Victoria Wilkes departs Primark to take on Head of Fraud and Security role at European discounter Action

Victoria (V) Wilkes is this week starting a new chapter as Head of Fraud and Security at Action, a European non-food discounter that serves an average of 18.7 million customers every week, and has more than 2,900 stores.

They were previously at Primark where they worked for over ten years, most recently serving as Asset Protection Manager.

In a Linkedin post, Wilkes said: “Joining Europe’s fastest growing retailer is both exciting and humbling. Action is a company known for its energy, simplicity, and strong values and I’m truly looking forward to contributing to its continued success and growth.”

“This role is about more than preventing fraud and managing risk, it’s about building trust, enabling safe growth, and fostering collaboration across the business. I’m especially looking forward to connecting with a talented and passionate team… and finally seeing them all in Action. Thank you to everyone who’s supported me on this journey, mentors, colleagues, friends, and family. Here's to new challenges, new learnings, and a new chapter.”

Of their time at Primark, Wilkes added: “It’s hard to put into words just how much this business has meant to me. Primark isn’t just a workplace; it’s a family. From the fast paced madness to the big wins, I’ve loved every minute of it.”

“It is a business like no other. The energy, the people, and the passion that everyone brings every single day make it such a special place to work. I’ve learned so much, grown in ways I never expected, and had the privilege of working alongside some of the most talented, hardworking, and downright brilliant people in the industry.”

2025 RTIH INNOVATION AWARDS

Fraud and security will be a key focus area at the 2025 RTIH Innovation Awards.

The awards, which are now open for entries, celebrate global tech innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world.

Our 2024 hall of fame entrants were revealed during an event which took place at RIBA’s 66 Portland Place HQ in Central London on 21st November, and consisted of a drinks reception, three course meal, and awards ceremony presided over by comedian Lucy Porter.

In his welcome speech, Scott Thompson, Founder and Editor, RTIH, said: “The event is now into its sixth year and what a journey it has been. The awards started life as an online only affair during the Covid outbreak, before launching as a small scale in real life event and growing year on year to the point where we’re now selling out this fine, historic venue.”

He added: “Congratulations to all of our finalists. Many submissions did not make it through to the final stage, and getting to this point is no mean feat. Checkout-free stores, automated supply chains, immersive experiences, on-demand delivery, next generation loyalty offerings, inclusive retail, green technology. We’ve got all the cool stuff covered this evening.”

“But just importantly we’ve got lots of great examples of companies taking innovative tech and making it usable in everyday operations - resulting in more efficiency and profitability in all areas.”

Congratulations to our 2024 winners, and a big thank you to our sponsors, judging panel, the legend that is Lucy Porter, and all those who attended November's gathering. 

For further information on the 2025 RTIH Innovation Awards, please fill in the below form and we will get back to you asap.