Jack Newman: From Jack Wills to Cegid, Optimising Retail Operations

Jack Newman, Head of Onboarding Customer Success at Cegid, has had a career deeply rooted in retail. His journey from a 16-year-old sales assistant to a leader in retail operations is one of growth, mentorship, and a passion for improving efficiency in the fast-paced world of retail. In this feature, we’ll explore Newman’s experiences, lessons learned, and how he applies them to help retailers succeed worldwide.

“I’ve spent my entire working life in retail,” Newman shares, reflecting on his beginnings. He started young, working as a Christmas temp sales assistant in his local town, Bicester, known for its famous Bicester Village shopping centre. “At the time, it was really exciting,” he recalls. Like many teenagers, Newman began his retail journey as a way to earn pocket money. However, it quickly became apparent that he had found something more than just a job. “Very quickly, I realised that retail was where I belonged.”

Mentorship and Early Inspiration

One of the key influences in Newman’s early career was a manager at the Puma store where he worked. “He was a real mentor to me,” Newman emphasizes. The manager’s commitment to developing his staff, even the weekend sales assistants, made a lasting impact. “He focused highly on development… teaching us those sales skills, the customer journey, visual merchandising, everything that went into running a store.”

These early experiences solidified Newman’s love for the industry. He was captivated by the dynamic nature of retail—the competitive atmosphere, the thrill of making a sale, and the camaraderie of store teams. “I knew very quickly that I wanted to work in retail,” he says. In fact, Newman’s passion was so strong that he delayed attending university to see where retail could take him.

“It was a really big moment… looking back at when I was a 16-year-old boy starting off in retail and then managing the flagship store for a business—it was a huge accomplishment.”

That decision paid off. Newman rose through the ranks, moving from sales assistant to supervisor, assistant manager, and eventually store manager. His work with Jack Wills, a popular UK retailer, further shaped his career. Newman managed various high street stores, spent time in the U.S., and eventually took charge of the flagship store on Carnaby Street in London—a significant milestone.

“Managing the flagship store was a big achievement for me,” Newman reflects. “It was a really big moment… looking back at when I was a 16-year-old boy starting off in retail and then managing the flagship store for a business—it was a huge accomplishment.”

The Power of Store Teams

A recurring theme in Newman’s career is the importance of the store team. Whether as a store manager or in his current role, he has always believed in the power of engaged and empowered employees. “The store teams are the frontline,” he stresses. “They’re the ones that need to deliver that customer experience, demonstrate your brand values.”

Newman’s understanding of the store team’s pivotal role was a key lesson from his time as a manager. “That was a lightbulb moment for me,” he explains, recognizing that no matter how perfect things are from a head office perspective, it’s the store staff that need to execute. “They’re the ones that need to deliver that customer experience.”

This lesson would carry forward as Newman transitioned from managing stores to overseeing retail operations. His work with Jack Wills allowed him to move to head office, where he took on the role of Retail Operations Manager. In this position, Newman focused on improving the efficiency of stores across the company’s entire estate. “I used that experience to move into retail operations and communications,” he says, where his goal was to streamline processes and help other store managers succeed.

Streamlining Operations for Success

In his retail operations role, Newman’s attention to detail was paramount. “We were a hands-on team, and we wanted to know every detail,” he explains. From the moment employees walked into the store to the time they left, Newman analyzed every aspect of their day. This hands-on approach allowed him to find inefficiencies and implement solutions.

One such instance stands out to Newman. “We once asked a store to print off the number of emails they’d received from head office in a week,” he recalls. The result was a stack of over 100 emails—an overwhelming number for any store manager to sift through. “It was little things like that,” he says, where they identified “noise” that was taking staff away from their core focus—serving customers. By cutting down on unnecessary communications, Newman helped improve store efficiency, a practice he continues to apply in his current work.

Cegid and the Full-Circle Journey

Newman’s expertise in retail operations eventually led him to Cegid, where he now helps retailers around the world improve their operational efficiencies. “It’s kind of come full circle,” Newman says with a smile. His current role at Cegid involves working closely with customers to optimize their in-store processes using the Cegid platform, a software solution focused on retail operations and communications.

“What I love about it is that I get to talk to retailers every day about the problems they have in their stores.”

“I use all of my expertise from my time in retail to help other retailers achieve their goals,” Newman explains. As Head of Onboarding, he guides retailers through the process of implementing the Cegid platform, ensuring that they can maximize its benefits. His goal is simple: to empower store teams so they can deliver a consistent brand experience to customers.

This global perspective has allowed Newman to witness the challenges faced by retailers of all sizes. From small UK-based businesses to global chains with thousands of stores, Newman works with them all. “What I love about it is that I get to talk to retailers every day about the problems they have in their stores and help them achieve their goals,” he shares. The satisfaction of seeing retailers succeed is, to him, akin to making a big sale on the shop floor—one of the reasons he still finds retail so exhilarating.

Empowering Retail Teams

One of Newman’s proudest achievements at Cegid has been the development of tools that empower store teams. “We’ve released a number of store team engagement features over the last 12 months,” he says. These tools allow head office teams to communicate directly with employees on the shop floor, ensuring that everyone is aligned with the company’s vision and goals. “It’s not just about communicating with store managers anymore,” Newman emphasizes. “It’s about communicating with every single employee.”

This approach has had significant results, particularly with one large global retailer that Newman worked closely with. “We launched new features to over 10,000 employees,” he recalls, “and the feedback was fantastic.” For Newman, this was another moment of pride, knowing that his work was making a tangible difference on such a large scale.

Looking Ahead: The Future of Retail

As Newman continues to help retailers streamline their operations, he remains acutely aware of the evolving retail landscape. The rise of experiential retail, the growing importance of sustainability, and the ever-changing demands of customers are all challenges that retailers must navigate. However, with the right tools and strategies, Newman believes that retailers can thrive.

“Retail is constantly changing, and it’s more important than ever for retailers to stay ahead of the curve,” Newman advises. By focusing on efficiency, empowering store teams, and delivering a consistent brand experience, retailers can meet the challenges of the future head-on.

In Jack Newman’s journey, the lessons of the sales floor still ring true—store teams are the key to success.■