SOFIAH NICHOLE SALIVIO

News Editor

Komerz has appointed Shahid Sadiq as Group Chief Financial Officer. He joins from WPP.

Sadiq is among the latest senior hires at the UK-founded commerce business as it expands through acquisitions and international growth.

He brings two decades of experience in marketing communications finance. At WPP, he served as Global CFO of WPP Specialist Communications and PR, overseeing finance across a portfolio of operating companies in multiple markets.

Earlier in his career, Sadiq held senior finance and operating roles at Geometry Global and McCann Worldgroup EMEA. He has also served on listed and private company boards as an adviser and Non-Executive Director.

At Komerz, he will lead group finance, capital allocation, investment strategy, fundraising, governance, performance management and investor relations. He will also support the company’s acquisition programme and overseas expansion across four global hubs.

The appointment comes as Komerz pursues a growth financing round valuing the business at GBP £500 million. Founded in 2023, it has completed more than GBP £50 million of acquisitions across brands, technology and marketing businesses.

Those deals include haircare brand NOUGHTY, wine retailer Great Wines Direct, US-based marketing measurement and attribution company Pathformance Technologies, and brand and marketing consultancy Glassbox.

Acquisition push

Komerz has built its strategy around linking marketing, commerce, data and distribution in a single operating model. It says this structure is designed to connect brand activity with sales conversion, retail planning and revenue measurement.

Its platform, the Komerz Operating System, sits at the centre of that approach. The system combines data, planning and execution across areas including consumer targeting, demand forecasting, channel optimisation and market expansion.

The company has grown quickly since launch, and the arrival of a new finance chief points to a greater focus on managing a more complex group structure as acquisitions are integrated and new capital is raised.

Ramesh Krishnamurthy, Chief Executive Officer, said: “Shahid’s appointment marks another significant milestone in Komerz’s evolution. As we continue to grow and strengthen our global presence, his experience leading complex international organisations and delivering disciplined growth will be invaluable. We are building for the long term, and Shahid brings the financial leadership needed for the next stage of our journey.”

Siddarth Shankar, Chief Operating Officer, said: “Komerz is creating a new kind of commercial growth platform, combining brands, technology, data and distribution within a single ecosystem. Shahid brings world-class financial and operational expertise that will help us accelerate growth, integrate acquisitions effectively, and continue building a category-defining business.”

For Komerz, the appointment underlines the importance of financial oversight at a time when younger technology-led groups are using acquisitions to assemble broader commercial platforms. Bringing in a senior executive from a large listed advertising group may also help reassure investors as the company seeks fresh funding.

Sadiq said the scale of the opportunity was a key factor in his move.

He said: “Komerz is building a highly differentiated platform at the intersection of commerce, distribution, AI and performance-led growth, with a clear vision and significant opportunities ahead. The opportunity to help scale this globally through disciplined investment, profitable expansion and strategic acquisitions is extremely compelling. I look forward to working with the leadership team to build a world-class omni-channel distribution business for brands.”

SOFIAH NICHOLE SALIVIO

News Editor

WorkJam has published research showing that more than half of UK manufacturers have reduced or slowed hiring in the past six months. The survey also found that 76% are using AI in workforce or production operations.

The findings suggest the sector is trying to contain rising costs while dealing with recruitment, retention and regulatory pressure. Of the 142 manufacturing professionals surveyed, 19% said reducing costs was now the industry’s biggest challenge.

Hiring has been one of the clearest pressure points. Some 52% of organisations said they had reduced or slowed recruitment over the past six months, while 24% said rising labour costs and productivity pressures were slowing hiring in skilled production and engineering roles.

Another 23% said they were increasing prices to offset higher costs. At the same time, workforce issues remained prominent, with 16% identifying employee engagement as a leading challenge and 15% citing retention.

The data suggests manufacturers are not only responding to cost inflation but also reshaping labour management decisions. Nearly 40% of respondents said the Employment Rights Bill and wider labour regulations had already forced them to change how they manage their workforce.

Across the wider sample, 67% said current pressures were leading them to rethink how they manage and organise operations. Half said cost control now takes priority over employee experience and workforce enablement.

AI uptake

AI use appears broad but uneven. While more than three-quarters of respondents said their organisation was using AI to support workforce or production operations, only 11% said they had deployed it at scale.

That gap points to limited operational maturity despite strong interest in the technology. Just 7% said their primary reason for investing in AI was to improve the shopfloor experience, with most efforts instead focused on efficiency and productivity.

The results suggest manufacturers are treating AI mainly as a tool to manage output and costs rather than as a direct way to improve day-to-day working conditions for frontline staff. This comes as companies continue to weigh immediate financial constraints against longer-term workforce needs.

Workforce strain

The survey was conducted at Smart Manufacturing Week 2026 and reflects responses from a relatively small but targeted group of industry professionals. Even so, the pattern is consistent: businesses are trying to absorb higher employment costs without losing the experienced staff needed to keep factories running smoothly.

This creates a difficult position for employers in production and engineering, where specialist skills can be hard to replace. Slower recruitment may ease short-term spending, but it also risks adding pressure to existing teams if vacancies remain unfilled.

WorkJam said the findings showed manufacturers were trying to manage cost pressure while maintaining engagement and retention among frontline workers. The company, which sells employee engagement software for frontline sectors, said the results showed spending discipline and workforce support are now being weighed side by side.

Mark Williams, Managing Director, EMEA, at WorkJam, said: “Manufacturers are currently facing difficult business decisions, but as the findings suggest, many also recognise that reducing costs cannot come at the expense of workforce capability.

“Engagement and retention remain high on the agenda because experienced frontline and production employees play a critical role in maintaining productivity and operational performance. Manufacturers now need to invest in technology, such as AI-powered frontline employee engagement platforms, to improve efficiency and simplify operations while continuing to provide managers and frontline teams with the support they need to do their jobs effectively.”

The stationary and book shop has 450 sites across the UK including numerous former WH Smith branches across Oxfordshire.

These include stores in Cornmarket, Oxford, and in Witney, Abingdon, Chipping Norton, Didcot, Wantage and Banbury. The takeover came into effect a year ago.

READ MORE: TG Jones confirms stores may close

TG Jones could face insolvency without a rescue deal, according to a High Court hearing held on Monday, and about 150 stores could shut. A decision was expected today.

The company is seeking approval for a restructuring plan that would unlock a further £15m loan from its owners, Modella Capital, who already loaned £10m in April.

If stores close it will leave large empty retail units in towns and cities across the country.

The Toys R Us chain has a section in some TG Jones stores including the one in Oxford.

WH Smith in Cornmarket Street Oxford (Image: Contributed)

Tom Smith KC, representing TG Jones, said: “The business is highly distressed after suffering long-term sales decline.”

He told the court that without support, the company would face an £8m shortfall this week after paying tax, rent, suppliers, and payroll.

He added: “As is well known, the UK retail sector has faced serious trading difficulties in recent years.

“The problems facing the sector have their roots in macroeconomic factors such as high inflation, the shift to online shopping, reduced consumer spending, higher labour costs and increased taxes.”

TG Jones, which employs 4,700 staff across 450 stores, rebranded last year after being acquired by Modella.

WH Smith retained its travel-focused outlets in airports and train stations, including the shop at Oxford railway station.

If the restructuring plan is approved, around 150 shops are expected to close.

Mr Smith added: “That will assist in ensuring the future of the group.”

It has been a difficult year for the UK high street, with several retailers entering administration and others announcing widespread store closures.

Major high street brands LK Bennett and Claire’s both closed all their stores in April, having previously fallen into administration.

And clothing chain River Island shut stores, including one at Westgate Oxford.

River Island previously ran a store in Cornmarket Street, and switched to the Westgate centre in 2017.

Discount brand Poundland has also closed a number of stores across the UK.

Some chains, however, have also opened new stores, including M&S, which has opened a new foodhall in Abingdon. Aldi and Superdrug have also opened new stores.

The 18,000 sq ft store opened at the Fairacres Retail Park off Marcham Road in April.

A new Lidl supermarket has been given planning permission in Didcot but has not yet opened.