Chartered Accountants Ireland North West Society’s Post

My first 100 days at Tesco have really flown by but I thought I would reflect a bit on my time so far. - Moving to a new job, and a new team after so long working in one organisation and industry could have been really difficult, but I have to say it's been made really smooth and enjoyable by my colleagues. - Even though in-house PR has similarities in the way you work and the skills you use, there are also so many differences in how companies operate that have to be taken into account. - Also, Transport for London didn't really have competitors in the same way Tesco do, but you have to do your best each day to make your company stand out rather than following the crowd. - I've discovered so many different parts of the UK I'd never heard of before, mostly from lots of local news journalist queries. The saying "All news is local news" still holds weight today even with cuts to local journalism. With stores across the country, and more planned for the coming years, it's a chance to build relationships with local outlets as well as grocery/retail/consumer industry contacts. - There have already been some exciting opportunities to get involved with and I'm gradually getting to know different people around the business. It can be easy to think you're working at a mammoth organisation until you leave for an even larger one! I look forward to making a dent in speaking to the hundreds of thousands of people across Tesco - hopefully for more positive opportunities than negative stories! - Walking to work on days in the office, having more time outside - particularly in the rare moments of ☀️ - and being around to see more of my kids has been definitely made a difference. I have more time to think about life and work, and it has taken the stress out of commuting without being at the mercy of traffic, strikes or delays. - The amount of free samples of food, drink and other bits is also something I don't think I was expecting, with brands showcasing nearly every week as well as special celebrations and festivals! Excited to see what the next 100 days have in store for me (pun intended). (I haven't taken many photos so used one of our first family trip to the seaside during annual leave 😁) #APlaceToGetOn #Tesco

Fresh new look. Same great taste. Even better #retailmedia. Just look at this best-in-class in-store activation for PepsiCo from our team at Morrisons Media Group. 😍 Our experts know exactly how to leverage the store to create media campaigns that land with impact. If a picture tells a thousand words, this store wrap tells a million. Retail media isn't just digital, and it's not just for e-commerce. The potential for retailers in the US and Canada to truly leverage their stores and in-store assets to create these bespoke #marketing opportunities for brands is huge! At the core, retail media drives revenue for retailers, grows sales for brands and creates engaging experiences for the shopper. No matter where you are on your retail media journey, Threefold's experts can help.

KultraLab is thrilled to partner with SSP Group plc on our global study 'The Secret DNA of High-Performing Teams'. We have loved getting to know this business in more depth and identifying what contributes to high performance within their frontline teams. Commenting on SSP's involvement, Lee Randall MCIPD, Head of HR Operations UK & Ireland, says, "Given our extensive portfolio we want to understand the core behaviours that drive performance and engagement across our diverse range of brands. Along with many organisations we aspire to unlock the potential of all our colleagues empowering them to be their very best. " SSP join 14 other brands involved in the study including Pret A Manger, END. CLOTHING LIMITED, All Saints, Levi Strauss & Co., Boots UK, Tesco, JOE & THE JUICE, Albertsons Companies, IKEA, Primark, JD Sports Fashion, Majid Al Futtaim, Ann Summers and British Airways. The insights gathered from our partners are helping to shape a practical behavioural framework for achieving high performance, providing organisations with a benchmark for self-assessment. The findings will be presented at the World Retail Congress in April. #thesecretdnaofhighperformingteams #highperformancebehaviours #managerbehaviours #highperformingteams #behaviourchange #kultra #AICoaching

🔎 Amazing Facts about Marks and Spencer! 🛒 Did you know Marks and Spencer has been a trendsetter in retail for over a century? Let’s dive into some fascinating facts: 🧁 M&S started with Penny Bazaar stalls selling biscuits, sweets, and more for just 1 penny! 🌱 In 2007, M&S launched their "Plan A" initiative, aiming to become the most sustainable retailer. 🌍 They've been carbon-neutral since 2012! 🍽️ In 1979, M&S were the first UK retailer to introduce microwavable meals. Today, they sell over 60 million ready meals each year! 🤯 🛍️ In 1928, M&S pioneered the concept of their own brand products, setting a new benchmark for quality. 💯 📏 In 1957, M&S conducted one of the largest sizing surveys in the UK, leading to many of the standardized sizes we use today! 👗 Swipe ➡️ to learn more about their incredible journey! #Sustainability #MarksandSpencer #MandS #RetailFacts #RetailEconomics #BusinessInsights

Whatever your personal opinions on the supermarket industry, Woolworths Supermarkets or the recent events involving Brad Banducci this is a pivot event we are watching unfold in one of Australia's biggest retailers. And I for one am sad we are losing a great leader from the supermarket ranks. If you have never worked in the supermarket industry you just don't know how tough the environment is. I and many of my friends have done it for either a good time or a long time and it is one tough MF of a role. But why? 💥 It takes an enormous beast of enthusiasm, energy, leadership and smarts to make these engines work from the smallest corners of the country to the major metropolis and everywhere in-between 💥 The businesses are literally 24/7, 362.5 days a year as one of the largest employers, logistics management hubs, working with product that has to arrive or be made fresh every single day delivered within the hours customers want to get it which has got longer and longer every year 💥 In times of crisis they feed communities, ensure towns have employment and suppliers are helped through tough trading times 💥 They literally feed nations, grow communities and keep the world turning 💥 Brad Banducci has been an incredible leader who had done this with grace, vision, consistency and enormous focus. He has cared for individuals, teams, communities and his people. He is liked, loved, enormously admired and well regarded. Yes, some loath the tactics employed by the organisation and the strategies but he is a quality, thoughtful and generous leader. I think it is deplorable that the departure of a delightful and admired leader is marked with the controversy of the ABC interview and the grocery enquiry. There are many facets to a leader, leadership and how to keep those operations running. Come across to NZ and see what a real duopoly looks like, but also come over here and try and successfully run a supermarket business at scale. Go well Brad Banducci. I know you have been one of the most successful leaders in the Woolworths Group business for years. There is an outpouring of shock and sadness and the things I will remember are all the fabulous improvements and enhancements you lead that have contributed to the supermarket sector and raising the level of excellence in retail.

Industry findings have revealed that over a quarter of owners and managers of convenience stores are now aged 30 or under, a figure that has increased over the last 12 months. With the sector changing at a pace we haven’t seen before, it’s more important than ever that we recognise, celebrate and support this young talent and their new ideas – which are vital for the future success of the independent convenience channel. Are you; an owner, manager or person with responsibilities within an independent convenience store? Or know a fellow retailer, whether that's a member of your team, a retailer you work with or a retailer who inspires you? Then why not enter into RN 30 Under Thirty? Entries close 10 August, so enter or nominate before time runs out! https://bit.ly/4dxl9uO Join us, alongside our headline partner BAT as well as supporting partners Coca-Cola Europacific Partners and Mondelēz International in shining a spotlight on young talent. #RN30UnderThirty #FutureOfRetail #YoungRetailLeaders Natalie Reeve Lindsay Hudson Charlotte Jesson Lisa Martin Megan Byrne Stefan Appleby Kate Daw Louise Banham Jack Courtez Parin Gohil

This is great to see! #supplier #collaboration and #diversity were very big talking points at this year's Manifest: The Future of Supply Chain & Logistics and some of the key takeaways included #digitalization, #diversity and #visibility with suppliers... and they are very much viewed as strategic partners! We can't wait to continue the conversations with the #supplychain community into Manifest 2025. #manifestvegas

One of the funniest things about milestones in the food and bev industry? 𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘺 if you're an incurable optimist... (which most founders have to be) You often end up celebrating as soon as you see 𝘢𝘯𝘺 glimmer of hope. In this case, I was celebrating 18 months before we reached the finish line of getting into Tesco stores. It's a talent... and a bit of a liability 😂 This message is the first message I sent to Lee Bannerman, over 18 months ago. I distinctly remember getting a response. It was a hit of serotonin. - we’ve got a shot here!!! A video call followed. I was just buzzing afterwards. I could already picture our beans shining on the shelves... The catch? He didn’t yet have a buyer looking at the canned pulse category - he was hiring for it. (as an optimist this 𝐇𝐀𝐒 to be the only reason why he wouldn't list us.... right?) Fast forward: calls, emails, sample-sending marathons, and finally, an intro to the fantastic Ashley W. Wainaina, who 𝐃𝐈𝐃 have a pulse (yes... pun intended). Was living and breathing in position. Here’s the tricky part: When a new buyer steps into their role, everyone in the category is 𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 to get some of their time. It actually must be incredibly suffocating for them - 𝘐 𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘯 𝘪𝘯𝘣𝘰𝘹 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘳 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘮𝘦 (FyxerAI, 𝘺𝘮𝘺 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦𝘴𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘳!!). In these scenarios - new brands can struggle to stand out. But we were lucky. Lucky to have people within Tesco who believed in championing innovative, sustainable, and healthy products. Lucky that Ash gave us her time and let this bean-obsessed team tell the Bold Bean Co story. And finally, after months of uncertainty, all of those lucky responses, mini-wins, and moments where we were "so sure" we had it in the bag - we recieved store list of 255 Tesco's that made it: OFFICIAL. We are celebrating big time (particularly at our Christmas party) but I suppose this is just a reflection that we have celebrated already, multiple times too! I think you have to to keep going in start ups. "Success is a journey, not a destination. The doing is often more important than the outcome."

Really proud to see our recent report exploring high performing team behaviours has now been released. This is part 1 of a global study...there will be even more to come! If you have 15 minutes, I recommend you download and read a copy! https://lnkd.in/eB_RHJ_b Our interviews and team studies reveal the key behaviours that enable teams to thrive, grow, have fun together AND deliver exceptional performance at the same time. We also share our recommendations to future-proof your consumer-facing spaces and support your managers. THANK YOU to all our research partners who have been involved so far and shared invaluable contributions, with special appreciation to the frontline managers and colleagues who generously shared their key secrets to success. Feel free to give me a message if you’d like to discuss any of these findings in detail and how they might apply to your organisational context. There are also still opportunities for you to get involved in this research and get useful insights for your business. #highperformancebehaviours #highperformanceinretail

Earlier in October, me and a bunch of our wonderful Sainsbury's colleagues attended D&I in Grocery Live, run by GroceryAid. As a headline partner for the event, it was amazing to represent Sainsbury's, share our successes and hear about what others are doing to continue championing the DE&I agenda.   It was an inspirational day - my personal highlight was Mary Portas and her vision for an inclusive retail sector that puts people at the heart of our business - our colleagues, our customers, and all the people in our supply chain who make or grow the products we sell (very close to my heart!)   A few of my (many) takeaways: ⭐ Diverse and inclusive businesses are successful businesses. By championing DE&I in your business, you are directly affecting performance and commercial viability. ⭐ DE&I should be everyone's responsibility, not the DE&I team or the senior leaders. Everyone. ⭐ We need to tackle the difficult problems head on. Go right to the heart of the problems, change will follow. ⭐ Women's confidence is critical to our success. Let's champion ourselves and others around us. Shout out to UPFRONT on spearheading the way on this.   I'd love to hear your reflections - are you seeing similar challenges? How do we truly make D&I part of everyone's role? Reach out to me in the comments ⬇ or drop me a message. All thoughts welcome!