer Johnson) - Borders
- Turning managers into leaders - MCA Institute – LS Retail
- Interviewing certificate - S.T.A.R Recruitment
- Leadership Discovery Journey - Samsung
- Managing Dilemmas and making decisions - Samsung
- Leading our People – Striving for achievement - Samsung
- Enhancing capability and development - Samsung
Key Capabilities
- Assessing Business Structures
- Strategic Planning and Financial Analysis
- Communication and Negotiation
- Transparent Management
- Retail Location Management
Timeline
Regional Sales Manager
EssilorLuxottica
05.2015 - Current
National Sales Manager
Samsung Electronics Australia
01.2013 - 01.2015
Regional Manager
Lagardere Services Asia Pacific
01.2007 - 01.2013
Who moved my cheese? -
Borders
Turning managers into leaders -
MCA Institute – LS Retail
Interviewing certificate -
S.T.A.R Recruitment
Leadership Discovery Journey -
Samsung
Managing Dilemmas and making decisions -
Samsung
Leading our People – Striving for achievement -
Samsung
Enhancing capability and development -
Samsung
Diploma of Business Retail -
Australian Retail Association
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