Richard Ingram
With responsibility for leading the Young Entrepreneur program within Aimava, Richard is an experienced Retail Operations Manager with a long record of achievement in team leadership, profit enhancement and project management, developed within senior operational roles with major High Street retailers. Prior to retirement in 2010, Richard was Divisional Head of Sales (South) for Vodafone UK, having joined in 1997 and experienced a market penetration increase from 14% to over 90% in the UK. Previously 3 years in Senior Management within Computer Retail and 15 years with Superdrug (Kingfisher PLC) including 7 years as Divisional Controller. Earliest Retail Management career started with Safeway Foodstores, with his first major role as Superstore General Manager in 1979. Operational involvement in acquisition, mergers, re-branding and growth. During 13 years at Vodafone, Richard took a keen interest in many Social Responsibility projects, the most significant of which was leading the annual Vodafone Parachute Jump over a 9-year period raising over £200k for youth charities in the UK and Africa. For S.R. activities and a key contribution to strategic goals, he was twice voted the ‘Vodafone Legend Award’ by employees & senior management in 2005 and 2006, one of 100 from 11,000 UK employees. Richard was also invited to meet HM Queen at Vodafone HQ in 2008 in recognition of these achievements. Following retirement, Richard has established a Friday Youth Club for Yr5 to Yr9 children, running since July 2013 with 60 children in membership, and been involved in other charity fundraising events, Youth groups, music and sports activities, particularly golf, surfing and walking. From June to August 2015, he walked and camped the 630ml South West coast path with Rusty, 6 yr old Golden Retriever supporting Children’s Hospice South West and Breast Cancer Care. Richard is a keen surfer, golfer and musician (guitar). Trained in Emergency First Aid, Child Safeguarding and DBS certified.