About Said

Twenty years on both sides of the counter.

I’m Said Chaarawi, a luxury retail trainer and adviser based in London, and COO, Head of Training at IRD Consultancy. I train sales advisors, store managers and head office teams for brands such as Rinascente, Montblanc and Chanel. Our programmes have won three Brandon Hall medals.

I sold before I trained. I managed brands before I advised them. That is why sales teams listen and head offices call back.

Courtesy of Global Blue by Shift4

The story

Four chapters.

Chapter one

Brand manager in the UAE

I managed luxury watch brands in the UAE: Longines, Pierre Balmain and Hamilton. I learned how a brand is built from head office, and how easily it is undone at the counter.

Shop fronts under the glass vault of a shopping mall in Dubai

Chapter two

Harrods and Selfridges

In London I went back to the shop floor. I ranked among the top 100 salespeople at Harrods and was the top salesperson in watches and jewellery at Selfridges.

Harrods lit up at night above Selfridges on Oxford Street by day

Chapter three

Rolex Flagship UK

As Business Development Manager of Rolex Flagship in the UK, I saw what the very best retail looks like when every detail is held to a standard.

The Rolex boutique at One Hyde Park, London, from the street

Chapter four

COO, Head of Training at IRD Consultancy

Today I lead training at IRD Consultancy. We have trained more than 8,000 luxury professionals across 21 countries in Europe, the USA and the Middle East.