Narcis Balalau

Expertise

Narcis is a dynamic entrepreneur, strategic non-executive director and business growth specialist, experienced with business start-ups growth as well as post M&A diagnostic and delivery, brand strategy and change leadership with a demonstrated history over 15+ years of leading teams in the Independent Retail, Food Service, Manufacturing and Wholesale sectors. He is highly skilled in Business Transformation, Strategic Business Planning, Retail outlets setup, B2B and B2C Route-to-Market strategies and global supply chains. He has a proven record of scaling up manufacturing and retail chains, as well as field-to-fork sustainable solutions

Narcis advises on

• Web3/blockchain
• B2B/B2C
• FMCG
• Retail & ecommerce
• F&B manufacturing, wholesale, and global supply chains.

Experience highlights

• Managed end-to-end private label Italian range category for Tesco, £5m annual contract
• Led second service on board globally for gategroup, $150m/y value over 34 countries
• End-to-end supply chain management for Gail’s Bakery group (led growth from 5 retail outlets to 44 in 5 years).
• Directed the oldest ecommerce site in Europe (Goodness Direct), servicing over 3000 consumers on a weekly basis across 40 countries.
• Led a $100m integration project for a PE fund on post-acquisition of a multinational seafood company.

Career History

Previous work

• NED/Board Advisor/Startups Investor Portfolio -from 2019
• MD – Goodness Foods -2017-2019
• Head of Procurement – Lupa Foods (formerly Donatantonio) -2016-2017
• Global Total Cost Leader – gategroup -2015-2016
• Group Procurement and Supply Chain Manager – Bread Holdings (Gail’s Bakery) -2010-2015

Memberships 

• Member of the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS)
• Member of the London Chamber of Commerce (LCCI)
• Member of the Virtual Non-Execs (VNXD)
• Member of the GLG group

 Education

• University of London, Birkbeck College – Masters in Business Management
• University of Economic Studies – Bachelor in Marketing