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Projects and previous employers

Bold Rethink

Founder & CEO

Bold Rethink is a Netherlands-based retail strategy agency with a main focus on omnichannel and shopping experience strategy development. The company's goal is to simplify decision-making for e-commerce stores, define bottlenecks in the roadmap, and provide a detailed growth strategy.

I founded the company based on my 15+ years in the retail and omnichannel field working with the biggest brands in Europe. Since its foundation in 2022, my mission has always been to support clients in identifying the right omnichannel, transformation, and customer experience opportunities through my network of industry experts and talent in the digital space. Throughout my success with past clients including ECCO Shoes, Vodafone, Staples Solutions, CX Company, and KLEURRR among others, I offer the following services:
- Retail and E-Commerce Digital Transformation;
- Marketplace Strategy Development;
- Wholesale Omnichannel Implementation;
- Research and Entry of New Markets;
- Execution Advisory, and more.

Let's be BOLD in rethinking Omnichannel, Unified Commerce, Retail & E-commerce already today!
You can reach me directly at loek.berendsen@boldrethink360.com to start growing your retail and e-commerce online and offline.

Find all services we offer and our success stories at www.boldrethink360.com

Skills: Management, Change Management

Bold Rethink

Global Public Speaker - Omnichannel

As a passionate retail and omnichannel strategist and advisor, since 2016 I have been sharing my expertise on global stages with the goal to empower the industry and attract more investors and business leaders to enter it.

In the last years, I have presented at over 30 conferences organised by eTail, Seamless Asia, GoTech World, DMWF World Series, and ICEM Summit Berlin among others covering the following topics:
- Future of the Retail Landscape;
- AI Usage in E-Commerce;
- Build an Omni-Channel Experience With CX;
- Customer Experience in Omnichannel Age;
- Omnichannel Strategy for Loyalty Development;
- Digital Shopping Trends.

This spring you can meet me at conferences like EMERCE Retail, Allan Lloyds Group, and Savant eCommerce around omnichannel strategy creation and trends in digital shopping.

All presentations are in English and Dutch.

You can find all my past and upcoming presentations at www.loekberendsen.com and reach me at email at speaking@loekberendsen.com

Skills: Public speaking, Change management

Ikea

Global Transformation Strategy Advisor - Digital Customer Experiences Stores

IKEA is an internationally known home furnishing retailer. It has grown rapidly since it was founded in 1943. Today it is the world’s largest furniture retailer, recognised for its Scandinavian style. The majority of IKEA’s furniture is flat-pack, ready to be assembled by the consumer.

As the Global Strategic Advisor, my main responsibilities for 6 months include the following:
- Development of Physical Meeting Points Strategy;
- Strategy Delivery in Digital, Omnichannel and Customer Experience;
- Market Research and Reporting.

For more information about IKEA’s history at www.ikea.com

Skills: Team leadership, Management, Change Management

Ikea

Global Platform strategy leader

The IKEA vision is ‘to create a better everyday life for the many people’ puts this concern at the heart of the business. Its business idea supports this vision by offering a wide range of well-designed, functional home furnishing products at prices so low that as many people as possible will be able to afford them.

As the Global Platform Strategy Leader, my main responsibilities for 10 months include the following:
- Made Platform Design Decisions;
- Platforms Integration Into Omnichannel Experience;
- IKEA Long-Term Platform Approach Development;
- Development of IKEA Digital Roadmap.

For more information about IKEA’s history at www.ikea.com

Skills: Team leadership, Management, change Management

ECCO shoes

Global Omnichannel Manager

Global responsible for the ECCO Omnichannel Strategy, implementation and Customer Journeys. Overseeing and creating the end-to-end vision and design of the ECCO Omnichannel experience which includes on solution definition, risk analysis and mitigation plans. Managing execution of the Omnichannel roadmap in partnership with Global IT, Global Digital and partners and my team.

Strengthening and transforming our business through our strategic objectives, company purpose and culture and our enterprise-wide programs focused on driving transformational change and innovation while balancing business needs, infrastructure and technology needs.

Responsible for but not limited to;

  • Stakeholder management with General Managers in our markets and the Global C-Suite leaders

  • Managed P&L and ROI during transformation programs

  • Manager Regional Delivery Managers

  • Managed matrix teams of 20+ people and 5+ geographies with large programs

  • Act as the Program Manager during Omnichannel and Marketplace Programs

  • Implemented Cultural Transformation resulting in improved customer experience and employee experience

  • Implemented the appropriate program governance

  • Guide and steer the local General Managers in building better processes and operational models

  • Building seamless Omnichannel operations supporting the Direct to Consumer business


Among my achievements are:

  • Successfully implemented Omnichannel in the USA within budget resulting in optimized stock use, 10% increase in sales

  • Successfully implemented Omnichannel in Australia within budget and timelines resulting in optimized stock use

  • Successfully implemented Omnichannel in Canada within budget and timelines resulting in optimized stock use

  • Successfully implemented Marketplace integrations in Australia

  • Transformed 3+ Projects from siloed departments into unified matrixed teams

  • Gatekeeper for our ECCO Retail Customer Experience and Employee Experience

Skills: Team Leadership · Management · Change Management

Shopping Tomorrow

Cultural Expert group 'Headless Omnichannel'

Shared knowledge as a consultant and expert in the Headless Omnichannel expert group.
Our objective was to research and debate on a specific problem statement within the Omnichannel ecosystem of corporate companies. Based on the designed solution(s) we created a blue paper including our findings and an advice on the problem statement.

ShoppingTomorrow is the digital commerce platform for all eCommerce professionals in The Netherlands. We jointly explore, investigate and contribute to the transformation of B2C and B2B retail. What do future developments in the field of business models, customer journey and technology, for instance, mean for employees, companies and the Netherlands? The research platform was initiated by Thuiswinkel.org in 2013 and is now supported by over 20 Dutch industry and special interest groups.

Skills: 

Staples Solutions

Manager Digital Customer Experience & Services Europe

As the Manager Digital Customer Experience & Services of Staples Solutions Europe, I was responsible for defining, implementing and owning the deployment of the capabilities and tools that provided a seamless unified customer experience through the Omnichannel Service environment and Salesforce CRM capabilities both from a Customer Service view as well as the customer experience.

Delivered;

  • Managed matrix teams of 10+ people and 10+ geographies with large programs

  • Improved roadmap Digital Customer Journeys

  • Stakeholder management applying a business etiquette across 10+ countries / cultures

  • Showed empathy and acknowledged cultural differences while being persuasive to the get commitment to changes

  • Change management Customer Service CRM improvements

  • Managed the (inter) dependencies and risks

 

Among my achievements are:

  • Managed the change management process across existing CS tool capabilities

  • Build the Omnichannel Service Strategy and it Customers Journey

  • Gatekeeper for our Staples Customer Experience

Skills: 

CX Company (part of CM.com)

Senior Digital Manager Chatbots

As a Senior Digital Manager Chatbots I took responsibility as a Digital Transformation Manager, Customer Journey Improvement Manager and project manager energized with self-discipline and determination for success.
 

  • Reduced complexity in Digital Transformation projects resulting in -50% required resources and shorter timelines up to 1 month

  • Advised corporate clients on their Customer Journeys and Digital Strategy

  • Delivered Transformation projects within budget and timelines

  • Build the relationship with C level management of our clients resulting in new 500k EUR contracts

  • Implemented, maintained and expanded projects with multiple corporate clients

  • Managed matrix teams of 5+ people

Skills: 

Vodafone

Digital Transformation and Omnichannel Program Manager

Vodafone Group Plc (Vodafone) is a provider of telecommunications services. The company has business operations across Europe, the Americas, Africa, the Middle-East and Asia-Pacific. Vodafone is headquartered in Newbury, Berkshire, the UK.

As the Digital Transformation & Omnichannel Program Manager, my main responsibilities for almost 2.5 years included the following:

  • Digital Customer Journey Experience Improvement ((created a Customers and Employees support organisation);

  • Stakeholders Management;

  • Omnichannel Strategy Implementation (Omnichannel Sales for Retail and Telesales);

  • Matrix Team Management (20+ people).

​

For more information about Vodafone’s service and past achievements please go to www.vodafone.com

Skills: Team Leadership, Management, Change Management

Vodafone

eCommerce Specialist

More than 35 years ago, Vodafone made the first-ever mobile phone call, sent the first SMS in Britain and have been changing the lives of billions of people ever since. Now, the company is using smartphones to fight cancer, big data for social good, and it aims to connect over 250 million people to our next generation networks by 2025.

As the E-commerce Specialist, my main responsibilities for 4.5 years included the following:

  • Matric Team Management (10+ people);

  • Customer Journey Project Management (delivery of Multi-Channel Sales platform);

  • Stakeholders Management (finance, merchandising, and retail C-Level); 

  • Business Process Improvement (saved 5+ M EUR in stock management).

 

For more information about Vodafone’s service and past achievements please go to www.vodafone.com

Skills: Team Leadership · Management · Change Management · Project Management

Vodafone

Functional Application Manager

It originated as part of Racal, a British radar and electronics firm founded in 1950. Racal founded its Vodafone subsidiary in 1983 and won the license to build Britain’s first cellular telephone network, which was launched in 1985. By the early 1990s Vodafone was purchasing other companies and building network partnerships around the world.

As the Functional Application Manager, my main responsibilities for 4.5 years included the following:

  • New software Release and Management (improved project quality);

  • Project Management (POS project intergation);

  • Software Vendor Management (prolonged existing vendor's contract for 10 years).


For more information about Vodafone’s service and past achievements please go to www.vodafone.com

Skills: Change Management · Project Management

Vodafone

Store Manager

As a leading telecommunications company based in the UK, Vodafone provides mobile and broadband services to over 625 million customers across 65 countries, making it one of the world's largest telcos. Vodafone Business serves private and public sector customers of all sizes with a range of connectivity services, supported by its global network.

As the Store Manager, my main responsibilities for 3 years included the following:

  • Store Employee Management (10+ people);

  • Team Resourcing Reorganisation (reduced team by 15% FTE);

  • Team Onboarding (HR assignments and training courses).


For more information about Vodafone’s service and past achievements please go to www.vodafone.com

Skills: Management

Vodafone

Assistant Store Manager

Vodafone develops a range of leading products and services to connect our customers and help build digital societies of the future. In 2023 it operates the largest 5G network in Europe, now live in around 300 cities across 14 markets and growing, fast.

As the Assistant Store Manager, my main responsibilities for 3 months included the following:

  • Store Management (15 people);

  • Sales Optimisation;

  • Reporting nd Analysing.


For more information about Vodafone’s service and past achievements please go to www.vodafone.com

Skills: Management

KLEURRR

Founder & CEO

Entrepreneurship is always in my genes, I wanted to learn and gain experience owning my own business.

 

Passionate about my own business I told everyone I finally found my personal hobby. I started my own online store: KLEURRR, color guru. Own and operated Brand and Online Store. Focused on Strategic Alliances, Customer Experience and Sales.

 

My determination and passion gave me huge insights in a broad spectrum of taking responsibility and thriving your strategy for my own business. Making profits and creating and a high customer satisfaction were my goals.

 

  • Increased customer feedback to a score of 8.6 by focusing on Customer Journeys improvements

  • 10% increased SEO results monthly with 50+ Marketing campaigns (Google Ads, Facebook)

  • Managed company accountancy 100%, lowered stock with 30% using replenishment analysis, improved order fulfillment resulting in less than 3% returns.

  • 30% Stock reduction having continues replenishment analysis

  • Less than 3% returns on all orders by improved fulfillment

  • Largest Consumer market reseller for Renova SA in the Benelux

  • Main Wholesale partner for Renova SA in the Benelux

 

Among my achievements are:

  • Increased revenue on a yearly base with 50%

  • Number of orders increased significantly so I had to outsource fulfillment and logistics after 4 years

Skills: Management

Specsavers

Optical Assistant

Optical Assistant was a side step. I wanted to learn something completely different, different type of customers, more than just only FMCG, taking care of customers, making sure they bought the spectacles or contacts they really needed and remembered me - as a person - for more than just a couple of days.

 

Worked on team collaboration transformation. Team spirit was low; so I took the lead to change and I emphasized; trustworthy team play, collaboration & sympathy.

  • A.i. Manager 4+ Store employees


Among my achievements are:

  • By taking the lead, others followed, resulting in better team work, less sick leave in the team

  • Upsell at 70% of my customers such as specific layered glass or accessories

Skills: Management, Sales

Vobis

Assistant Store Manager

Set new team values "Trust, Honesty and Commitment" to create new momentum. Familiarized myself with people management, GL accounts, merchandising and stock management.

  • Manager 15+ Store employees

 

  • Streamlined hardware projects, resulting in less stock and more profit

  • Our values resulted in higher sales and customer satisfaction year over year

Skills: Management

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