Real-world commercial capability
Data is increasing. Decision clarity is not.
Optima exists to solve a specific commercial problem: many organisations now have more information, more tools and more analysis than ever, but still struggle to turn that into clear direction and consistent decisions.
Our work is built on a simple belief: commercial capability only matters if it holds up in the reality of trading environments. That means decisions people can align around, act on and execute under pressure - not elegant playbooks that fail at first contact with commercial reality.
We bring together research, commercial judgement and applied capability development to help organisations turn insight into direction, and direction into better decisions across Category, Sales, Marketing, Insight and leadership.
Optima exists to solve a specific commercial problem: many organisations now have more information, more tools and more analysis than ever, but still struggle to turn that into clear direction and consistent decisions.
Our work is built on a simple belief: commercial capability only matters if it holds up in the reality of trading environments. That means decisions people can align around, act on and execute under pressure - not elegant playbooks that fail at first contact with commercial reality.
We bring together research, commercial judgement and applied capability development to help organisations turn insight into direction, and direction into better decisions across Category, Sales, Marketing, Insight and leadership.
What that means in practice
Optima’s approach is shaped by direct experience of how commercial decisions are actually made: inside retailers, inside supplier organisations and alongside senior leadership teams. That leads to three consistent principles in how we work:
- Evidence-led, not opinion-led
Decisions should be grounded in data and insight, but shaped by commercial judgement, context and trading reality. - Decision-focused, not dashboard-focused
The goal is not more reporting. It is clearer choices, explicit trade-offs and shared direction. - Cross-functional by design
Growth decisions rarely sit in one function. Our work reflects how organisations really operate across Category, Sales, Marketing, Insight and leadership.
Leadership
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Simon Dunn
Founder & Managing Director |
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Simon spent ten years as a Buyer at Sainsbury's and Tesco, with direct responsibility for category performance, range architecture, pricing and supplier decisions - including the yes/no calls that ultimately determine whether a brand makes it onto the shelf and stays there.
That experience shapes everything Optima does. Most category consultants come from the supplier side. Simon has sat on both sides of the table - which means he understands not just how to build a compelling category argument, but what actually makes a buyer act on one. He went on to lead Tesco's board-sponsored Food Ranging Plan, building ranging capability across the business, before moving into global supplier leadership. At Philips, he built and embedded a new Category Management function, influencing commercial strategy, go-to-market decisions and senior forums across markets. More recently, he designed and delivered Panasonic's insight-driven value training programme, helping turn category insight into stronger commercial influence and sales impact. Simon also contributes actively to the wider Global Category community through:
This combination of retailer experience, supplier leadership and advisory perspective underpins Optima’s focus on practical, decision-ready thinking rather than theory or tools in isolation. |
"I just wanted to say a final thank you for everything you have worked on over the last year. |
Associate Faculty
Optima works with a carefully selected group of senior associates drawn from across Category, Sales, Marketing, Insight and commercial leadership, matched to the specific needs of each engagement:
Associates are introduced on request and matched to the specific needs of each engagement.
- Senior-level credibility in every engagement
- Consistency of thinking and approach across programmes
- The flexibility to support different organisations, markets and commercial challenges
Associates are introduced on request and matched to the specific needs of each engagement.
Trusted by teams at:
How this fits together
Optima’s research, briefings, benchmark and applied support are intentionally connected.
The research helps identify how Category and commercial decision-making are evolving. Private briefings help leadership teams interpret what that means in their own context. The CCAI benchmark provides a more structured view of capability alignment, while advisory and capability development help organisations respond in practice.
Together, these elements support one aim:
clearer commercial decisions in a more complex environment.
The research helps identify how Category and commercial decision-making are evolving. Private briefings help leadership teams interpret what that means in their own context. The CCAI benchmark provides a more structured view of capability alignment, while advisory and capability development help organisations respond in practice.
Together, these elements support one aim:
clearer commercial decisions in a more complex environment.
Explore what this means for your organisation
If you would like to explore the research, discuss what these shifts may mean for your organisation, or sense-check whether Optima is the right fit for a specific challenge, we would be happy to speak.