Andrew Miles was born in London. He left school at the age of 17 and joined the Sainsbury's management trainee program, where he became one of their youngest managers. 

After that, he spent four years with a family-owned health and beauty business, helping them grow in London and beyond. 

In 1988, Andrew had the opportunity to move to Hong Kong and join Watsons, which had just 59 stores at the time. Over the next 20 years, he held various roles at Watsons, ultimately serving as CEO for Asia in his final six years. During his tenure, he oversaw operations across 11 countries—from Indonesia to Korea to Turkey—and grew the business to 1,500 stores, including over 400 in China. He was part of the team that established the Watsons brand and laid the foundation for its future growth. 

In 2008, Andrew moved to Kuwait to work with one of the largest family-owned businesses in the Middle East. The group consisted of 32 companies, and he was responsible for managing 11 of them across retail, distribution, advertising, supply chain, and financial services. He remained there for four years. 

In May 2012, Andrew received a call from Walmart, asking if he’d be interested in returning to China. During the interview, Walmart CEO Doug McMillon told him he was a “risky hire.” Six weeks later, Andrew began his role as Head of Sam’s Club China. 

When he joined in July 2012, there were just six Sam’s Clubs. Today, the number has grown to 55 clubs and over 400 online depots. Sam’s Club is now the largest omni-channel retailer in China. 

Andrew now runs his own consulting company, supporting businesses and teams with strategy and growth agendas. 

Today, he shares insights, observations, and learnings from his 40+ years as a retailer and business leader.