Cricket enthusiast and Shoprite Group CTO Chris Shortt has masterfully navigated organisational culture, secured buy-in and spearheaded the retail giant’s largest-ever point-of-sale (POS) system upgrade – transforming 29,000 till points with precision and impact.
Chris Shortt, chief technology officer (CTO) at the Shoprite Group says being a technologist is a demanding, always-on role. Africa’s largest retailer’s lead techie, with over 30 years’ experience in the industry, reflects on the first year at the helm of his new team.
One would think that Chris would struggle with making an industry he’s already acquainted with more exciting, but you’d be mistaken.
“Everything is much bigger here, because it’s a much bigger business,” Chris explains. “From a career development perspective, the challenge I saw was: could I apply the lessons and experiences from my previous roles in a similar but significantly larger context? I also wondered how scalable my experience really was.”
In his quest for scale, one of his team’s standout achievements has been the rollout of the largest-ever point-of-sale (POS) system upgrade across the retailer’s 29,191 till points across South Africa, all while he settled into the new role.
Chris highlights the magnitude of this project with pride. “This was a monumental team effort. It was an incredibly humbling experience to see Team Shoprite in action, with 58,382 hours dedicated to transitioning to the new system, and the seamless conversion of 43 stores in a single day and the upgrade of 631 checkout lanes in a single night at its peak,” he says.
“I have discovered a strong learning culture embedded in the team, and agility, for a business with over 160,000 people. This was evident as we progressed through this project, as it was the learnings from the initial rollout that enabled us to complete the project in the fastest time globally by a GK Software client.
The bulk of its South African rollout was completed in just five months, with 2,450 Shoprite, Checkers, Usave, LiquorShop, Little Me, Checkers Outdoor and Petshop Science stores now fully integrated into the new POS system. Rollout is currently underway across the retailer’s African operations.
Chris’s personal highlight of this project is how this seemingly mechanical upgrade also created meaningful change for thousands of the group’s employees. “Not only are we serving our customers much more efficiently, our cash-up process is now 60 percent faster. While this may sound like just another figure, it means our employees can now leave stores to return home to their loved ones earlier.”
At this scale, the smallest change can make a huge impact, and it is with this mantra that Chris leads his team. “Each small change can create a significant impact, and we’re dedicated to providing solutions that drive value and deliver tangible results.”
Journey to the top
Chris completed his BBusSc degree in quantitative management – more commonly known as data science these days – at the University of Cape Town (UCT). His first assignment after varsity and in the working world was to work back his bursary in AECI’s technology division. “I worked on the very first SAP implementation of the client-server technology in the country, which was called version R3,” he notes.
“I’ve always felt destined for a career in technology. I followed the logic that as long as technology plays a role in our lives, I’d have a job – and I guess I wasn’t wrong!”
Chris succeeded David Cohn, who retired as chief information officer from the retail giant last year, and says he continues to draw from a rich network of tech professionals.
Coming from a retail background, there are clear advantages to transitioning within the same industry, as Chris points out. Already understanding how the industry operates, the terminology and the systems (like SAP and others), all made it easier for him to hit the ground running. “The real challenge becomes working with and leading a completely new group of people who, while sharing a similar understanding of the sector and its technologies, bring a different mindset to the table,” he adds.
At the Shoprite Group, Chris has noticed commitment to his field, as the retailer’s CEO, Pieter Engelbrecht, and its broader leadership team, all view technology as central to the business, and they’re prepared to invest strongly in it. “We appreciate how critical technology is to scalability,” he says. “In previous roles, the focus was often on limiting technology investment because it was seen as a cost centre. This presents a very different challenge for innovation.
“The culture at the Shoprite Group is also unique,” Chris continues. “I don’t need to convince the leadership to adopt a technology solution – they’re already driving the need for it. That’s the level of interest and synchronicity I’ve experienced here.”
“I’m an architect at heart,” says Chris. “For me, it’s all about how we take technology and use it to solve problems. My immediate response when presented with a challenge is, how can we use tech to address it in the most pragmatic, affordable and scalable way possible, where an end-user can adopt it and use it with ease – a sweet spot where a solution is incredibly useful, yet incredibly clever.”
The man behind the job
Chris is a true techie, but he also has a lesser-known affinity for animals.
In his early years he had dreams of becoming a vet, although, as Chris admits with a smile, his father thought he might have been putting the cart before the horse. “My father suggested I shadow a practising vet. During one visit, I was asked to assist in a dog’s operation, but the moment I saw blood, I passed out. That’s when I knew being a vet wasn’t going to be for me.”
To maintain a healthy work-life balance, he does take some time off to unwind from the demanding world of technology.
“I’ve always followed and participated in sports, predominantly ball sports,” he says. “Although, in recent years, I’ve spent quite a bit of time on my various bikes: road, gravel and mountain bikes.
“I have the privilege of living in the beautiful city of Cape Town and I take advantage of the fresh air and go out riding with friends to channel my focus on something different, and it helps to clarify my thoughts.”
True to his tech-savvy nature, Chris has a deep interest in the mechanics and technology behind bicycles. “I often research the latest and greatest developments in terms of how the bikes are made – things like understanding the development behind the wheels, drivetrain and the latest developments with e-bikes,” he adds.
On the sporting front, Chris is as patriotic as it gets. He’s a huge supporter of the Proteas and Springboks and tries to catch a game whenever he can. But time well spent for Chris is with his family. “I have two young adults, ages 20 and 17, and my wife and I spend as much time with them as possible because we know that they’ll be independent soon,” says Chris.
He highlights family trips as his best time spent with family, noting a special trip to Southeast Asia to celebrate his mum’s 70th birthday.
Back home, Chris says that nothing comes close to the beautiful surroundings and beaches of Hermanus.
Some books and getting right into business
Chris is also an avid reader, though his taste in authors and genres has evolved over time. Having played cricket at reasonable level during his youth, he has a particular fondness for sports autobiographies.
However, today, he enjoys blending fact with fiction. “Reading books on fiction can be a great way to unwind and distract the mind, especially considering my profession, which involves a lot of research and strategic planning-based reading,” he explains. “From an industry perspective, reading fiction offers a refreshing balance.
“From an industry perspective, keeping abreast of what the cloud, developer, and AI guys, as well as key strategic partners are doing is also important to me.
“I also enjoyed author and podcaster Steven Bartlett’s The Diary of a CEO. Audiobooks and podcasts are slightly more appealing to me: I’m an audio learner,” Chris points out.
Throw authors such as Jeffrey Archer together with Yuval Harari, Malcolm Gladwell and Jim Collins into the mix and Chris is all ears.
