Divisional Manager - Bob Wiffen

With a background steeped in retail, both in store management and head office functions, Bob has a wealth of experience which he aims to pass on to the managers of the 18 stores on his patch. He has a passion for developing people and, while he sets the bar pretty high, he’s always available to coach and mentor people to help them reach their personal goals as well as their business targets. For people who love the sharp-end of retail, this really is the key role which brings together all of their accumulated experience – literally from the shop floor up.

So, while his job is based from home, Bob spends the majority of his time in the stores, working with his management team to drive the business, developing new ideas and looking at tactical solutions to day to day issues.

The speed of change in the business is enormous which means there are always new challenges to meet. That’s why the Leadership Group meetings he attends every three-six months are so important. Here, along with other Area Managers and the whole senior operations management team they set strategy, monitor progress, discuss new initiatives, instigate pilot studies and do some blue-sky thinking of their own. This helps keep his thinking fresh as well as giving him the satisfaction of helping to set the agenda for the business.

There are some things he wouldn’t want to change however. “Halfords is a market leading brand with a great history, but the really important thing is the attitude towards all of the people who work in Halfords.” Bob sees it as a culture which really values the contribution that employees make – no wonder he’s such an exponent of the approach.