2017 to 2021

Appointed COO of The Miller Group (Greece) in October 2016 to spearhead the urgent launch and operational management of WHSmith’s first Greek airport concessions. WHSmith is a leading global travel retailer, operating over 1,200 stores across ~30 countries. Delivered a full multi-shop rollout, refurbishment to international brand standards, and ongoing operations management.

Built the operations from scratch under extreme time pressure, creating a best-in-class airport retail operation that WHSmith cited as an international benchmark. From 2018, I managed these multi-site, cross-country operations mostly remotely from Malta, demonstrating the ability to lead complex operations without being on-site full-time.

The Miller Group and WHSmith secured a major concession at Athens International Airport for 9 shops, and needed to activate the project at speed. I relocated to Athens to establish market operations from zero.

I led all setup and execution pillars including local compliance, recruitment design, operational planning, procurement strategy, and store mobilisation sequencing. The environment was high-pressure, multi-stakeholder, and involved strict airport requirements. My role was to build structure, clarity, momentum, and on the ground execution capability.

Rapid Multi-Site Launch Under Extreme Time Pressure Spearheaded the takeover and reopening of five existing shops at Athens International Airport with less than two months from award to opening (planned six-month project). Achieved zero operational downtime during the busy December peak season.

Operations Leadership and Team Building Led a team of 90+ staff, including hiring, briefing, and supervising local contractors, temporary supervisors, and full-time employees. Designed workflows, staff schedules, and operational protocols from scratch.

Hired & trained a standout Operations Manager to take over day-to-day operations: groomed to think strategically, make autonomous decisions, and operate with integrity.

Stakeholder Coordination Across Multiple Entities Liaised directly with AIA senior management (Health & Safety, airport bureaucracy), WHSmith UK (brand, shop layouts, operational standards), and The Miller Group Malta (IT, finance) to integrate systems and ensure seamless operational delivery.

Brand Implementation and Refurbishment Oversaw full refurbishment of five shops to WHSmith international standards immediately after the holiday season. Delivered two additional satellite shops by April 2017 and two more later in 2017, expanding the operation to nine high-profile locations within a year.

Operational Excellence and Recognition WHSmith internationally recognized the Greek airport operations as among their best-in-class globally. Systems, team structures, and workflows established during my tenure became the benchmark for subsequent openings.

Financial and Operational Impact Grew the Greek airport operation to multi-million Euro revenue within the first year, achieving strong net profitability and sustained growth over subsequent years. By 2018, the operation was fully autonomous, allowing me to oversee both Greek and Malta retail divisions with minimal on-site presence.

Multi-Country Operations Leadership Standardized operational processes, reporting, and quality control across Greece and Malta, managing teams, suppliers, and daily operations mostly remotely. Ensured brand consistency, operational efficiency, and team performance at all sites without being permanently on location.

By 2018, operations were fully autonomous under my leadership, enabling a remote operations model: I oversaw AIA from Malta while resuming control of the Malta Retail Division, visiting each location monthly, and proving my ability to deliver hands-on operational transformation from a distance.

Remote Crisis Management Led operations through Covid lockdown crisis, negotiating rent, suppliers, and implementing reduced-hour schemes, maintaining full staff employment. 2020 ended at breakeven, a unique achievement under severe disruption.

Strategic Expansion: Thessaloniki Airport Concession Negotiated and secured a high-value ITR concession for two shops at Thessaloniki Airport before leaving MDL in July 2021, further expanding the company’s footprint in Greece.

Result Built one of the most successful WHSmith airport operations globally. Delivered rapid rollout, operational independence, consistent growth, and international recognition.

I consider my work at Athens International Airport to be the finest operational achievement of my career - combining rapid deployment, large-scale operational setup, remote multi-country leadership, crisis management, and consistent commercial performance in one of Europe’s most demanding airport environments.