WORK

Work that connects brand intent with what people actually experience.

A selection of work shaped through independent consulting, specialist collaboration and senior roles inside global brands. Across strategy, service, space, standards, supplier networks and rollout, the work shows how brand intent becomes something people can use, deliver and return to.

INDEPENDENT WORK

Focused work where direction becomes experience.

Independent work and collaboration where AK Works brings senior brand experience judgement into live retail, hospitality and spatial projects.

Collaboration with Zachary Pulman Studio

ZACHARY PULMAN STUDIO · HOSPITALITY AND COMPETITIVE SOCIALISING

Brand and experience strategy for venues people return to.

Brand identity, positioning and experience strategy connecting guest journey, tone of voice, service culture and operational principles with the environments being designed.

Ongoing collaboration with Zachary Pulman Studio across hospitality and competitive socialising projects. Selected imagery shown from The Lucky Goat, London.

Scope

Brand positioning, brand identity, tone of voice and experience strategy in collaboration with Zachary Pulman Studio.

Credits

Design: Zachary Pulman Studio, London, United Kingdom

Images: The Lucky Goat, London

Whites concept rendering, store interior

Whites concept rendering, fixture rhythm

Whites concept rendering, service counter

WHITES · RIYADH · RETAIL TRANSFORMATION

A retail transformation built for national rollout.

Positioning, store experience, customer journey, service framework and retail design capability, developed through the first phase of implementation.

Built foundations for rollout: retail design standards, operational processes, fixture development and shopfitting partner structures.

Scope

Positioning, store experience, customer journey, service framework and retail design capability.

Credits

Concept design: Zachary Pulman Studio

Images: Concept renderings by Zachary Pulman Studio

CIFONELLI · LONDON · LUXURY RETAIL

A Paris tailoring house, translated into a London flagship.

Appointed to lead the retail design development for Cifonelli’s London flagship, in collaboration with Zachary Pulman Studio: a luxury retail environment shaped around craft, service and the codes of the house.

Scope

Retail design development, project direction and design development coordination.

Credits

Design: Zachary Pulman Studio, London, United Kingdom

Images: Ed Reeve

EXPERIENCE INSIDE GLOBAL BRANDS

Where brand strategy had to become stores, standards, teams and rollout.

Before AK Works, Ales held senior roles inside Aesop, PUMA and Timberland. This is where the discipline was built: translating brand intent into physical environments, service behaviours, operational standards, supplier networks and multi-market rollout.

AESOP · MELBOURNE / GLOBAL

One global retail function.

RoleGeneral Manager, Retail & Customer Service

Brought Store Design & Development, Operations, Customer Service, Training and Online together under one leadership during a defining period of international expansion.

Scope

Developed the 2015–2020 Retail Portfolio Strategy and supporting systems. Redeveloped the Retail Consultant training programme and regional service standards. Supported the in-store facial treatment model and prepared it for regional rollout.

Scale

55+

Stores, shop-in-shops and branded spaces opened during the period.

Credits

Aesop Fasanenstraße, Berlin, Germany

Design: Snøhetta

Images: Ludger Paffrath

Aesop Shinsaibashi, Osaka, Japan

Design: Shinichiro Ogata / SIMPLICITY

Images: Aesop

Service image

Images: Aesop

PUMA · ZURICH / GLOBAL

PUMA Retail 2.0.

RoleDirector Global Retail Concepts & Experience

Developed PUMA Retail 2.0, a global retail concept programme across commercial, sport performance, motorsport, flagship and Black Label formats.

Scope

Developed global retail concepts and Retail Design / Visual Merchandising Guidelines for regional implementation. Embedded sustainability in the global format standard.

Restructured the global architect and supplier network for fixtures, fittings, Visual Merchandising displays and signage. Managed prototyping, value engineering and quality approval with local teams through global rollout.

Scale

300+

Stores, shop-in-shops and branded spaces.

Credits

PUMA Osaka, Japan

Design: Plajer & Franz Studio, Germany

Images: Ken Schluchtman, Germany

TIMBERLAND · INTERNATIONAL

One brand, built across formats and markets.

RoleHead of Visual Communications / International Store Design, Visual Merchandising and Brand Presentation

Over sixteen years, progressed from VM Coordinator to international leadership roles across store design, Visual Merchandising and brand presentation.

Scope

Led the development of The Marketplace, Timberland’s global sustainable retail concept, and its LEED-aligned implementation across flagship, standard and shop-in-shop formats.

Managed the international brand and customer experience strategy across company-operated, franchise and wholesale environments.

Built and managed an international architect and supplier network for fixtures, fittings, Visual Merchandising displays and signage. Developed global guidelines, rollout manuals and training tools for consistent implementation across markets and formats.

Scale

1,300+

Stores, shop-in-shops and branded spaces.

Credits

Timberland White City, London, United Kingdom

Design: Checkland Kindleysides, London, United Kingdom

Images: Checkland Kindleysides

GET IN TOUCH

Bring this experience into your project.

A first conversation can be useful before there is a formal brief: what exists, what is being considered and where AK Works might play a part.

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