Darren Breakwell has over 30 years of experience in retail management. He is currently a Multi Unit Manager at SSP UK Ltd, overseeing 4 Marks & Spencer Simply Food stores with a combined weekly turnover of £220,000. Previously, he held several managerial roles with convenience store chains T&S Stores PLC and Smile Stores Ltd, growing store sales and improving operations. Breakwell has a strong track record of developing teams, maximizing profits, and ensuring compliance. He holds a Diploma in Professional Development from Coventry University.

1. CURRICULUM
VITAE
NAME : DATE OF BIRTH :
Darren Craig Breakwell 11th
December 1960
ADDRESS : CONTACT DETAILS :
39 Brake Close Tel : Home 0117 9604565
Kingswood Mobile 07768 090009
Bristol
BS15 9TW Email : Darren@darrenbreakwell.freeserve.co.uk
MARITAL STATUS : CHILDREN :
Married ( 30 Years ) 2 Girls ( aged 28 & 26 )
PERSONAL LICENCE HOLDER : DRIVING LICENCE :
22 Years Held for 38 years
EDUCATION :
1971 – 1976 1967 – 1971
Rodway Senior School St Stephens Junior School
Mangotsfield Soundwell
Bristol Bristol
EXAMINATION RESULTS :
Diploma in Professional Development – Merit. (through SSP & Coventry University) 2014
G.C.E. ‘O’ Level (or equivalent) in Mathematics; English Language; Geography; Biology;
Art & Craft. 1976
C.S.E. Level in English Literature; French; History; Chemistry. 1976
HOBBIES & PASTIMES :

2. Angling : Gardening : Home Computing : Popular Music and any activity based around the
family & close friends
REFEREES :
PERSONAL : BUSINESS :
Mr. R. Richardson Mr.M. Buckley Mr. S. Broom
59 Zeals Road HOR M&S Division Rail Gourmet
Zeals SSP UK Ltd SSP UK Ltd
Wiltshire Euston Road Euston Road
London London
EMPLOYMENT HISTORY
CURRENT EMPLOYMENT :
January 2015 to current date :
Recently promoted to Multi Unit Manager of four M&S Simply Food’s within the SSP Retail estate. Three
situated within Railway stations and the forth within a Hospital environment. Alongside the managerial
duties I am now also responsible for the combined store results, Management and store team development,
store legal compliance and maximising Sales opportunities through proactive discussions with Station and
Retail teams. Combined turnover is around £220,000 per week with around 40,000 customers and 65 staff.
September 2007 to December 2014 :
Joined SSP UK Ltd as a Marks & Spencer Simply Food Unit Manager and took control of the Reading
Station store in December 2007. Responsible for all the day to day running of the unit through the
management of approx. 20 Staff (1 ASM, 5 Team Leaders and 14 Team Members).
I had 5 and a half years of steady Year on Year Sales growth at the store amounting to approx. 20% Sales
increase in that time, 10% of which came during the last 2 years. Since then Reading Station has been going
through extensive re-development which has had a detrimental effect on the Sales figures now being
achieved. Current Net Sales are around £68,000 per week with approx 12,000 customers.
Cost Control has been very strong throughout that time and Wages spend was in line for the whole 7 Years.
My various Internal and External Audit scores over the past 3 Years have all been above average as have the
various Mystery Shopper results.
Over the past 2 Years I have spent considerable time with all the key stakeholders at Reading Station, and at
SSP Head Office, in relation to the vast station re-development. This involved negotiating with various
personnel to ensure that the M&S store got the best possible deal in relation to Deliveries and Storage
facilities.
On a personal development note I have been utilised by my Head Of Region to chair various Disciplinary,
Grievance and Appeal meetings over the past 4 years which has assisted in my legal knowledge in that field.
I have also assisted in 3 other new store openings, the last one being the key person responsible for the M&S
situated at the Royal Berkshire Hospital. My role there was to manage the project from the Retail side and
ensure the store was ready to operate from day one. This included recruitment and training, ensuring all H&S
and other legalities were in place, co-ordinating the product ranges with deliveries and merchandising and
ensuring all aspects were finalised before store launch.
I commenced the internal SSP Pioneer course approximately 18 months ago in conjunction with Coventry
University with the outcome of gaining a Merit Diploma in Professional Development.
PREVIOUS EMPLOYMENT :
January 2007 to September 2007 :

3. During my final 6 months at Smile I was working on special projects and, using my knowledge and expertise,
developed underperforming stores and management teams. Ensuring all procedures and legal requirements
were adhered to whilst setting up store personnel levels to guarantee sustained improvement. I was also
involved with some store disposals as the Company looked to offload their smaller CTN branches, dealing
with all aspects of their disposal up to final handover of keys for the vacant premises.
June 2001 – January 2007 :
Moved to Smile Stores Ltd (formerly Newshops Ltd) as an Area Manager, and overseeing 13 Convenience
Stores. My duties were more or less the same as with T & S Stores, but due to the size of the Company (90
stores) I was much more involved with the day to day decision making. This was one of the main reasons for
joining Newshops and it allowed me to directly influence many of the activities that are carried out in all the
stores, such as procedures, promotions, sales development, recruitment and training to name some. My
knowledge gained with T & S Stores was used to great effect with Newshops and in the time with them I
assisted in the development of many of their policy changes to bring them up to date with many legal
requirements. My Area in Bristol changed a few times over the 4 ½ years I had it, but I always managed my
stores effectively. I always endeavoured to move them forward, and maximise their potential. This was
recognised at the time and during an Area re-shuffle I was given the opportunity to tackle the difficult Bath
patch. After 12 months on the Area it was showing the benefits of my endeavours. Stability is key and
through the strategic recruitment and development of my team, the Area showed a significant upward trend
in all areas such as Sales, Standards, Cost Control & staff turnover.
February 1994 – June 2001 :
Joined T & S Stores PLC as a Dillons Convenience Store Manager and took control of my first Store in
March 1994. This was one of their smaller outlets in Twerton, Bath with an annual turnover of approx.
£450,000. I stayed at that Store for 18 months, and having shown the necessary skills to be a successful
Manager I was then offered a larger Store in Kingswood, Bristol. I managed this one for 3 and ½ years,
increasing the turnover by 30% in that time. The overall standards and running of the Store were such that I
was made up to a Training Store for new Managers.
In July 1998 I was promoted to Area Manager, overseeing 11 Stores in Bristol and Swindon with a combined
turnover of approx. £12million. In January 2000, following an internal reshuffle, my Area became 12 Stores
all now based in and around Swindon, and was producing nearer £14 million sales per year.
As Area Manager I was responsible for all aspects of these Stores including maximising sales, controlling
costs and maintaining the highest standards of Customer Service throughout. All of these are measured
against Targets set by the Company to ensure the profitability of the Area. They were achieved through
teamwork with my Store Management, and require me to be professional in my approach, authoritative, and
yet sympathetic on occasions. I was the multiple Licensee for all of the stores I was responsible for. My
results over the last couple of years in this role gave me very good bonus payments.
January 1986 – February 1994 :
Working alongside my parents as General Manager of a large Hotel, Restaurant and Freehouse in Chepstow,
Gwent. The establishment enjoyed a healthy year round trade with weekend entertainment geared towards a
mature clientele. It also had a busy catering side to the operation as well as the benefit of Commercial and
Seasonal Hotel guests. I was responsible for all management activities and decision making, as well as
keeping close controls over budgets and costs.
July 1981 – December 1985 :
Joined my parents in the family business as a Bar/Restaurant Manager at a large Steak House and
Entertainment Lounge on the outskirts of Bristol. I was responsible for the day to day Bar, Restaurant and
Cellar duties along with Stock Control, Purchasing, Book-Keeping, Training and Cash Handling. I was also
the front line for contact with any of the various Trade Representatives that called upon us.
August 1976 – July 1981 :
Left school at 16 to work as a Clerical Officer with the Department of the Environment in their Statistical
Construction Section. This was the section responsible for collating and processing information supplied by

4. the Building Industry, and then inserting such data onto computer files. Most of this work was carried out
using my own initiative and keeping to specific deadlines.