The high-end discount marketplace for fashion, sportswear, and beauty brands, Secret Sales, has confirmed the appointment of Leon Shepherd as the new Chief Technology Officer (CTO). This move comes as the company sets out to significantly enhance its technology capabilities, aligning with its ambitious global expansion strategy.
Shepherd brings with him a wealth of experience from some of the UK’s most renowned brands, including Jack Wills, Fat Face, Marks & Spencer, and an impressive nine-year tenure at Vodafone, where he spearheaded advanced mobile technology engineering. Prior to joining Secret Sales, Shepherd served as Chief Information Officer and Digital Strategy Director at Ted Baker.
In his new capacity as CTO at Secret Sales, Shepherd will focus on advancing the company’s integrated technology stack. His goal is to create an unrivaled, seamless marketplace platform for brands, retailers, and consumers. Shepherd’s deep understanding of the retail sector and his brand-centric approach will be critical in enhancing the digital experience at Secret Sales.
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Shepherd’s expertise will also be leveraged to further develop the use of cutting-edge technology at Secret Sales, such as dynamic forecasting tools. These tools assist brands in driving sales and boosting margins from their seasonal surplus stock.
As part of his role, Shepherd will oversee the development of Secret Sales’ new website, which is based on Progressive Web App (PWA) technology. Even though PWA is yet to be widely adopted by online fashion retailers, it is seen by many, including Google, as the future of online retail. This is due to its ability to tackle the challenges of performance, quality, and internet connection issues that are common with traditional websites. The PWA-based website of Secret Sales will enable both online and offline navigation by caching and storing parts of the data displayed on the site, thus greatly improving the user experience.
Secret Sales has seen remarkable growth since 2021, including two funding rounds of $10 million each, expansion into two new international territories, and a year-on-year inventory increase in value by 125%. These achievements have set the stage for the company to further develop its technology capabilities and make this significant appointment. As Secret Sales targets expansion into 12 new European markets, Shepherd will lead the Technology team, reinforcing the company’s position as a premier non-full price marketplace for fashion and beauty.
Chris Griffin, CEO of Secret Sales, remarked, “Technology is central to our operations and is critical in driving efficiencies and profitability for brands and retailers on our platform. We are delighted to welcome Leon to our team, where he will take the next step in his career and drive our technology investment forward. Leon’s vast experience in tech and his unique perspective on the industry will be invaluable as we continue to make significant strides both in the UK and internationally.”
On his appointment, Leon Shepherd said, “Joining Secret Sales presents a unique opportunity for me to contribute to the creation of a transformative technology platform in the industry. The work the team has already done is groundbreaking, and I’m excited to elevate it to a new level by implementing PWA and other industry-leading technologies across Europe. The leadership team has a profound understanding of the role of technology, and every team member is committed to aiding the company’s growth. I am ready to seize this opportunity and make the most of it.”
