Kevin Besford

Doer
DISC Type : ds

Senior Director - Retail Future at Asda

Darlington, England, United Kingdom

Overview

Kevin Besford is a strategic senior retail executive at Asda, currently serving as Senior Director of Online Operations. With extensive experience in large-scale transformation and operational excellence, he has a proven track record of delivering multi-billion-pound business performance. He holds a Senior Leader Mastership equivalent from Cranfield University.

He is a collaborative leader who has inspired teams of thousands and partnered effectively at the board level to deliver ambitious organizational goals. Kevin has previously held managerial positions at Somerfield and Sainsburys, demonstrating proficiency in retail management and strategic leadership.

He directed the transformative separation of Asda from Walmart, which was Europes largest IT transition.

Personality Overview

Fast-paced

Results Focused

Risk-Accepting

They exhibit a rare combination of being result-oriented but patient at the same time.  They might take some time to make their mind up but once they do, they don't change it easily. Reading between the lines and seeing beyond your words comes naturally to them.

Topics They Care About

Retail Transformation
He leads the "Retail Future" programme at Asda, overseeing the company's separation from Walmart and the implementation of entirely new, independent IT systems and processes.
E-commerce Operations
His current role as Senior Director of Online Operations and his recent oversight of the "Store Assist" online grocery picking solution rollout highlight his focus on digital retail.
Operational Efficiency
He focuses on simplifying the customer journey and enhancing productivity, as seen in the trial of new digital lottery scratchcard dispensers to reduce wait times in stores.

Media Appearances

Kevin has no verified media appearances

Work History

5-2022
Senior Director - Retail Future at Asda
1-2018 - 5-2022
Senior Director - North East Retail at Asda
2-2016 - 1-2018
Senior Manager - Supermarkets at Asda
8-2010 - 2-2016
General Store Manager at Asda
4-2008 - 8-2010
Regional Manager at Somerfield

Education

11-2021 - 11-2023
Mastership Level 7 from Cranfield University
Education details unavailable from Newcastle University
Education details unavailable from Sunderland College

More Information

Social Presence :

Prographics :

Exp : 22 Location : Darlington, England, United Kingdom Job Level : Senior Designation : Senior Director - Retail Future at Asda
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Insights For Selling To Kevin

During A Call Or A Meeting

DO's

  • Focus on the results that your product produces, expect some strategic questions in return
  • Suggest clear next steps with confidence, don't be vague or hesitant
  • Stick to your standard pitch and qualifying script, don't try to wing it

DONT's

  • Don't focus too much on mutual contacts or bother about other stakeholders, focus on them
  • Don't shy away from asking hard questions, but be extra polite
  • Avoid putting conscious effort into relationship-building

When Cold Calling

When Writing An Email

While Negotiating & Closing

    The secret to closing fast with Kevin is

  • Strong proof of impact and their conviction will matter the most, but they wouldn't want to act unilaterally either
  • Will you ever get a clear answer from Kevin

  • They will say no if they are not convinced but you will have to prompt them.

Insights For Deal Planning

    How fast (or slow) will Kevin move?

  • They will want to understand things well but can move fast once they have a clear picture.
  • Can Kevin take some risk or not?

  • They have good risk tolerance but are likely to think it through once or twice.

You And Kevin

Personality Compatibility


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