Retail & business
manager.

Strategy and people, driving performance and the customer experience.

Hello, I'm Mélanie.

A manager at heart, a retailer by passion and a challenger for the fun of it, but not only that… naturally curious. 20 years in premium and luxury retail, with one belief: performance is driven by people.

Where to find me

Let's work together!

Open to new opportunities

[email protected] Get in touch
Portrait of Mélanie Ruel

My belief

Whatever the role, everything comes down to human relationships.

Over 20 years, I have led ever-larger scopes, from a single store to a €56M luxury business unit bringing together 115 brands and 30 team members. I learned to read a P&L, to decide with data and to build action plans, without ever losing sight of what creates lasting performance: understanding, listening, uniting and growing teams, in service of an outstanding customer experience. What I bring: a view that is both strategic and human, to structure the organisation, accelerate performance and unlock teams' potential, at the scale of a region or a network.

20 yrs
of experience
€56M
in revenue managed
30+
team members led
60+
premium & luxury brands
01

Expertise

Retail & Management

Leading business units and flagship stores, managing teams of up to 30 people, owning the P&L, commercial strategy and premium customer experience.

B2B Sales

Growing sales and partnerships, prospecting, negotiation and building loyalty with a demanding client portfolio.

Communication

Field marketing, events, press relations and building brand awareness.

Digital & E-commerce

Master's in digital strategy, a data and e-commerce mindset, driving omnichannel performance and CRM tools.

02

Achievements

3 mo.
Le Bon Marché · Runner Project

Runners to improve the customer experience

Introducing runners in the sneakers area to improve the customer experience. A 3-month pilot I led end to end as project manager.

8/15
Le Bon Marché · Team building

Rebuilding a team and helping it grow

8 hires and onboardings within a team of 15, then in-depth coaching of the teams, both individually and collectively, to build a close-knit, committed group for the long term.

×2
Kusmi Tea · Double flagship

Two stores run side by side for a year

Running both at once, with no compromise on commercial standards or on people.

+20%
Pfizer · Territory development

350 clients developed across 4 regions

Revenue growth driven by a lasting, trust-based partnership.

4/yr
Truffaut · Publishing & brand content

4 magazines a year, from concept to publication

In charge of the décor, DIY and Christmas sections, serving the brand image.

Every achievement has its story. Let's talk
03

Career

Le Bon Marché · Paris2021 — 2025

Retail Manager

Women's Shoes Department

Running a €56M business unit (+15%), managing 30 team members and working daily with over 60 premium and luxury brands. Full ownership of the P&L, KPIs and customer experience.

Kusmi Tea · Paris2016 — 2020

Store Manager — Flagship

High-traffic Paris flagship

Growing revenue to €1.5M (+25%), managing teams of up to 14 people, expanding B2B sales and hospitality (CHR) partnerships.

Esteban Parfumeur · Paris2013 — 2016

Store Manager

Store commercial development

Full store management, revenue growth to €350K (+20%), upskilling teams and leading merchandising.

Pfizer2008 — 2012

Pharmaceutical Sales Rep — Territory Manager

Portfolio of 350 clients, 4 regions

Revenue growth of +20%, prospecting and opening accounts, commercial negotiation and building loyalty with a demanding client portfolio.

Truffaut · Île-de-France2004 — 2008

Communication / Marketing Officer

Communication, marketing and events

Leading communication and event projects, press relations and enhancing the brand image and stores.

National agencies & brands2000 — 2004

Communication & Press Relations

Citroën · Stellantis · Thales · Euromaster

Communication, press relations and event projects, creating editorial content and enhancing the brand image.

Ready for new challenges

Let's work together

Open to new management and leadership opportunities. Feel free to get in touch.