Chris Thomas
Biography
Chris Thomas is the 5-Time Drapers Award-winning CEO and Founder of Cake Agency, a holistic eCommerce agency that unleashes the potential of ambitious brands. Using his industry-leading retailer background, decades of experience as an eCommerce consultant, and a desire to take the pain out of business growth for retailers, Chris founded our agency in 2016.
Chris has been retailing online since 2002 and has 20 years experience in how to grow and be successful online, selling his first retail company to JD Sports in 2013. Chris is a strategic consultant with the ability to define challenges and the actions required to overcome them by focusing energy and resources where it matters mosts to impact your bottom line.
As an expert in creating long-term strategies for websites using Shopify and Shopify Plus eCommerce and a successful online retailer in his own right for over 20 years he put his expertise to work by founding Cake Agency.
Whilst Chris is responsible for the day to day strategic management of Cake Agency and the wider Layer Cake Group, he is still very much active on client accounts. He works closely with business owners to fully understand their eCommerce requirements but their wider business too, unlocking limitations and setting up their business for sustainable, scalable growth. Ask him about the Gross Demand Plan, his trademarked plan for eCommerce growth and you will get an idea of the level of detail that sits behind how he thinks and the care with which Cake approaches their work.
Chris particularly dedicated to nurturing the next generation of digital talent here in Birmingham and regularly recruit new talent from the local universities and offer summer internships.
Starting out as an accountant, training with KPMG, Chris has a core passion and understanding of financial management and working capital. Unlocking a true understanding of how this works in relation to eCommerce growth sits behind the Cake methodology.
Following an enormously successful client relationship with P&Co, Chris was also asked to join the board as Executive Chairman in August 2019, a role he fully embraces alongside his role at Cake Agency.
“Chris and the team at Cake have been instrumental in our growth as a Brand online over the last 5 years. They are able to combine best practice eCommerce know-how with top-level strategic insights on how our business should operate at the highest level ”
Jordan Brookes, CEO at P&Co
Highlights
Executive Chairman
P&Co: 2018 - present
Responsible for managing the Board at P&Co. Providing mentorship to the Executive team, strategic guidance, financial discipline and 25 years of multi-channel retailing experience in fashion.
Owner & Founder
Cloggs.co.uk: 2002-2016
From startup to £16m turnover Cloggs was one of the first brands to sell shoes online in the UK. It became a leading independent retailer in the space of Dr Martens, Converse, Ugg Boots, Hunter Wellies and hundreds of other brands over a 15 year period. The business was bought by JD Sports plc in 2013 and Chris stayed on as Managing Director for a further 4 years before leaving to set up Cake Agency.
The expereience of growing a brand from startup to multi-million turnover retailer is the background and expereince he has rolled forward to the operation and methodolgy of Cake Agency and is the substance behind the line that cake is an agency 'founded by retailers for retailers'.
Agency Intensive Podcast
Appearing as the second ever guest on the Agency Intensive Podcast, Chris shares his experience as an Agency owner, including insights on optimising productivity through tech changes and emphasising the importance of holistic health, especially sleep quality.
Advocating for innovation, client satisfaction, staying ahead, and embracing failure for agency success, Chris talks about creating Cake to avoid the frustrations he faced as a retailer with his agency partners.
A big shout out to Richard Hill and everyone at eComOne for such a great episode. You can listen to the full podcast here.
Experience
- eCommerce consultancy
- Finance
- SEO
- Business strategy
Trivia
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