Off-price fashion and beauty marketplace Secret Sales has just named Anthony Farrow as its new Chief Technology Officer (CTO).
The company said it’s a “strategic move” that aligns with its “commitment to intensify its focus on technology investments, in tandem with its expansion efforts across Europe”.
Farrow had been a Managing Director at professional services giant Accenture, before which he was CTO at The Javelin Group. Accenture later acquired Javelin to spearhead its work in digital retail transformation.
Importantly, for 23 years Farrow has worked with major fashion brands, including Burberry and Gucci owner Kering, “helping to design and implement commercially successful retail solutions”.
Secret sales said his appointment “marks the first time the consultant — renowned for successfully delivering intricate e-commerce systems — transitions to the brand-side”.
In his new role, he’ll lead the “advancement of AI and emerging technologies to enhance the platform’s efficiency for retailers, brands, and customers”.
This involves the implementation of “server-less architecture, refining search capabilities, and seamlessly integrating AI-driven product attributes. Drawing on his extensive expertise, and leveraging Secret Sales’ rich data sources, Farrow will endeavour to elevate the overall experience for both shoppers and sellers, thereby ensuring sustained success for the platform in the long run”.
CEO Chris Griffin said the new CTO’s arrival “comes at a pivotal transformation point for the business. His leadership, depth of e-commerce knowledge and his proven ability to develop innovative retail solutions are precisely what we need as we continue to evolve and grow the platform. Anthony really understands our unique business model and has a clear vision for how data can unlock greater value for our customers.”
And Farrow added that the firm has “fantastic, fit-for-purpose tech, but the real game-changer lies in maximising their amazing customer and supplier data. Taking a holistic view across the entire front and back end is key, and that’s where I come in. It’s what we do next with this data that will set us apart, and I’m excited to deliver a data-driven vision for the platform and see it through to the very end”.
