Dario M. - Business Consultant

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Kaarst, Germany

Experience

Oct 2023 - Present

2 years

Düsseldorf, Germany

On-site

Managing Director / Interim Manager

CWF

P&L responsibility for 7 countries in Europe (DACH, Northern Europe), company transformation project, stabilizing day-to-day operations, developing a clear omni-channel strategy in each market, identifying quick wins and strategic projects to improve performance and speed up change

Feb 2022 - Sep 2023

1 year 8 months

Germany

Business Consultant

Parfümerie Douglas GmbH

Consulting project for the restructuring and digital transformation of the group
Support on strategic projects and decisions
Financial tracking for the SOP (Store Optimization Program)
Investor relations
Sparring partner for the country and group CEO and CFO

Oct 2021 - Jan 2022

4 months

Germany

Business Consultant

Parfümerie Douglas GmbH

Consulting project in cross-channel
PO responsibility for Ship from Store
Defining the strategic direction for in-store cross-channel services (Ship from Store, Click & Collect, Reserve & Collect, marketplace, etc.)
Building the future IT landscape and processes for more than 2,000 stores in Europe

Nov 2019 - Dec 2020

1 year 2 months

Germany

Business Consultant

Rose Bikes GmbH

Main areas: sales, marketing & e-commerce
Development of online and offline strategy
Category management, supply chain management & visual merchandising
Successful implementation of omni-presence and services

Jan 2018 - Aug 2019

1 year 8 months

Gevelsberg, Germany

CEO

Matratzen Concord DACH

8 direct reports, 180 employees at head office, 850 stores, approx. 2,300 employees in the DACH region
Functional and disciplinary leadership of the management team, including: Purchasing, Marketing, Sales, Finance, E-commerce, HR and IT/Logistics
Building the online business and its infrastructure
Developing the needed omnichannel mindset and culture for the shift to a future-proof digital business model
Restructuring measures to stabilize the core business
Launch and strengthening of the online shop through technical optimization and more focus on UX topics
Placement of private labels on Amazon
Successful leader of the digital transformation in the company
Establishing a modern leadership and performance culture (including monitoring tools for e-commerce: online reviews, Google Analytics, online marketing, performance on Amazon vs own website)
Increasing market share and market penetration in various target sectors

Jan 2015 - Nov 2017

2 years 11 months

Managing Director

Pimkie Germany & Austria

10 direct reports, approx. 50 employees at headquarters, 150 stores, approx. 1,200 employees
Digitalization of the two entities in Germany and Austria and strong driver for digitalization of the entire group in Europe
Development of an aggressive promotional sales strategy and at the same time building a strong, quality- and fashion-oriented brand image (PR, blog, social networks, loyalty card program)
Building the omnichannel presence (retail, web, app) to ensure a consistent image and coherent strategy across all channels
Increased e-commerce share by 100%
Increased the number of loyalty card holders by 300% in Germany (1 in 2 customers has a loyalty card)
Successful launch of the loyalty card program in Austria
Met budget targets
Successful repositioning of the brand (from "teen" to "young women" brand)

Mar 2013 - Dec 2014

1 year 10 months

Managing Director

Stefanel Germany & Austria

5 direct reports, 50 stores, approx. 300 employees
Optimized the store network through relocations, closures and openings to improve company profitability
Developed the multi-channel sales strategy (retail, web, outlets, franchising, shop-in-shop formats)
Negotiated with franchisees and business partners
Strong improvement in profitability for the German and Austrian markets

Jun 2010 - Feb 2013

2 years 9 months

France

International Concept Director

Decathlon

Headed the concept department at the corporate head office with 13 direct reports and 23 team members, 600 stores worldwide
Responsible for the international store concept of the Decathlon umbrella brand in 19 countries and for sourcing store fixtures and merchandising materials
Designed and set the strategy for shop-in-shop concepts for the group's 20 private labels both in-store and online
Member of the supervisory board of Decathlon's private label Geonaute
Increased sales by 10%
Achieved sales target of €7.5 billion worldwide in 2011
Reduced costs by 15%
80 store openings per year

Apr 2006 - May 2010

4 years 2 months

Germany

Regional Manager

Decathlon

Responsible for existing stores and new openings
Selected locations and developed the appropriate product/market strategy
Built a network of regional decision-makers in politics and business and established strategic partnerships across Germany
Revenue and EBITDA 20% above budget

Oct 2001 - Mar 2006

4 years 6 months

United Kingdom

Department Manager, Operations Manager, Store Manager

Decathlon

Sales areas up to approx. 8,000 m2, approx. 200 employees and 10 direct reports.
Responsible for budget, P&L, merchandise selection, store layout, communication strategy and location-specific merchandising
Gross profit and EBITDA 15% above budget in both stores

Summary

With around 20 years of experience in retail (focused on FMCG, especially fashion, sports, furniture and perfumery) and 10 years in C-level roles, I can offer a wide consulting range. My strong execution skills in operations also qualify me for interim management assignments at managing director or CEO level. My international work in England, France and Italy demonstrates my ability to perform in multicultural settings and my language skills. I can be deployed in both growth situations and in turnaround or restructuring environments based on my own practical experience in these contexts.