RISING STARS
T alk about an athlete . Ian Kempton oversees the dayto-day operations of footwear business The Athlete ’ s Foot , managing a team of eight area managers across Victoria , South Australia , Western Australia , Tasmania and the Northern Territory .
He also oversees brand development , project management , business acquisitions , property development , and event planning and supply-chain management across these regions .
Ian is a key player in the way the business is run across the majority of Australia , which provides him the opportunity to help others and recognise talent where it could otherwise be overlooked .
“ I ’ m proud of the opportunities and recognition that I ’ ve received , and fought to achieve ,” Ian said . “ Throughout a challenging childhood and adolesence , my life right now would all but be a dream .”
The most recent examples of his work are his efforts leading the creation and overhaul of The Athlete ’ s Foot ANZ ’ s store
Ian Kempton
State manager The Athlete ’ s Foot
operation processes as the business moves from a franchisee-led model to a corporate-led model .
“ Seeing professional and personal growth in the people around me and in myself drives what I do every day ,” he said . “ I have a focus on recruitment and retention . As the [ labour ] market continues to tighten , retail leaders need to look inwards to provide real value to their team members ’ lives .”
Mentors include Ian ’ s first area manager , Maxine , who taught him the importance of building strong , caring relationships as a base for any team culture . Subsequent managers drove that lesson home , including current The Athlete ’ s Foot GM Ian Taunton , who has mentored him to become a more well-rounded leader and has offered consistent , valuable feedback .
Ian ’ s team said his approach works . A recent engagement survey showed that direct feedback from his team was very positive , with his staff responding well to his focus on people .
“ Retail involves combining many skills from marketing , HR , leadership and analytical thinking – and that makes every day slightly different ,” he explained . “ But , my favourite thing would be the retail peak season of December to January . This is our grand finale and there is nothing better than seeing our planning and strategy fall into place to execute strongly in the market .”
Ian has been pivotal in transforming the business , particularly in Western Australia , and creating a culture of succession planning and engagement within its teams . While he ’ s working to further diversify his management skills and gain more experience in buying , planning and marketing , his focus is on the people he leads .
Regarding aims for the future , he is set on keeping people in the picture .
“ In five years ’ time , I would love to be in a role that continues to influence and develop leaders ,” Ian said . “ As I continue to grow and develop my skill set , my focus will always be on making a positive impact on the people I am given the honour of leading .”
May 2023 www . insideretail . com . au | 63