A HIGH street opticians at the heart of Shepherds Bush has appointed a new Retail Director, Hannan Qureshi.

A former legal advisor, Hannan, recently completed the Specsavers Pathway training programme.

Hannan gained an insight into the retail sector while studying for his law degree at Brunel University. As a student he worked part-time over a period of seven to eight years for Specsavers Greenford and Specsavers Uxbridge until graduating in 2014 with an LLB (Hons) degree.

Hannan worked in the legal profession, which included family, employment and commercial law for the next eight years, but he realised that he didn’t have the passion to really progress within his chosen profession, so he decided to re-join Specsavers and explore an alternative career opportunity.

Realising that he really wanted to be a driving force within a business and fulfil his potential and his dream to become a Specsavers store partner, Hannan joined Specsavers Shepherds Bush as a Store Manager. For the next two years, with the support and mentoring from both directors, Onkar Singh Khambay and Sajid Patel, he started on his Specsavers Career Pathway training.

Hannan said: ‘I always wanted to be more than a manager and I was very focused on having a share in the business.

‘I did mention during my initial interview for the store manager position that ultimately my goal was to be a store partner and therefore I was interested in the Specsavers Career Pathway.

‘Both Kam and Sajid were incredibly supportive of this, and during the last two years I have received a lot of mentoring and personal development from them. This has helped me to complete the Pathway programme – so I’m thrilled to have achieved my ambition. Now it’s my turn to help develop the team and provide support for them to meet their goals.’

Optometrist director Onkar Singh Khambay said: ‘Both Sajid and I are delighted that Hannan has fulfilled his dream. Welcoming him as our new store partner signifies a big step forward in the running of the business.

‘Hannan is a great role model for the team, and I am sure he will inspire everyone to pursue their goals, both inside and outside of the business.’

For anyone considering a role at Specsavers or switching career sector, Hannan said: ‘My advice is it’s worth the effort and it’s definitely rewarding. Most importantly, Specsavers not only care about their customers, they also really want their employees to be happy in their respective roles.’

The Specsavers Career Pathway offers staff the opportunity to study for industry-recognised qualifications, including training to become a Specsavers store partner.

The store has been part of the Shepherds Bush community since 2004, offering customers a regular sight test or an emergency triage appointment, with an average of 14 weekly clinics available. The store is open seven days a week, including Sunday.

An additional service is the provision of shared cataract referral services. It is a scheme offered by the NHS, which refers patients to a private hospital via Specsavers Shepherd’s Bush, with the aim of reducing waiting times. The store also offers customers a cataract appointment follow-up, post-surgery, with a multilingual team who can assist patients.

As part of Specsavers’ mission to make eye health accessible to all, it also offers a Home Visits service to those who need it, with mobile opticians covering more than 90% of the UK.

To book in for a sight test, you can contact Specsavers Shepherd’s Bush on 020 8735 5890. Alternatively, you can book online at https://www.specsavers.co.uk/stores/shepherdsbush