Rh press review - Philippe Colomby joins Alphéa Conseil
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"I fell into it as a kid: I've been in DIY and specialized distribution for 20 years", Philippe Colomby begins.
From operations in the field, through more than fifteen years of network management, the man has climbed the ladder: "From sector manager to general manager, which is the last position I held at Mr Bricolage, in charge of integrated stores and new concepts". Before these four years as Mr Bricolage general manager (2.3 billion euros, over 640 stores, including 88 integrated stores), the man spent thirteen years developing the Bricorama banner, as a brand manager.
This time, he'll be taking on the role of general manager of Mr Bricolage (2.3 billion euros, over 640 stores, including 88 integrated stores).
This time, he wanted to turn over a new leaf. "I wanted to stay in retail, but with a different approach", he explains. "We choose a project, a company, a man". Philippe Colomby will be in charge of the Rh and commercial Audit of the sales outlets for which the firm is solicited, in order to identify upstream the possibilities of development of the sales outlets by the men. He will propose and select the appropriate profiles to meet the sales challenges of client companies.
Alphéa Conseil operates in various sectors, including food, retail and agri-food. Founder Ludovic d'Hooghe and his brother are no strangers to the DIY and construction sectors: one has worked for Casto, the other for construction engineering. And Philippe Colomby is back with some familiar faces....In fact, Céline Diane, a former Mr Bricolage* associate, is covering another part of the market, in Orleans.
The firm was keen to integrate a consultant for Paris, the North and East regions. "My arrival will also enable other facets to evolve, from relationship/accompaniment to functions closer to general management", comments Philippe Colomby. "I'll take care of the diagnostic phase. Some freelancers need advice, for example when planning an expansion". To define which organization to set up, opt for logistics and customer service... "Sometimes, these are services that chains offer, but which need to be adapted to independents", stresses the new consultant, citing the example of an independent on 4000m2 looking to expand to 8000m2: the pattern is bound to be different.
Integrated brands know what they want and have teams in place, notes Philippe Colomby. For the independent retailer, we have to be 'made-to-measure'. Having worked on surfaces ranging from 600 to 12,000 m2, and having held senior management positions for 16 years, the man knows his stuff...He will no doubt be much in demand in the DIY sector: "I have this label," admits the consultant, "but through this new position, I'm also looking to tackle other markets. Obviously, DIY chains are recruiting...but they're not the only ones: kitchen designer networks, for example, need sales designers".
The DIY sector appears to be highly formative, it has prospered and enabled the emergence of in-demand candidate profiles. Let's add that tensions on the market since the beginning of the year amplify the importance of recruitment, particularly in the DIY and gardening markets, where a real match between supply and demand is necessary: "Above all, with the crisis, many chains are questioning themselves. It's also a need, when a General Manager arrives, to study how things work with a new team".
Interview by Samia Ouledcheikh - Journalist for www.rayons-brico-jardin.com
