Muhammad Shabbir

A transformational and democratic style leader with over 15 years of international experience in the premium restaurant, grab-and-go, delivery, and fast-casual dining sectors, I have a proven track record of translating organisational vision and operational strategy into tangible performance and growth. I have overseen the overall operations of companies, including P&L management, strategic planning, performance management, budget & forecast management, recruitment, staff training and development, health and safety, quality assurance, and customer experience.

I also have experience opening new stores in prime locations and reimagining existing stores. I am skilled at identifying and capitalising on opportunities for continuous improvement, building exceptional teams, and providing clear and accurate reporting to senior decision-makers. I have successfully expanded and empowered reputable businesses across the UK, Spain, and Italy by developing strategic plans, processes, policies, and procedures.

A forward-thinking leader recognised for achieving the highest customer satisfaction, sales and revenue, operational performance, and business growth. Transform underperforming stores and departments into the highest profitable-driven engines. Forge strategic, profitable partnerships with customers, management teams, partners, key stakeholders, and franchisees.

Assure business continuity and energise the organisation by dealing with complex situations, creating impeccable solutions, and managing risks.

Jollibee Group of Companies 

Country Head UK: Assistant Vice President: GM UK 2023 - 2024

• My primary responsibility is working closely with the CEO, President, and Board of Directors to ensure adherence to company policies, strategies, and objectives while promoting unity and common purpose.
• I lead and oversee multiple operational functions, including Marketing, Supply Chain, Operations, HR and training, Quality and audits, Finance, Learning and development, and new store openings. I am also responsible for developing new products and menu structures across the UK, Spain, and Italy. Working in fast-paced environments with shifting priorities, I demonstrate adaptability in service delivery and overcome obstacles to achieve critical deliverables, KPIs, and targets.
• Develop high-performance multi-disciplined teams across all departments, driving knowledge, growth, and team engagement.
• Empower and motivate teams to take ownership of their deliverables, recognise and celebrate successes, and bridge capability gaps through robust performance management, clear communication, and competency development.
• Lead in developing and implementing the long-term, medium-term, and short-term strategic plan and priorities, ensuring that the plans meet the company's overall objectives.
• Embed compliance and quality controls across all operations in line with best practice protocols.
• Facilitate achieving financial goals through proficient budget management, forecasting, P&L analysis, and collaboration with regional and restaurant managers. This includes efficient scheduling, expenditure review, variance analysis, and implementation of corrective measures.
• Develop and implement effective policies by setting standards and procedures, evaluating performance against these standards, and making necessary adjustments to enhance productivity."

Key Achievements

• People: - Reduced staff turnover by 27% through a positive cultural shift and reached a people structure completion rate of 96% in stores and support teams.

• Customer: - Exceeded sales growth from the target by 6.3% and enhanced customer experience by 3% vs Target and 9% vs last year. Represented Jollibee in introductory university sessions with incoming students across the UK for 1st time ever.

• Profit: - Increased gross profit margin by 4% and EBITDA by 5.7% by integrating advanced inventory control systems, scheduling system, supplier cost review, store maintenance, and expense systems.

Papa John's (London & Northern England)

Operations Director 2021 - 2023

• As the Director of Operational Management, I was responsible for overseeing the operations of 61 stores across the Northern England region and 18 stores in London. This involved managing a team of approximately 2,500 employees, including support teams, area managers, regional managers, and store teams, and handling an annual turnover of £48.69 million.
• I was entrusted with leading and mentoring a dynamic team, managing profit and loss, meticulously overseeing budget allocations, navigating payroll duties, crafting strategic plans, presiding over health and safety protocols, and driving continuous improvement initiatives.
• Implemented strategic recruitment, comprehensive training, personalised coaching, and robust performance management to build exceptionally high-performing teams.
• I effectively drove sustained growth in average ticket sales and ensured strong profitability by meticulously analysing key performance indicators (KPIs) to forecast sales results and pinpoint opportunities for performance enhancement. Furthermore, I enhanced operational efficiency, cost control, and performance visibility by developing a comprehensive KPI dashboard and a streamlined payroll scheduler.
• I ensured strict oversight to fully comply with internal policies and procedures, brand and guest experience guidelines, quality standards, and regulatory requirements. I managed the store's maintenance program, including day-to-day repairs and scheduled maintenance. Additionally, I maintained safety records in compliance with policy and HACCP regulations.
• Drove significant performance improvements by establishing operating standards, developing and implementing the operations manual, and offering strategic guidance to regional operations teams. Also, it cultivated an engaged and collaborative culture focused on service excellence and continuous improvement.
• I facilitated monthly update meetings with the Chief Operating Officer (COO) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to thoroughly analyse the company's strategic approach, direction, and dynamic market trends. As part of this responsibility, I created comprehensive PowerPoint presentations demonstrating our people, sales and service strategies.

Key Achievements

• People: - Completed 86% of people structure initiatives vs the previous year's 63%. 31% improvement in team training vs 2019. Launching performance bonuses for stores and leadership teams based on EBITDA, People and customer metrics.

• Customer: - Improved customer satisfaction by 22% and reduced customer complaints by 4%. 72% success rate in-store audits, marking a significant improvement from the previous year's 51%.

• Profit: - Drove significant improvements vs 2019: 3.5% improvement in labour efficiency, 11-minute improvement in speed. 0.76% improvement in food-related metrics vs targets

Pizza Hut (YUM III Limited) (London)

Head of Stores Operations. 2021 - 2021

• Provided operational management to Area Managers, Regional Managers, and support teams across multiple sites with 1000 staff and an annual turnover of £23.76m.

Area Manager 2017 - 2021

• Held full operational management responsibility, including team leadership, performance management, quality assurance, health and safety, and succession planning.
• Provided training, support, coaching, and mentoring to Restaurant Managers, Assistant Managers, and teams to ensure the delivery of key strategic objectives, address in-store issues, drive process improvement, and maximise customer satisfaction.
• A comprehensive report analysis guided my contribution to implementing various marketing campaigns. This analysis was instrumental in pinpointing and seizing opportunities for ongoing improvement.
• Developed a comprehensive and reliable communication infrastructure throughout the area to facilitate seamless knowledge exchange. Actively promote a culture of continuous learning among managers, urging them to proactively gather and capitalise on insights into competitor activity and the local market.
• Implemented and maintained a uniform visual presentation that accurately reflects the brand image in all stores, resulting in substantial year-on-year sales growth and robust profitability.

Key Achievements

• People: - people structure completion – 105%, and team training improvement – 98%.

• Customer: - Improved customer satisfaction metrics by 20% and reduced complaints by 15%. I am known for attaining 100% audit results across all stores by leading significant initiatives.

• Profit: - Converted loss-making stores into positive EBITDA and achieved 23% net profit. labour improvement – 2.2%, food improvement – 0.45%, speed improvement – 3.2min.

Domino's Pizza (London)

Area Manager 2015 - 2017

• Held full management responsibility for six stores, ensuring delivery of all daily targets and consistently outstanding customer service standards. 
• This included accountability for team leadership, stock control, recruitment, handling staffing issues, performance management, health safety, quality assurance and coordinating training and development. 
• Continually identified and implemented opportunities to improve sales, efficiency and service quality. 
• Maintained and leveraged a strong knowledge of market trends and competitor activities. 
• Grew sales by 21% in 2015. 

Coventry University, MBA Banking & Finance (2010 - 2011) 

Karachi University, Bachelor of Computer Science (2000 - 2003) 

Telephone Industries of Pakistan, Diploma in Telecommunication (1996 - 1999) 

YUM University, Managing & Leading Teams Effectively (2021 - 2021)

YUM University, Performance Review & Presentation Skills (2019 - 2019)

Chartered Management Institute, Senior Leadership & Management (2016 - 2017)