John Barford

John’s business journey started with Harrods and progressed through the Royal Academy of Arts, where he quadrupled the retail business, and the Science Museum Group where he delivered an integrated commercial strategy across four museums.

John has led projects to transform food concepts targeting different customer segments ranging from a tuck shop to fine dining in a railway carriage. Retail projects extend from a strategic retail review of The Queen’s palaces to the development of merchandising and buying plans for a shop on the Antarctic Peninsula.

John is skilled in change management and the strategic development, implementation and operation of exciting and engaging, hospitality, retail and other commercial activities which drive profit, deliver excellent customer experiences and add value to the brand.

Commercial change agent

Expertise

  • Strategy + Commercial Development

  • Change Management

  • Retail + ecommerce

  • Catering + Hospitality

  • Project Management + Procurement

Affiliations

  • Diploma in Marketing, Chartered Institute of Marketing

  • Trustee, Heath Robinson Museum

Where John works

My way of working is to keep things simple and maintain a clarity of vision and purpose. You don’t always need to dive to the bottom of the ocean to find the right solution. With a clear sense of strategic direction, creativity backed with data and hands-on practical delivery, I help business by identifying and developing strategy, scenario planning, business modelling, supporting change and leading or advising on operational delivery.

Barely 20 minutes’ walk from my home office, I discovered this Bluebell wood during the early dark days of the Covid-19 lockdown, while taking my daily exercise. I have known the area for many years, or thought I did, but I never knew this wood was so close at hand, nor that it yields a carpet of Bluebells in the Spring. I had walked up a steep hill and was rewarded by the uplifting sight of the Bluebells. Different elements of nature had combined to create the scene; the blue of the Bluebells, the green of spring leaves on the trees, the dappled sunlight.

I was struck by the apparent simplicity and continuity of nature to inspire joy in challenging times.