KEVIN SO
Charlotte,USA
Summary
Senior excess-inventory operator with 30+ years in global merchandising, sourcing, and trading, spanning tier-one brands, licensed brand groups, global supply-chain leaders, and hands-on trading environments. Proven ability to price, acquire, and place excess footwear and apparel—including cancelled POs, overproduction, late programs, and end-of-season stock—into off-price, value, and secondary markets with speed, discipline, and brand protection. I operate like a trading desk, not a corporate buyer: focused on liquidity, velocity, downside risk, and real clearing prices. Deep global network across brands, factories, traders, and retail channels. Comfortable making fast decisions with incomplete information.
Overview
7
7
years of professional experience
Work History
Merchandising Manager
ASCO General Supplies (Far East) Ltd. – Pentland Group
- Merchandising leadership role within Pentland Group
- Managed programs for licensed brands including Speedo
- Operated within the JD Sports ecosystem (51% Pentland ownership)
- Worked under strict brand protection, licensing rules, and controlled channels
- Direct exposure to brand-safe liquidation constraints
Merchandising Manager – Footwear
Li & Fung Trading Ltd.
- Senior merchandising role at Li & Fung, one of the leading global sourcing and supply-chain management companies in the world
- Managed global footwear programs across China, Vietnam, Indonesia, and other regions
- Regularly handled cancelled POs, volume reductions, production changes, and excess stock
- Provided commercial solutions for inventory reallocation and surplus mitigation
Business & Operational Manager
CNH (HK) Co. Ltd.
- Ran business and operational functions within a trading environment
- Managed factory coordination, production timelines, logistics, and financial controls
- Directly handled overproduction and excess inventory placement
Business & Operational Manager
El Bosque Corp Ltd.
- Executed secondary-market and closeout placements for footwear
- Negotiated pricing, volumes, and delivery with factories and buyers
- Strong exposure to export, off-price, and value retail channels
Independent Excess Inventory Trading & Advisory
- Current
- Source and evaluate excess footwear & apparel from brands, factories, and trading partners
- Price inventory based on liquidity, channel risk, and velocity, not list prices
- Structure deals around speed, margin protection, and downside control
- Place goods into off-price, value retail, and secondary markets
- Handle sensitive inventory requiring brand protection and channel discipline
- Global | Ongoing
Business Development & Administration Manager
Van Harvest Distribution LLC
01.2019 - Current
- US-based operational role demonstrating commercial execution, cost control, and real-world logistics.
- Lead business development, vendor negotiation, pricing, and contracts
- Manage operational administration, compliance, billing, fleet coordination, and reporting
- Support sourcing decisions and margin improvement initiatives
- Operate in a hands-on, execution-driven environment with direct accountability
- This role reinforces my ability to execute deals, manage risk, and solve problems in real time—core to Dirac’s model.
Senior Merchandiser – Footwear
GAP Inc.
- 01.2019
- Built GAP’s footwear business from scratch, scaling from 1 style to 10+ commercial styles
- Owned line planning, pricing architecture, margin targets, and buy quantities
- Worked directly with sourcing and factories to control volume and inventory risk
- Hands-on exposure to end-of-season stock and excess mitigation inside a major US brand
Education
Diploma - Business Studies
Hang Seng School of Commerce
Hong Kong06-1982
Skills
- Excess & Overstock Buying (Footwear & Apparel)
- Cancelled POs / Overproduction / Delayed Programs
- Off-Price, Value Retail & Export Channels
- Margin, Risk & Downside Assessment
- Licensed Brand & Channel Control
- Global Vendor & Factory Negotiation
- Fast-Turn Deal Execution
- International Trading (US, Asia, EU, AU, Africa)
LANGUAGES
English – Fluent
Chinese – Fluent (Cantonese & Mandarin)
WHY I FIT DIRAC
- Immediate deal-ready network (brands, factories, traders, off-price buyers)
- Real experience with actual excess, not theoretical liquidation
- Strong instinct for pricing, risk, and velocity
- Understand brand-safe vs non-brand-safe inventory
- Comfortable operating remote, cross-time-zone, startup-style
- No learning curve on surplus mechanics — I’ve lived it for decades
PLACEMENT CHANNELS & CUSTOMERS
- US / Canada: Walmart, Dollar General, Family Dollar, JCPenney, Belk, Meijer, Shoe Carnival, DSW, Academy Sports, Abercrombie & Fitch, Hollister, Avon
- UK / Europe: Marks & Spencer, Debenhams
- Australia: Woolworths, Big W
- South Africa: Woolworths
PRODUCT DEPTH
- Men’s, Women’s & Kids Footwear
- Casual, Lifestyle, Workwear, Outdoor
- Goodyear Welt, Cement, Vulcanized, Injection
- Leather, Synthetic, Knit, Rubber, EVA
Timeline
Business Development & Administration Manager
Van Harvest Distribution LLC
01.2019 - Current
Merchandising Manager
ASCO General Supplies (Far East) Ltd. – Pentland Group
Merchandising Manager – Footwear
Li & Fung Trading Ltd.
Business & Operational Manager
CNH (HK) Co. Ltd.
Business & Operational Manager
El Bosque Corp Ltd.
Independent Excess Inventory Trading & Advisory
- Current
Senior Merchandiser – Footwear
GAP Inc.
- 01.2019
Diploma - Business Studies
Hang Seng School of Commerce