Jon Bunston Skills

Jon Bunston

Previous Roles & Skill Set

EVADO Ltd
Managing Director Sept 2004 to present
Owner and Director of Ltd company specializing in Interim, Change Management and Digital Media
• Provide Interim, Consultancy and Change Management solutions to key players & SME’s within Retail & Telecom markets
• Act as Retail & Telecoms advisor to USA & European Investors through CRG, Cognolink & Gerson Lehrman networks
• Provide Digital media solutions for Web, Travel & Motorsport markets
• Provide Domain Registration, Web Build & Hosting solutions for SME’s

DATA VISION EUROPE
Development Director Oct 2006 to Aug 2008
Reporting to MD. Responsible for Major New Product launch across three channels and achieving planned sales targets
• Undertook complete business review, defined future strategy and reorganised to deliver
• Developed & launched new Touchscreen products with Virgin Active & Healthcare sectors
• Created, Developed and brought to market “BookMuncher” a revolutionary new way of reading electronic word files and E-Books on existing PC, PDA and Mobile platforms
• Created transactional website offering free and purchasable product downloads within demanding timeframe
• Produced and brought to market a Retail boxed version and all associated marketing
• Presented BookMuncher as an Investment opportunity on BBC2’s Dragon’s Den TV series
• Delivered wide range of Press releases and radio interviews as part of product launch

WHSmith High Street
Head of Store Planning (Interim) Dec 2007 – Aug 2008
Reporting to Group Projects Director. Responsible for Store Planning Team, Delivery of store layouts to maximize profitability and deliver Brand & Design standards, Acquisition & Conversion of New stores.
• Program Managed & implemented acquisition & conversion of 7 Martin McColl stores to WHSmith ahead of plan & £200k cost saving to budget
• Devised and developed a Store Opening process that would deliver store openings quicker, cheaper and at less risk
• Managed & improved professional capability of Internal Store Planning Team of store planners and external resource
• With Commercial Development Director, produced feasibility plans to deliver additional revenues from store space, which included Bureau de Change & ATM’s

WHSmith Travel
General Manager MSA Division(Interim) Dec 2006 – Nov 2007
Reporting to COO. Responsible for the creation & management WHSmith Franchise & Road Channel within UK Motorway Service Areas and expansion of the franchise model into European marketplace.
• Program Managed & implemented complete rollout of Moto MSA stores (50) ahead of schedule and 3 months ahead of strategic plan
• Devised and developed a WHS Road Channel format that would profitably exploit the WHS brand both partners
• Worked with remaining two MSA operators to trial and then roll WHS format in their locations 6 months ahead of strategic plan, resulting in 35 additional Welcome Break stores being delivered in current financial year
• Delivered a new channel & format that generated double digit base business profit

ORANGE UK Plc
Sales Operations Manager Jan – Aug 2006
Reporting to Sales Director. Responsible for the re-branding & integration of Wanadoo ISP to Orange Broadband
• Successfully delivered new Integrated Sales Team & processes as part of business restructure
• Effectively converted Brand and Product from Wanadoo to Orange Broadband
• Creatively delivered Orange Broadband product, training and sales targets within Orange Retail Stores
• Sympathetically restructured People and Processes within Wanadoo Partner Marketing Team
• Delivered new internal ways of working to deliver targeted results in 3rd Party Retailers

RAILSTON DESIGN LTD
Internal Operations Manager Apr - Dec 2005
Reporting to MD. Responsible for all Internal Operations that supported Project Managers with the delivery of successfully completed store fit outs and large scale equipment supply
• Delivered customer focused operations that delivered against core KPI’s
• Improved Internal Operating practices that focus on improved profitability & results
• Effectively supported new board in MBO through strategic skill development & planning
• Delivered new functional website to enhance brand and future transactional proposition

SOLUTIONS R US CONSULTING
Retail & Change Management Consultant Nov 2004-Mar 2005
Self employed consultant
• Worked with Clients at Board level to Implement organizational restructure
• Produced long term business plan and strategy for phase 2 business growth
• Developed new ways of working to improve efficiency & team performance
• Minimized impact of restructure on business performance

WHSMITH
Multi Channel Implementation Manager Jun – Nov 2004
Reported to Space and Projects Director. Responsible for delivery of major store and online projects
• Successfully delivered Summer space change and refits in 540 stores within plan whilst exceeding business sales and profit objectives by incremental 2%
• Proactively project managed and delivered implementation plans for 20 in store Coffee & Mobile Phone concessions
• Implemented major change programme within Online business when it relocated from Oxford
• Managed warehouse closure & ensured stock was in place with 3rd Party suppliers ready for Xmas trading
• Developed and implemented up-rated web design to reflect Xmas offer & Trading changes
• Creatively engaged Field Team to deliver improved visibility & awareness of WHS Direct

Merchandise Operations Manager News & Entertainment BU Jun 2002 – Jun 2004
Reported to Business Unit Director. Responsible for ALL store interfacing activities and return on space for 2 Trading Business Units
• Professionally interfaced and influenced head office and field based teams to deliver news and entertainment sales and profit targets in excess of £400m
• Innovatively delivered annual 12% increase business unit sales and profit from allocated space through store layouts, store formats and fixture development
• Effectively developed head office processes and stores systems to maximise delivery to customer
• Instrumental in delivering Strategic and Business Unit Category plans into stores +4% above target
• Implemented major restructuring of Field Merchandising team that delivered £800k annual savings
• Improved store promotional compliance levels by 40% within 6 months

Project Manager - Business Systems & New Stores Oct 2001 – Jun 2002
Reported to IT and Property Directors. Responsible for management & delivery of major capital projects within Retail Channel
• Efficiently developed and delivered prototype in store customer ordering system in all UK stores to exploit existing business infrastructure.
• Responsible for delivery of Macro Space Planning System which was integrated with RETEK main frame & £24m capital expenditure
• Creatively managed £2m capital and £1m Revenue budget to deliver project to plan and cost
• Reliably projected managed and opened 5 new stores in pre Christmas period 2001 to turn around previous failings

E Commerce Manager - Clicks & Mortar Apr 2000 – Oct 2001
Reported to MD WHSmith Direct. Responsible for delivery and future strategy of Internet Kiosk and impact on Multi Channel Retailing
• Efficiently delivered 20 store "Internet Kiosks" trial and developed future UK Internet strategy
• Rapidly migrated the project to a World Class In store Customer Ordering solution for 2002
• Developed and rolled the Interactive Kiosks Format within the Books.co format across all WHS Group divisions
• Proactively created strategy on multi-channel opportunities to WHS Group businesses worldwide and utilization of WHS Direct resource
• Pivotal role in writing strategies and made global presentations on In Store Internet Kiosk Technologies

Merchandise Operations Manager - Stationery BU Jan 1998 – Apr 2000
Reported to Business Unit Director. Responsible for creating a new role, ALL store interfacing activities and return on space for Stationery & Gifting Business Unit
• Successful implementation in 550 High Street stores of Business Unit Initiatives, Promotions and Product launches
• Creatively interfaced and Influenced of all parts of Retail Head Office and Field Teams to deliver Stationery Sales & Profit targets in excess of £250m
• Delivered Business Unit profit from its space through range management, store layouts, store formats, fixture development & staff training plans
• Efficiently developed Head Office processes and stores systems to maximise efficient delivery of sales and service to High Street customers

Area, Store & Field Management (Various UK locations)
• Successfully undertook a wide range of roles in Store, Field and Area Management roles
• These included City Centre, Multi site High St Retailing and Area Management of 20+ stores, delivering sales in excess of £70m
• Delivered all Sales, Profit and Service Standard objectives in all stores and Areas under my control
• Developed high performing teams and personal progression for colleagues

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
• 3 year Accelerated Management Training Program
• Training Techniques, Manager on First Appointment, Retail Branch Management
? Integrated Younger Management, Managing Information Technology
? Advanced Management, Retail Assessment Centre
? Anderson Kiosk COM, NVQ Qualified Assessor
? Lotus Intermediate, Excel Intermediate

OTHER INFORMATION
• Devised Investment Idea and Presented to BBC Dragon’s Den 2007