Brigid Davidson

Experience

• 

  Booker Group

  Oct 1985 - Jul 1990

  Assistant Buyer

  Started as Management Trainee in Washing,Tyne & Wear and moved to Manchester as Department Manager. In 1989 joined the Buying Team at Head Office as an Assistant Buyer working on Chilled and Frozen Foods. Worked on New Store Opening Team for Leicester store in 1989 as Buying Coordinator.

• 

  Co-op

  Jul 1990 - Jul 1995

  Buyer

  Buying experience on Chilled,Fresh and Frozen categories. Lead negotiator for buying synergies following purchase of Lo Cost stores in 1994

• 

  SAFEWAY STORES

  Jul 1995 - Dec 1996

  Buying Category Manager

  Responsible for Ice Cream and Desserts and negotiated high profile weekly deals. Developed range of premium desserts and ice cream.

• 

  Iceland Foods

  Dec 1996 - Dec 2014

  Following a re structure of the buying team, promoted to Head of Trading with responsibility for 5 Category Managers and a total team of 31. Developed and refined the commercial evaluation of cost of goods and promotional support. Managing supplier relationships at the most senior level and key direction on negotiations. Delivered a leadership programme for the total team focusing on corporate and personal responsibility and accountability. Promoted in to a new role and responsible for the management and leadership of 2 Category Managers and a total team of 13.Training and the development of commercial expertise of existing and trainee buyers a key part of my role. Negotiation and promotional planning to maximise sales and profit growth. Successfully launched 'Love Produce' to stores to drive sales and market share of the produce catgeory, resulting in ''Convenience Retailer of the Year 2013' from the Fresh Produce Consortium A step up to manage a bigger and more challenging business with sales over £780m. Developed key relationships with the big branded suppliers at a senior level and negotiated strong consumer offers to drive sales of Grocery within Iceland. As part of the Senior Leadership Development Programme, designed and re launched the Performance Management Process for Head Office. Worked with the Legal Team to ensure robust implementation of GSCOP legislation. Promototed to Category Manager responsible for a team of 8 and a turnover of £430m.Delivered a structured trading strategy,moved forward supplier plans and relationships and implemented a team skills development programme.Instigated a strategic change to the purchasing of Produce to maximise the sales and profit growth in this key category. Joined Iceland as Desserts and Ice Cream Senior Buyer and after four years moved on to the Chilled team.Responsibilities included cost price negotiation, joint business planning with suppliers,overrider negotiation and new product development.

  • Head of Buying

    May 2013 - Dec 2014

  • Category Controller ,Grocery and Fresh

    Jul 2011 - May 2013

  • Category Manager , Grocery

    Sept 2008 - Jul 2011

  • Category Manager , Chilled and Fresh

    Nov 2005 - Sept 2008

  • Senior Buyer

    Dec 1996 - Nov 2005
• 

  Blakemore Trade Partners Limited/Blakemore Retail

  Jan 2015 - Oct 2016

  Trading Director

  Joined AFB in January 2015 as Trading Director for Blakemore Trade Partners and Blakemore Retail. Responsible for Trading, Space Planning and Inventory Management. Working with Spar Trade Partners and company owned stores to maximise sales and profit through a relevant customer offer for Convenience retailing. Team development, strategic supplier relationships, waste and inventory reduction and cost price reduction all major focus of my role.

• 

  Cable Bay Consulting Ltd

  Apr 2017 - now

  Director
• 

  CAble Bay Consulting

  Apr 2017 - now

  Buying Consultant
• 

  T.J.Morris Ltd

  May 2017 - now

  Buying Consultant
• 

  Menter a Busnes

  Nov 2018 - now

  Buying Consultant