Halford

I’m a planner. I like order, and that lends itself well to delivering technology and solving problems. So being in third-party brands, working on things that M&S hasn’t done before… that plays to my sweet spot.

I’m accountable for all the technology that underpins our third-party brands business. And as it’s a comparatively new business unit that’s only been going for two years, that means ensuring we’ve got the right capabilities in place to scale.

For third-party brands, such as Nobody’s Child and Clinique, all the design work has already been managed externally, so what we’re doing is getting those products in front of our customers online or in store as quickly as possible. Our technologies influence how those brands communicate with us: how they share their data, how we ingest and enrich it internally, and how, from a customer perspective, the process can be as seamless as buying M&S own-brand products.

I also look after sustainability, traceability, and sourcing within Clothing & Home, which means my role is incredibly varied. For example, we help provide an accurate view of our progress towards net-zero by modelling our emissions, and we increase confidence in our supply chain by tracing fibres from farm to garment.

I think the way that we’re structured means you’re encouraged to go that extra mile, and you are given a fair amount of autonomy to solve problems and make progress quickly. I’ve worked in many organisations throughout my career, in start-ups, retail, sourcing, production, and software, and it’s rare to be able to see such cause and effect in your work. When I look back on what my impact has been, I get a massive amount of satisfaction as a result. 

There are definitely places I’ve worked where I’ve almost felt like I’m a number. But here, you feel connected to the whole business. I know personally how the help and support that I’ve had from leaders over the years have impacted me in terms of how I interact with others and how I’ve been able to manage my career. And I want to show people that there is a path for progression for people who look like me.

My advice to new joiners would be to join the Culture & Heritage Network. It’s not just for people from minority ethnic backgrounds: we also have allies who amplify underrepresented voices and help to support future change.