Rene Du Toit

Key Visual Merchandising Achievements & Responsibilities
• Managed and maintained consistent visual merchandising standards across multiple distribution channels and store formats.
• Led seasonal and new product launch visual strategies, increasing customer engagement, foot traffic, and sales performance.
• Optimised floor space, traffic flow, and product visibility through innovative layouts, planogram refinement, and strategic product placement.
• Streamlined VM processes, reducing setup and reset time while maintaining luxury brand standards during peak trading periods.
• Collaborated with marketing, sales, wholesale, and global teams to deliver cohesive in-store and window displays aligned to campaigns.
• Oversaw visual merchandising for new store openings, renovations, and brand change-outs, coordinating with contractors and suppliers.
• Drove revenue growth through strategic placement of high-margin and high-demand products in key visual zones.
• Developed VM guidelines, launch kits, and training materials to ensure consistency and smooth execution across regions.
• Trained, mentored, and coached field teams and junior staff on best-in-class visual merchandising practices.
• Managed VM budgets, inventory, fixtures, lighting, props, and signage, ensuring cost efficiency and availability.
• Conducted regular store audits, competitor analysis, and performance reviews to refine VM strategies using sales and customer data.
• Implemented sustainable visual merchandising practices and innovative display solutions to enhance brand image and customer experience.

• Oversee new counter and SAB launches, particularly in Travel Retail and South Africa. PM
• Develop detailed briefs and individual opening orders for each installation.
• Coordinate with local and global design teams, ensuring adherence to standards.
• Manage project plans and communication between teams.
• Ensure timely dissemination of plans and layouts to relevant teams.
• Address out-of-stock issues and update store lists for launch support.
• Conduct on-site visits to address merchandising issues post-opening.
• Collaborate on bespoke merchandising elements with Global VM/Design teams.
• Develop merchandising guidelines tailored to South African requirements.
• Manage photo library, filing photos per store and campaign.
• Interpret marketing calendar for merchandising updates.
• Manage SAB visual merchandising aligned with marketing calendar.
• Communicate merchandising plans and updates to relevant teams.
• Provide regular reports and feedback to management.
• Ensure timely maintenance and upkeep of stores.
• Design, set up, and manage all Chanel events.
• Manage VM assets and ensure their safekeeping and organization.
• Responsible for managing marketing VM budgets, including tracking, negotiation with partners/suppliers, and ensuring project execution within assigned budgets
• Ensures national VM compliance and best-in-class execution through project management and installation of merchandising materials.
• Coordinates brand innovation by preparing presentations, analyzing planograms, and developing VM POSM for launches.
• Forecasts VM non-saleable items, manages inventory levels, and supports sales with documentation and ongoing maintenance.
• Manages suppliers, ensuring quality production and timely installation through clear briefs and timelines.
• Prestige Cosmetics Group

• All the below Retail Promotional manager duties
• Managing of PCG staff
• Merchandising, making sure its up to international standards
• Stock Management
• Ensuring that my stores have all the necessary support to make sales (testers, samples etc.)
• Dealing with IR issues
• Achieving regional sales targets
• Budgets and expense management
• Building relationships with regionals and retailers
• Administration and reporting

• Managing of Promoter budgets
• Working closely with the marketing team
• Booking and management of promotional staff
• Managing and putting together Events with Marketing and RDM's
• Managing new launches in JHB region
• Making sure all activations are set up as per marketing and manning activations.
• Manage Promoter schedules.
• Communicating promoter activities to all regions as per the launch books.
• Ensuring all regions man all new launch outposts and activities
• Putting together competitor reports for Marketing

• Managing corporate stores, staff management.
• Interviewing and appointment of prospective employees.
• Staff disciplinary issues.
• Upskilling of staff on product knowledge, salon equipment and retail
• Setting targets for corporate stores and managing goals.
• Selling of products to independent salons and pharmacies.
• Working with franchisees, helping to manage there stores and getting orders.
• Oranizing events for stores and help with planning of events
• Managed areas: East rand , the South, Free State and the Northen Cape

• Booking and organising events in salones
• Driving sell through and buy-in in salones
• Doing workshops
• Social Media
• Training and upskilling staff on products
• Make up artist

• Answering phones
• Making appointments
• Filling Organising
• Typing documents (Wills)etc.
• Client liason

• Managing cosmetic department of over 25 people
• Merchandising
• Stock control(Stock Taking)
• Taking care of customer services, handling queries and complaints
• Recruiting and training new staff
• Disciplining and motivating staff
• Organizing in store events
• Shopping with customers and helping them dress for their body shape and style

• Assistant Manager
• Retail Make-up Artist
• Working with management to achieve goals
• Doing reports
• Managing store and staff
• In store training
• Creating schedules
• Report staff hours to the Payroll department and respond to inquiries
• Assume the role of Store Manager in his or her absence
• Provide expert advice to customers in all areas of the store
• Proactively build and maintain customer relationships
• Ensure that newly-received product is stocked in a timely manner
• Motivate staff
• Interviewing and hiring staff
• Merchandising of new product launches
• Dealing with customer requests complaints in store
• Promoted to Assistant store manager

• Make-up Artist
• Management (acting supervisor)
• Making of schedules
• Weekly reports
• Stock take
• Product specialist
• Reporting of figures
• Retail consultant