Movers & Shakers Q&A with Orlando Martins, founder, Oresa

Movers&Shakers-2013-Front-cover

Brought to you by Retail Insider and K3 Retail

Orlando Martins, founder, Oresa

1. What is the greatest opportunity for your business? 

To further our reputation as a leading builder of top performing retail boardrooms. We love seeing what’s possible and being a critical part of our clients’ strategic success. For us, there is no better feeling than having put in a team that take a business through exponential growth and we have done this a few times.

Orlando

2. What is the biggest challenge to your business? 

Time is a major challenge for our clients and the danger of this is that it can lead to ‘shortcut’ cheap and cheerful recruitment services that reduce the talent bar.  There is no substitute for a well-executed search campaign that absolutely ‘nails’ the brief. Shortcuts, first past the post and their associates can often end up as fatal diversions that do not provide the solution. We are only interested in a quality finish.

3. With the benefit of hindsight what would you have done differently so far? 

Every-time we build a dream retail team, I get really excited about what they might achieve. Recently we recruited an MD and COO to develop a concept from scratch and I can’t wait for the first store launch. So maybe considering our passion for consumer businesses, we should have used the leadership talent we recruit for our clients and launched our own retail operation – actually we could still do this. Backers, feel free to make contact!

3. What is the future of the physical store? 

The future for stores is bright: the re-aligned retail portfolios of large multiple retailers will lead to a more varied and distinctive high street of the future. Hybrid, retail and hospitality models for example are on the increase. What will be required for every concept however is truly differentiated product sold at the right price, in the right location, with amazing service, theatre, experience and multi-channel integration. Sound familiar? It’s back to basics folks.

5. What will the high street look like in a decade? 

Which high street? I suspect that Oxford Street might not change too much but could we see more like those at Todmorden, White Ladies Roads or Lamb’s Conduit providing mixed residential, office, retail and hospitality – servicing communities? I hope so.

6. Will mobile devices be the primary sales channel in the future? 

I am sure mobile devices will account for a significant proportion of sales in the future: whether this is a headset, mobile phone, glasses or other, I will leave that to the guys in R&D!

7. What other retail business do you admire? 

I admire far too many to choose one but Albam on Beak Street does modern, authentic staple fashion really well, the Book Depository has contributed much to my bookshelf and of course I admire Joules and ASOS, both of whom we have recruited for and both of whom have grown exponentially.

8. If you hadn’t been a retailer/service-provider-to-retail what would you have liked to do?  

Prior to deciding to go for full intellectual stimulation and study law, I seriously considered applying to RADA….so treading the boards might well have been the life for me.

9. What marks out of 10 do you give yourself so far for achievement? 

Every time we hit our objectives, we place our proverbial goal posts even further away. Kaizen – the Japanese principle of continual improvement is a motif I live by so the answer is always 8/10 and always will be.

10. Who would you place in the Top 20 Multi-channel/e-commerce Movers & Shakers? 

There are far too many to mention but Hash Ladha for his development from omni-channel marketer to COO. I expect to see many more of the very talented multi-channel functional specialists become the GM’s of the future and look forward to placing them in those roles.