Intelligent CIO Europe Issue 20 | Page 12

NEWS Wilko improves its shopper experience with JDA U K-based variety retailer, Wilko, has undertaken a transformational category management strategy with JDA Software. In less than 10 months, Wilko has rolled-out a broad range of SaaS-based JDA Category Management solutions including JDA Space Planning, JDA Floor Planning and JDA Category Knowledge Base, to do everything from generating planograms to creating accurate macro- and micro- space allocations for all of its 5,000 items across more than 400 stores. Wilko is a leading multi-category value retailer of homewares and household goods and is focused on providing its customers with everything they need to keep their lives running as smoothly as possible. “This long-term strategy was designed to allow us to ‘grow by sorting the needs of Wilko families’ and is already delivering real benefits at Wilko, helping us drive customer satisfaction and value,” said Alison Hands, Commercial Execution Director, Wilko. “We’re here to provide simple and clever solutions that help real families get their day-to-day lives sorted as quickly, easily and affordably as possible – leaving them to be the best they can be. As we move into part two of our strategy with JDA, we’re confident we have a powerful category management solution to deliver continued value to our hard-working customers.” Wilko has been a JDA customer for more than a decade, using JDA Space Planning and in 2018, chose JDA as its partner of choice to shape and drive its category management strategy, delivered via SaaS. “Anticipating shopper demands is more critical than ever for retailers today as customers now expect this as a baseline of superior service,” said Johan Reventberg, President, EMEA, JDA. “We’re pleased to drive Wilko’s successful retail business transformation by underpinning it with our best-in-class category management solutions that will give them the right balance of right item, right store, right time, with the efficiency and agility they need in an ever-challenging and dynamic retail sector.” ////////////////// BrickVest secures AMF license to open French HQ to service European clients post-Brexit B rickVest, the online real estate investment platform, has received authorisation from the Autorité des Marchés Financiers (AMF) to operate its investment management platforms from Nice with additional offices in Paris and Berlin. This will enable BrickVest to serve its European clients post-Brexit by continuing to provide real estate investment management and liquidity services. Emmanuel Lumineau, CEO at BrickVest, commented: “The decision to choose Nice for our new Eurozone head office underlines the French Riviera’s growing reputation as a leading tech hub attracting a pool of international investment and technology professionals with strong connections to the European market. Nice is also near Monaco and the Sophia Antipolis technology hub, meaning we are ideally positioned to capitalise on this established ecosystem while working with international markets and our existing London office. The new Nice-based company, BrickVest Europe REIM SAS (BrickVest Europe), will operate as a Full Scope AIFM with Pan- European passporting. The firm will develop and market its range of thematic commercial real estate fund solutions to high-net-worth investors, family offices and institutional investors using its innovative online platforms and FinTech liquidity infrastructure. BrickVest has also launched BrickVest Technology Europe, a dedicated technology research and development company that 12 INTELLIGENTCIO develops FinTech solutions for its European online platforms and international partners. “This licence is a new step in our growth strategy as France has one of the largest and most exciting European real estate markets. We are looking forward to making the most of the opportunities this brings to our growing number of deal sponsors, investor base and technology ecosystem.” www.intelligentcio.com