Gio Najar

Highly impactful Chief Executive Officer, with 10yrs + experience & expertise across Digital, Ecom, Branding, Marketing Communications, Technology, Operations, Finance, Wholesale, Buying, Manufacturing, People & Culture.

• Successfully created, managed & scaled a premium fashion brand startup to a £20 Million Net Turnover within 10 years
• Extensive understanding of the market, a critical thinker and proven track record of navigating an ever-changing, fast paced industry
• Highly focused on minimizing risk and maximizing opportunity with a fluid and open-minded approach to business solutions
• Strategically minded with a goal oriented directional approach
• Exceptionally innovative with a desire to challenge and disrupt the market
• Data driven, with a test and learn approach to growth or implementing change
• Enjoys planning to achieve any objective but fully adaptable to change and unforeseen circumstances
• Not afraid to take responsibility with the confidence to make bold decisions and think ‘outside the box’ when required
• A supportive leader that values the importance of a trusted positive upbeat team & culture
• Willingness to work hard, a team player with a ‘can-do’ attitude
• Able to reach out to a wide network of contacts to accelerate company growth and build long lasting partnerships
• Excited by new projects & big dreams!

Chi Chi Collection Ltd (CEO & Co Founder) 2011 - 2024

• Created Chi Chi London brand with an aim to create an ‘inclusive & expressivefashion brand that celebrates You’
• Consistently delivered profitable performance of Chi Chi with Net Sales of £20 Million (FY22) +10% YOY across multiple channels
• Successfully Launched the brand in major UK retailers including ASOS, Selfridges, John Lewis & Next, Simply Be
• Launched the brand worldwide into an array of partners like Zalando, Nordstrom, Hudsons Bay & Al Shaya
• Wholesale & Concessions driving £9 Million Net Demand + 5% YOY
• Marketing Specialist - Responsible for delivering and evolving brand identity & values, 360 marketing multi-channel strategy, social channels (Instagram 283K +20% YOY, Tik Tok 173K +100% YOY – Viral Shaugnha video go to 1.1 Million likes on one video organically, Facebook 500K +20% YOYlikes, Pinterest, Twitter, Snapchat)
• Managing a marketing budget of £2 Million across all channels including Email Marketing (1 Million Active Users Up 15% YOY), CRM (Klaviyo, Emarsys, Mail Chimp), Loyalty, SEO, Affiliate, PPC, Google Ads(Shopping, Pmax, Display),
• Paid & Organic Influencer & Celebrity Management, PR (Daily Mail, Drapers, Times, The Sun, Cosmopolitan), Events. Managed Agencies as well as in house strategy
• Art direction, creative ideation, campaign planning and delivery, editing, photography, videography, production, successfully produced national TV adverts (12 Million Impressions), shows, campaigns, media buying
• Technical Development – Successfully migrated from Magento to Shopify 13million sessions per year, 7 million Users, 155M annual page views. Worked with multiple development agencies, improving UX, UE, Improved Customer Experience (Content Square), Conversion +1% YOY, Data, Reporting, ERP, AB Testing, App Development (POQ, Venn).
• Directly involved in buying & developing product, evolving trend, look and feel of brand, inventory management, design, supply chain, fabric sourcing, increased profit margins import & export worldwide (Sea & Air). Managed Factories in China producing 500,000 units per year.
• Procurement, logistics, migrated & delivered new fulfillment operations both UK & International – PeopleVox, Optima & other warehouse management systems.
• Financial planning, budgets, forecasting, cash flow, P&L working closely with FD
• UK & International Concessions management, Pop Up & Store experience – Recently launched Oxford Circus 22’ – 1500 Visitors a day
• Helped mitigate environmental impact of company, reduced carbon footprint via sustainable processes, product and packaging, development of hiring platform, pre loved.
• Hired and managed over 100 staff in the UK, implemented structure, work plans, reviews and at any one time had a minimum of 8-10 direct reports includingDirector of Buying, Finance Director, Head of Digital, Head of Marketing & Head of Merchandising, Head of Wholesale
• Increased staff retention +37% YOY – increased social activations, staff perks, working from home/remote working, well-being support, sick pay, increased holidays, extended Mat / Pat leave, focus on inclusion and transparency
• Charity work – NHS, Regain, Celebrate You, Mind, Young Women’s Trust. Attended the House of Lords as a consultant to improve working conditions in the fight against Modern Slavery with Baroness Young

1998 – 2003

10 GCSES

Enfield Grammar School

2003 – 2004

Hertford Regional College

Electrical Engineering