The Retail Exchange podcast: Recent Episodes
The Retail Exchange podcast
The Retail Exchange is a dedicated retail podcast series that throws the spotlight on key issues affecting the industry. We open the door to knowledge and insight to help retailers and brands on their journey to retail success. Our podcasts feature insight and opinion from senior industry professionals and thought-leaders.
In Focus | Online Luxury Retail CX. On the latest episode of our In Focus series, recorded live at Fortnum & Mason’s flagship store in London and presented by Narvar – we sit down in conversation with Briony Yeates, Senior CX Manager at Seasalt Cornwall, Matthew Henton, Head of E-commerce at Moss, Kelly Corr, Enterprise Customer Success Manager at Narvar, and retail expert, Sarah Curran to explore the strategies and best practices to optimise the post-purchase experience, maximise customer lifetime value, and keep customers coming back.
These industry leaders will share real-world examples and actionable advice on how to get the most value out of every customer relationship.
Presented by Narvar
In this episode of The Interview Series, host Karl McKeever is joined in conversation by Jean-Marc Bellaiche, CEO at Parisian-based luxury department store, Printemps..
A trip to Paris is never complete without a stop by luxury department store, Printemps. Its first-ever store opened on Boulevard Haussmann back in 1865, where it still stands. Today, the iconic parisian department store remains a force of innovation.
On this episode of The Interview Series, we talk to the company's chief executive officer, Jean-Marc Bellaiche. Together, they explore how Printemp’s innovation agenda has been accelerated in the last couple of years, with a new store in Doha, new services, and new customer experiences. We also discuss its evolving approach to omnichannel and Jean-Marc's views on successfully navigating culture and change management.
Recorded at Shoptalk Europe.
In this episode of The Interview Series, host Karl McKeever is joined in conversation by Peter Pernot-Day, Head of Global Strategy & Corporate Affairs at Chinese fast-fashion brand, Shein.
One of the world's fastest growing apparel retailers, Peter shares an insight into the brand's unique on-demand business model and its explosive growth, with rumours continuing to swirl about a potential flotation on the London Stock Exchange.
Recorded at Shoptalk Europe.
In Focus | Digital in Retail. On the latest episode of our In Focus series, presented by Trust, we sit down in conversation with John Lewis Partnership head of personalisation and retail media, Tom Langley, Fortnum & Mason head of digital transformation, Sophie Cunningham, and Trust commercial director, Mike Dowson.
Together, we discuss the strategies and essential techniques for maximising the impact of Digital Signage to boost engagement; and unlock greater return from investment.
Recorded in-front of a live audience at Samsung KX in London
Presented by Trust
The Interview |
Host Karl McKeever sits down in conversation with Chris Lipari, Director of Product Innovation at HAVI.
If there is one business where time is money, in the literal sense, it is Quick Service Restaurants. Or as it’s more commonly known, the QSR industry.
The industry’s lifeblood is customer demand - something that’s inherently unpredictable. Balancing supply with fluctuating demand has been an age-old challenging, leading to supply imbalances, overstocked inventory and waste.
We explore the big challenges facing the industry, from shifting consumer preferences to the constant demand for innovation and efficiency, and how HAVI are helping leading names in QSR to navigate the complexities of supply and demand in this fast-paced industry.
Presented by Kinaxis.
In Focus | Lightspeed Commerce. Channel connectivity is nothing new. Advanced automation is now everywhere. Combine the two, and sales channels will never look the same again. But what does total visibility and control over your inventory online orders and fulfilment look like. And just how do retailers (big and small) go about effectively streamlining and controlling their entire ecommerce ecosystem.
Joining host Karl McKeever to discuss this, on our latest episode of In Focus, is Rick Kelley, CRO of multichannel software and order management software integration specialists, Linnworks, and Ed Bradley, CEO of VirtualStock - Europe’s largest Dropshipping and curated marketplace SAAS platform.
Together, we explore why failure to embrace automation leaves retailers and partners vulnerable; how smaller multichannel retailers can better connect their business to multiple marketplaces; and the emerging solutions that will help to deliver a better experience for everyone - from supply chain to shoppers.
Presented by Linnworks.
In this episode of The Interview Series, host Karl McKeever is joined in conversation by Dawn Fichot, Head of Marketing North America for iconic British foldable bike manufacturer, Brompton Bicycles.
From its humble beginnings in a South Kensington railway arch in 1975, Brompton has grown into an internationally renowned brand - famed for its ingenious design and impeccable craftsmanship.
Despite the unfolding uncertainty faced by other sectors in retail over the past couple of years, Brompton has experienced an unprecedented surged in demand. Looking ahead, Brompton has big plans for the future with strategic growth in the US market a top priority.
In this episode, we explore how this most British of companies is adapting its message to move in line with needs of the North American audience; the ways Brompton is leveraging digital solutions to track new consumers; urban change in the US; and why innovation and loyalty will always be Brompton’s obsession.
Recorded at NRF 2024: Retail’s Big Show
In this episode of The Interview Series, host Karl McKeever sits down with Ian Bailey, Managing Director of Kmart Group Australia.
With over 450 stores, Kmart Australia is the country’s number one performing general merchandise and apparel retailer, and one of the most trusted and loved brands in Australia and New Zealand.
We explore how Kmart Australia doubled down on clarity of purpose and innovation to develop a strategic blueprint and operational architecture to transform its business model, moving it from a traditional discount chain to an innovative, modern, hybrid retailer.
In this episode of The Interview Series, host Karl McKeever travels to Barcelona to sit down with Isabelle Aberman, Global Retail Director for iconic global footwear brand, Camper. In this episode of The Interview Series, host Karl McKeever travels to Barcelona to sit down with Isabelle Aberman, Global Retail Director of iconic footwear brand, Camper.
Founded on the small Spanish island of Mallorca in 1975, Camper is a family business with a rich shoemaking heritage that it uses to create unique designs that continue to enjoy global appeal.
Responsible for leading the global retail strategy across more than 350 stores in over 20 countries, Isabelle started her career with Camper 22 years ago in the UK, as a Retail Area Manager - soon becoming a Retail Regional Manager, before heading up Retail Marketing and Retail Expansion and eventually moving into her current role.
Passionate about retail in all its forms, she joins me to discuss Camper’s unique approach to retail design, share the inside story of CamperLab and ReCamper, and to look ahead to what the future of retail holds for us all.
In this episode of The Interview Series, host Karl McKeever travels to Barcelona to sit down with Eduardo Recio, Creative Director eCommerce & Retail, for leading Spanish multi-sport retail brand, Sprinter.
First showcased in its new Madrid store - its largest store to date - Sprinter’s new store concept, created by UK-based creative and innovation studio Dalziel & Pow,, is redefining the retailer’s core retail proposition.
The 4000 sqm space allows Sprinter to introduce a range of immersive and interactive experiences to educate and inspire customers—positioning the business as the sports authority and raising the bar significantly. In another first, the concept also introduces its established online cycling offer, Deporvillage, for the first time in physical retail.
In this episode, we examine the story behind the retailer’s game-changing retail concept, the key challenges that retailers in the sports sector face to deliver a winning customer experience, and look back on Eduardo’s own career retail—which first began here in the UK.
In this episode of The Interview Series, host Karl McKeever is joined by Andy Lawrence, VP of International of US-based athletic clothing brand, Vuori.
Inspired by California’s active, coastal lifestyle, Vuori was founded in 2015.
In September last year it launched into China, Hong Kong, Singapore, the Middle East, and Mexico, and opened its first UK store in London's Covent Garden.
In this episode, we explore the story behind the SoCal brand, the key challenges that the athleisure sector (and many other DTC brands) face to ‘win’ with consumers, and the company’s secrets to serving up a successful international growth strategy.
Event Review: World Retail Congress 2023 - In this episode, we bring you more highlights from World Retail Congress 2023.
As the retail industry’s best and brightest gathered in Barcelona for the three-day event, we took to the stage to capture two live recordings.
Host Karl McKeever is joined by Deloitte chief global economist, Ira Kalish, and Matahari Department Store CFO, Niraj Jain. Together, we discuss the economic headwinds that the industry is facing in 2023, and how retailers can create the financial foundation to deliver resilience and growth in the months ahead.
Plus we are joined in conversation by Havaianas President EMEA, Guillaume Prou, to explore his company’s extraordinary brand journey and why investing in product innovation remains vital in the face of growing additional ‘distractions’ to the day job of retailing.
The Interview: The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. - In this episode, host Karl McKeever is joined by Ophelia Ceradini Vice President of Digital Technology and Innovation at The Estée Lauder Companies.
Artificial intelligence and augmented reality are transforming the beauty shopping experience through seamless and omnichannel experiences. In our latest of episode of The Interview Series, recorded live in the heart of New York City during NRF 2023, Ophelia explains how, using technology to offer interactive, immersive, and sustainable solutions, brands in the beauty space are creating a solid foundation to solving consumer pain points and firming up loyalty and sales.
In her role, Ophelia oversees Digital Innovation for the company’s portfolio of over 25 prestige beauty brands, where she leads consumer experience-driven innovation for all digital platforms. Ophelia was responsible for launching The Estée Lauder Companies’ first mobile platform, which established the cornerstone of the company’s mobile-first strategy.
Over the last 15 years, she has held various strategic digital and creative roles across The Estée Lauder Companies. Previously, she was the Executive Director of Production for the company’s Online division, leading the expansion of the company’s e-commerce footprint, contributing to the company’s position today as the number one e-commerce player in prestige beauty both globally and in the U.S.
Presented by Peak Technologies
Event Review - Shoptalk Europe 2023 - Ep03: in thefinal of our daily podcast episodes from Shoptalk Europe 2023 in Barcelona, host Karl McKeever picks his way through some of the highlights from Day Three at the event.
We hear from some of the sharpest minds in retail, at some of Europe’s leading retailers and brands, as they discuss, debate and present the solutions that are redefining thinking… in an ever-shifting landscape. Coming up on this Day Two Event Review episode, we hear from the likes of adidas, Camper, SHEIN, Rituals, and more.
Event Review - Shoptalk Europe 2023 - Ep02: in thesecond of our daily podcast episodes from Shoptalk Europe 2023 in Barcelona, we pick our way through some of the highlights from Day Two at the event.
Host Karl McKeever brings you highlights of what was on show (and discussed) during what was another busy day at Shoptalk Europe 2023.
We hear from some of the sharpest minds in retail, at some of Europe’s leading retailers and brands, as they discuss, debate and present the solutions that are redefining thinking… in an ever-shifting landscape. Coming up on this Day Two Event Review episode, we hear from the likes of Groupe Printemps, Mars Wrigley, BP, Kingfisher, Sprinter, Coca-Cola… and more.
Event Review - Shoptalk Europe 2023 - Ep01: In this latest episode of The Retail Exchange podcast, host Karl McKeever brings you highlights from the first day of Shoptalk Europe 2023 in Barcelona. The event promises to unite Europe’s entire retail ecosystem. And the first day did not disappoint as retail leaders and some of the industry’s leading innovators came together to discuss and debate the trends that are shaping the industry… and present solutions that are providing a glimpse into what the future of retail might look like. Coming up on this, our first of three daily Event Review episodes from the event, we hear from the likes of Danone, H&M, Holland & Barrett, John Lewis Partnership, eBay, Pull & Bear… and more.
Event Review: World Retail Congress 2023 - In this episode of The Retail Exchange podcast, host Karl McKeever brings you highlights from World Retail Congress 2023 in Barcelona, as we pick our way through some of the topics, insights and conversations that are inspiring and challenging the retail ecosystem, and that interested us the most.
The Interview: Hollister Co. - The Interview: Hollister Co. In this episode of The Interview Series, host Karl McKeever is joined by Jacee Scoular, Snr Director Brand Marketing Strategy. at Hollister Co., Gilly Hicks and Social Tourist.
With a laser-focus on building customer-first brand strategies that authentically connect with customers, she now knows more about Gen Z than she knows about herself. Jacee thrives at creating authentic relationships with partners that engage consumers by meeting them where they already spend their time online and in real life.
Recorded live in the heart of New York City during NRF 2023, Jacee joins us to discuss why authenticity must lie at the heart of the building successful brand collaborations with content creators, the growing trend for purpose-driven retail, and how brands can stay in tune with their customers by acting in a way that is not only good for shareholders, but also good for the planet and for local communities.
Presented by Peak Technologies
The Interview: IKEA - In this episode of The Interview Series, host Karl McKeever is joined by Seana Strawn, Head of Home Furnishing and Retail Design at IKEA US.
For over 20 years she has personally been designing or leading teams who design home furnishing product and retail spaces for some of the biggest names in the industry. Most recently with IKEA US, Seana Strawn leads, among other things, the omnichannel sustainability customer communication and sustainability retail visual experience as IKEA develops toward their goal of being a fully circular company by 2030.
In this episode, recorded live in the heart of New York City during NRF 2023, Seana joins us to discuss the need for retailers to place sustainability at the heart of strategic thinking, its growing influence on retail design and how, if done right at store level, the trend for resale can increase foot traffic with unique offerings, and boost customer loyalty.
Presented by Peak Technologies
The Interview: FitFlop. In this episode of The Interview Series, host Karl McKeever is joined by by Sal Usmai, CTO of ergonomic and wellness footwear brand, FitFlop. Leading the company's transition to an omnichannel organisation, Sal is a seasoned technology leader with 20+ years of experience managing multichannel business applications in a strategic environment, Sal joined FitFlop in 2022 as chief technology officer to ensure that innovation, data, technology and a customer-first approach are central to the retailer's overall growth plans. Before joining FitFlop he led technology teams at Belstaff, LVMH and the Conran Group. In our latest of episode of The Interview Series, recorded live in the heart of New York City during NRF 2023, Sal joins host Karl McKeever to discuss the changing face of digital transformation, and explore Fitflop's journey to becoming an AI-driven retailer.
Presented by Peak AI
The Interview: Neighborhood Goods: In this episode of The Interview Series, host Karl McKeever is joined by by Matt Alexander, Co-Founder and CEO of Neighborhood Goods, as well as the brand’s President, Ashley Shelton Conger.
Named one of Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies, Neighborhood Goods is a new take on the department store, featuring an ever-changing landscape of the world's most thoughtful, progressive, and exciting brands.
Central to its business philosophy is providing a place for community, to foster a new culture around shopping and the type of experience you can expect from it.
It opened its first outpost in Plano in 2018 and now has locations in New York and Austin, with two more stores planned for 2023.
We sit down together to discuss the brand’s story, the future of department stores, and the shift towards community-focused retailing.
Presented by Peak Technologies
The Interview: Organic Garden: In this episode of The Interview Series, host Karl McKeever is joined by Martin Wild, founder and CEO of Germany-based food-tech start-up, Organic Garden. As Martin prepares to take to the stage at Shoptalk Europe 2023 in Barcelona, we sit down together to discuss the brand’s journey, how the retail food industry can pursue a future that is good for people, the environment, and for business, and the story behind a unexpected appearance in Playboy magazine. Presented by Shoptalk Europe 2023
The Interview: Dickies: In this episode of The Interview Series, host Karl McKeever is joined by Calvin Anderson, Global VP of Digital Strategy for VF Corporation brands Dickies, Altra and Smartwool.
Founded a century ago, the Dickies brand originated as a denim bib overall company, selling workwear to farm and ranch hands around the Southwest. Acquired by VF Corporation in 2017, today it is a global brand found in more than 100 countries —with a style that resonates as much with pop culture icons as it does with auto mechanics.
Calvin currently serves as Global VP of Digital Strategy for Dickies, as well as two other brands within the VF Corporation stable of brands – Altra and Smartwool – overseeing digital technology, customer lifecycle, data analytics, engineering, and science.
Prior to his role at VF Corp, Anderson served in several executive positions within the hotel industry including Head of Commercial at OYO NORA, the world’s fastest growing economy hotel chain.
Recorded live in the heart of New York City during NRF 2023, together we explore changing face of digital transformation, and what retailers can learn from Calvin’s experience in the hospitality industry.
Presented by Peak Technologies.
In Focus: Retail Automation.
Are robots taking over the retail industry?
E-commerce had a transformative effect on retail operations but now the booming demand for warehouses to speed-up last-mile deliveries is set to bring another round of dramatic change in retail.
Robots are well established in industrial settings but advances in AI and robotic SaaS platforms are increasingly working alongside humans in the retail industry, and having a dramatic effect on warehouse operations and how retailers and brands make their businesses more efficient and productive.
In the latest episode of our ‘In Focus’ series, we examine why forward-looking leaders are investing in intelligent automation; and the challenges and opportunities presented by robotics.
Host Karl McKeever sits down with guests John Toler, CEO of US retailer Plow & Hearth and Samay Kohli, CEO of automated warehouse company, GreyOrange.
Presented by GreyOrange.
In Focus: Host Karl McKeever sits down with Citizen Watch VP Customer Insights & Data Management, Rob Harvath, and Amperity Chief Customer Officer, Dan Milgrom to discuss how customer data platforms can connect the dots for improved customer engagement; why establishing a singular source-of-truth for customer data matters; the importance of adopting a “question everything” approach; and how to create a data-driven culture, to keep things ticking.
Presented by Amperity.
The Interview: Fabletics: In this episode of The Interview Series, host Karl McKeever is joined by Ron Harries, SVP Head of Retail at Fabletics.
2023 marks the 10th anniversary for the digitally-native brand, co-founded by actress and entrepreneur Kate Hudson. In that time, Fabletics has been busy pulling in a loyal online consumer following.
For the last six years, Ron Harries has been the person responsible for leading the development of its retail proposition – unpicking the ever-more complex interplay of data and retailing. His tenure has seen the go-faster brand significantly increase its visibility across the US, with a raft of strategic store openings.
He reveals the importance of data-driven retail growth; why digitally-native and established retailers aren’t cut from the same cloth; how the lines between online and in-store are becoming increasingly blurred; why he’ll never step away from the challenge of delivering ‘better retail’; and the brand’s plans for the future.
Presented by Appriss Retail.
Host Karl McKeever reports from NRF 2023, Retail’s Big Show, in New York City. We bring your highlights from the Javits Convention Center, where retail leaders and some of the industry’s most pioneering vendors, discuss, debate, and present the key topics that provide a glimpse into what the future of retail might look like. In this episode, we picked our way through some of the highlights from the final day at the Show.
Host Karl McKeever reports from NRF 2023, Retail’s Big Show, in New York City. We bring your highlights from the Javits Convention Center, where retail leaders and some of the industry’s most pioneering vendors, discuss, debate, and present the key topics that provide a glimpse into what the future of retail might look like. In this episode, we picked our way through some of the highlights from Day Two at the Show.
Host Karl McKeever reports from NRF 2023, Retail’s Big Show, in New York City. At the start of a franticly busy three days in the Big Apple, we bring your highlights from the Javits Convention Center, where retail leaders and some of the industry’s most pioneering vendors, discuss, debate, and present the key topics that provide a glimpse into what the future of retail might look like. In this episode, we picked our way through some of the highlights from Day One at the Show.
The Interview: Warner’s Gin: In this episode of The Interview Series, host Mark Faithfull is joined by Tom Warner, co-founder & CEO of Warner’s Gin.
Celebrating its tenth anniversary in 2022, Warner’s Gin has had much to do the gin-naissance boom over the last decade.
In this episode, Warner walks us through the story of how he and his then business partner decided to launch the brand; the influence of Warner’s Gin in revolutionising the category boom through its rhubarb flavoured gin (at the time, a ‘first’); the importance of balancing the need to do good with doing business; and his own personal tales of the trials and tribulations of entrepreneurial life.
Recorded at Retail Week Live 2022
Presented by Attentive®. Driving retail sales with text message marketing.
The Special: In this episode of The Special, host Karl McKeever is joined in our Manhattan studio by Laura Lewi, associate and senior designer at global architecture and design practice CRTKL, calls into our studio for a discussion about the importance of reimagining physical retail for our new reality. We speak to Neil Saunders, retail analyst and managing director of GlobalData Retail in Arizona about the current state of US retail, consumer confidence, and outlook for Q4. Plus: we’re joined by Aimee Grandfield, head of insights at retail display specialist arken P-O-P International to talk beauty retail, following her own recent visit in New York.
Seeing images from afar of an empty Times Square, a dark Madison Square Garden, or shuttered Fifth Avenue storefronts during the pandemic was as eerie as it is disheartening. People have filled the streets (and stores) once more, but this doesn’t mean that retail is out of the woods just yet.
So, what must retail do to give people reasons to shop in stores, and how will new thinking in store design pave the way for how we consider customer experience in the future?
Presented by Attentive®. Driving retail sales with text message marketing.
The Interview: In this episode of The Interview Series, host Karl McKeever is joined by John Gregory, Head of Industry – Retail Vertical at Spotify.
From bombs to beer to Bloomingdale’s. Gregory has enjoyed a varied and storied career that has seen him involved in everything from the F-15 fighter program to the role of VP Marketing at the US luxury department store chain.
Responsible for developing solutions for retail clients, Gregory collaborates closely with Spotify’s internal teams to drive the development of leading-edge solutions for retail clients, while also advising on how best to address the needs of all sub-categories within the industry.
We explore the secrets to delivering a successful digital customer experience; how technology and data can be used to truly understand the individual and can appeal to consumer senses and emotions; and what retailers can do to inspire consumers through the joy of discovery.
Recorded at Retail Week Live 2022
Presented by Attentive®. Driving retail sales with text message marketing.
The Interview: C&A Europe In this episode, host Karl McKeever sits down with Aleix Gonzalez Director Global Sustainability at C&A Europe Director - one of the leading fashion retail businesses in Europe with 1,575 stores in 21 countries, as well as a presence in Brazil, Mexico, and China. In his role, Gonzalez is responsible for overseeing the implementation of C&A’s global sustainability strategy.
He explains what sustainability means to him; his experience of building momentum behind sustainability initiatives within multiple global retail businesses; his thoughts on the burning issues affecting fashion retailers’ ability to drive change; and the secrets to success for other retailers who are embarking on the journey to cut waste, improve circularity, and achieve Net Zero goals.
Recorded at World Retail Congress 2022.
Presented by Attentive®. Driving retail sales with text message marketing.
The Interview: Majid Al Futtaim – Retail: In this episode, host Karl McKeever is joined in conversation by Hani Weiss, Chief Executive Officer of Majid Al Futtaim – Retail, the exclusive partner of choice for international hypermarket and supermarket brand, Carrefour.
The last few years have brought profound, powerful change to retail. The critical factor holding everything together is Leadership. Hani’s own career began at Majid Al Futtaim - Retail in 2001, as a Section Manager at Carrefour in City Centre Deira, the firm’s first hypermarket in the region. Today, as its CEO, Hani leads a business of 37,000 colleagues, operating over 450 Carrefour stores across 16 countries in the region, and serving more than 750,000 customers a day.
We sat down with him to explore the story behind the Majid Al Futtaim Retail business; the challenges of operating a successful grocery retail franchise business in the Middle East, and to hear his thoughts on what great leadership looks like today and, more importantly, for the future.
The Interview: UGG: In this episode, host Karl McKeever is joined in conversation by the Vice President of Global Marketing for global lifestyle brand UGG, Carole Diarra.
UGG boots are back. But in truth, they never really went away. The brand has enjoyed several ‘fashion moments’ since it first rose to popularity back in the 1970s, and once again became one of the hottest (and the warmest) footwear trends of 2022.
Today, UGG is a two-billion-dollar company with numerous sales outlets worldwide. Building a modern brand means constantly evolving. For UGG that’s meant both a constant and progressive focus on cultivating a community, inclusivity, and brand delivery with authenticity – central tenets of UGG’s continuing success story.
Diarra reflects on how a brand can stay relevant in today’s uncertain times, and the enduring principles that make great brands stand out. She also shares the story of her own personal career journey that saw her spend 15 years in New York honing her skills at L’Oreal, before eventually settling in her current role (and into a new life) in Paris.
The Interview: Frugi: In this episode, host Mark Faithfull is joined by Sarah Clark, CEO of UK organic clothing brand, Frugi. We to explore how sustainable fashion has changed; the brand’s plan for growth; what a sustained approach to business growth looks like; how to better influence and empower customers to live more sustainably; and how can it replace the pursuit of profit, and to reflect on her first year in post.
Recorded at Retail Week Live 2022.
In this special episode, we look at one of the biggest supply chain challenges to affect both retail and global food supplies, in decades.
Russia’s effective blockade of Ukraine’s Black Sea ports has forced it to seek alternative methods of exporting nearly 25 million tonnes of grains. With supply chain delays continuing to see global food prices soar, the pressure is on to find a solution.
As a result, the European Commission recently launched the action plan ‘EU Ukraine Solidarity Lanes’, which is aimed at facilitating the Ukraine’s agricultural export and bilateral trade with the EU. A key part of this plan is to scale up rail freight and any other convenient transportation to unlock bottlenecks. But that is not without its challenges.
It’s led to concerted calls on for those within the logistics community to take part, contribute transportation equipment, and help open up freight corridors.
To discuss how the ‘EU Ukraine Solidarity Lanes’ plan aims to get Ukrainian agricultural produce back in motion, and the challenges that lie ahead, we’re joined by guests Serge Schamschula, senior partner manager and Georgia Leybourne, CMO, at Transporeon – a key supporter of the EU Solidarity Lanes initiatives.
In this episode, host Karl McKeever is joined by LIFVS co-founder and COO Daniel Lundh to explore the story behind Europe’s largest unstaffed grocery chain; why it classes itself as a technology start-up first and retailer second; and how its business model could teach others a thing or two about how to enjoy retail success in low traffic areas and rural communities. Recorded at Shoptalk Europe 2022.
In this episode, we explore the importance of taking time to foster loyal and lasting customer relationships. Host Karl McKeever sits down with Gousto Chief Marketing Officer Tom Wallis and Inkpact Founder & CEO Charlotte Pearce to discuss the challenges, twists, and lessons for success to connect, engage, and retain valued customers.
In this episode, host Karl McKeever is joined by Boots UK CIO Rich Corbridge and Director of IT – Customer and Category, Jennifer Duffy.
A staple UK health and beauty retailer, Boots has been hugely successful in its transition to
e-commerce, particularly during the pandemic. As a brand with strong roots in brick and mortar, the retailer continues to tackle the challenges of merging both experiences for their customers.
We explore the digital initiatives that the retailer has recently spun up to continue offering services to customers; the importance of speed of adaptation; how its omnichannel approach is helping to build a digital ecommerce experience for the future; and why this initiative is so fundamental to their tech talent acquisition, retention, and development strategy.
Recorded at Retail Week Live 2022
Host Karl McKeever looks back at what was on show at Shoptalk Europe 2022 in London. We hear from the heads of some of Europe's leading retailers and vendors on how to harness an ever-shifting retail landscape.
In this episode, host Karl McKeever is joined by Coresight Research founder and CEO, Deborah Weinswig to explore the disruptive trends and priorities that are shaping the new retail landscape, and to hopefully provide some answers to the question about the next digital “reality”: the metaverse.
In this episode of The Retail Exchange podcast, Karl McKeever and Mark Faithfull bring you highlights from the annual Retail Week Live festival, as we pick our way through some of the topics, insights and conversations that are inspiring and challenging the retail ecosystem, and that interested us the most. In partnership with Inkpact.
In this episode, host Karl McKeever is joined by Dr Carsten Keller, VP Direct to Consumer of fashion e-tailing giant, Zalando.
Founded in 2008, the online fashion retailer operates in 23 European markets and has more than 48 million active users.
Despite being Europe’s largest online fashion retailer, Zalando’s success has come from taking a local approach, and the retail giant continues to prioritise investment into its customer experience.
But with more and more brands continuing to gear their processes to direct-to-consumer models, the platform has also seen a boom in brands collaborations.
Carsten explains how Zalando is supporting brand’s DTC ambitions, what the future will look like for ‘platforms’, what he believes will drive the next phase of hyper growth in retail, and why ‘progress, not perfection’ is more crucial than ever.
in this special episode of The Interview Series, as we look ahead to Retail Week 2022 later this month, host Karl McKeever sits down with in conversation with Unilever Chief Customer Officer Wellbeing, Beauty and Digital Commerce, Claire Hennah.
When it comes to how consumers goods companies go to market, digital is changing everything.
Claire joins us to explore the importance of adapting portfolios, so they are fit for ecommerce; the secrets to gaining share of category sales on the digital shelf; and to discuss her role on the Retail Week Live 2022 Advisory Board. We also talk to Retail Week Live Programme Director Hannah Tovey to find out what this year’s event has in-store for those thinking of attending, and the big themes that will be discussed by those taking to the stage at Retail Week Live 2022.
In this episode, host Mark Faithfull returns to the important issue of wellbeing, as we mark Mental Health Awareness Week and the Retail Trust’s Together Fest 2022, which takes place in London today.
Recorded at Spring Fair 2022, Retail Trust wellbeing consultant Andrea Woodside joins us to examine whether retail is a happy place, why kindness and empathy is not rocket science (but can be rocket fuel), and why it’s important to give retail leaders permission to focus their energy and efforts on signposting support to make a meaningful difference to employees.
In this episode, we explore how the beauty industry can capitalise on the booming consumer demand to feel good again, by bringing joy and discovery to the retail experience.
After two years spent behind masks, it’s clear that the pandemic has changed what beauty means to shoppers and, as a result, their purchasing behaviour.
Host Karl McKeever is joined by Benefit Cosmetics UK & Ireland marketing director Lou Bennett, Cosmetic Executive Women editor Sallie Berkerey and arken P-O-P International head of insights Aimee Grandfield, to discuss how the industry, the retail experience, and in-person elements of beauty retail will be forced to evolve. And why success will require much more than just lip service, if brands are to benefit from shoppers’ new-found desire to engage with brands (and retail spaces) that celebrate bring a sense of joy and discovery to shopping beauty.
In this episode, host Karl McKeever is joined by Kate Walsh, SVP Omnichannel Retail for Pandora.
As it celebrates 40 years in business, Pandora remains loved by consumers and employees around the world, in equal measure.
Delve deeper into the fabric of the Danish jewellery brand and it is possible to understand why this retail gem continues to be so successful.
Like the brand’s national birthplace, Pandora is also constructed on a human scale. Something that has put it in good stead to face the global challenge from the recent pandemic, and to face the changes ahead.
The brand continues to make its own way in a highly competitive world; something that its SVP Omnichannel Retail Kate Walsh also knows how to do all too well. Having started in retail management at an early age, she went on to appear on the UK series of The Apprentice, before eventually embarking on a near-decade-long career with Pandora.
She reveals the charm of working for this iconic jewellery brand, how it is repurposing and revitalising its offer for the future, the lessons she’s learned about how to do business better, and her views on whether The Apprentice is as good as it used to be.
In this latest episode of The Retail Exchange podcast, Karl McKeever and Mark Faithfull host a special edition, reporting from World Retail Congress 2022 in Rome.
In case the World Retail Congress is not on your radar, there are few more significant gatherings of the industry.
The flagship retail event returned after an enforced two-year break, due to the pandemic – a time of unprecedented turbulence that have delivered a profound, powerful change in retail.
At this year’s event, retail leaders, advisors and influencers from every continent presented and debated the key factors that will impact the new future for retail. We sit down with some of those innovators, originators and creators speaking and attending this three-day retail event to explore what retailers must do to meet the upcoming challenges, and stay ahead.
In this episode, host Mark Faithfull talks wellbeing, a subject that has come increasingly to the forefront of society and retail is consciousness following events of the last two years.
Employee's personal health and well being issues do not stop at the store office entrance. So what can retailers do to be well placed to deliver on the need for greater employee wellbeing?
We sit down with Claire Kershaw, Wellbeing Officer for retailer Next, and Terry Streather, Managing Director of Oakwood Training to examine the factors that contribute to our wellbeing in the workplace.
We discuss the importance of achieving buy-in at a senior level to cement wellbeing’s place on the corporate agenda, why the narrative needs to switch from reactive to one that’s proactive, how to empower managers to spot the warning, and what wellbeing will look like in the future.
Recorded at Spring Fair 2022.
In the second of our two-part special exploring innovation in digital signage technology, we come from the amazing space that is Samsung KX, in Coal Drops Yard London, to talk to senior retail industry professionals who know a thing or two about what it takes to create a blueprint for digital signage success, for anyone wanting to think big and do better.
We’re joined by a stellar panel of guests to explore the now and the next in digital signage solutions – the trends, the technology, and the challenges for businesses as they seek to make informed strategic decisions that will shape their customer experience and engagement in 2022, and beyond.
Presented by Trust Systems
In the first of a two-part special, we bring you insight and opinion from senior retail industry professionals on how technology is shaping retail’s future.
The way we shop and digest information may have changed during the last two years, thanks to the pandemic, but as consumers continue to return to physical spaces, it’s never been more important for businesses to navigate strategies and decisions around investment in digital technology successfully, to deliver an engaging customer experience.
In this episode exploring innovation in digital signage technology, guest host Jason Bradbury joined by three companies who know a thing or two about what it takes to create a blueprint for success, for anyone wanting to think big and do better.
Rising demand for ethical products is also seeing a rise in innovative entrepreneurs and businesses who are going above and beyond to balance purpose and profit.
Host Karl McKeever sits down with three such companies about how to design and source more sustainably, and explore how creating sustainable products has been integral to their own journey from seed to full bloom. Featuring FYG founder Demi Pendakis, Annie Oak jewellery co-founder Kerry-Ann Schacter, and Eco Chic sales manager, Austin King.
Recorded at Spring Fair 2022 and supporting its ‘Power of One’ campaign, that aims to energise retailers and consumers to take small steps to change the world.
In this episode of The Interview series, host Karl McKeever sits down with Little Moons CEO and co-founder Vivien Wong.
Vivien Wong and her brother Howard can thank a random TikTok video for delivering a huge boost in demand for Little Moons, their brand of frozen mochi balls.
As children growing up in their parents’ bakery in London, Vivien (and her brother Howard), were surrounded by a passion for creating amazing food and learnt how the little things combine to make a big different. From finding the best ingredients to always innovating with techniques and flavours.
In 2010, they set up Little Moons; making a Japanese-inspired dessert called "mochi”. After enjoying steady growth, the company set up a Little Moons TikTok account and began posting videos… and then things began to get really interesting. Soon they had over 500 million views, sales skyrocketed by 2,000%, and the London-based business hit £36m in retail sales in the year to July last year.
Discover the success story of this TikTok (and taste) sensation, as we speak to its CEO and co-founder Vivien Wong.
In this episode of The Interview series, recorded at Spring Fair 2022, host Mark Faithfull sits down with Paul Sopher, co-founder of gourmet popcorn brand Joe & Seph's. He shares the intriguing story of how a trip to the US led to the transformation of the UK popcorn category, his experience of life in a fast-growing family business, and advice for wannabe entrepreneurs.
From humble beginnings is an entrepreneurial family startup in the founders’ kitchen. gourmet pop up brand Joe and Seph’s is now available around the world and enjoys a loyal and growing following for his meticulously produced popcorn.
Despite the company's success and expanding range of product lines, it remains singularly committed to one thing: creating the best tasting popcorn possible. That focus has helped to reinvent a category, taking the word of popcorn far beyond simply being a moorish movie treat.
So grab a bag of popcorn (Joe & Seph’s, of course), sit back and enjoy this episode.
In this episode of The Interview series, recorded at Spring Fair 2022, host Karl McKeever is joined by British Independent Retailers Association CEO Andrew Goodacre and Jayne Weldon, ECommerce Manager of new BIRA-backed online trading platform Neartoo - launching this month, exclusively for indies. While The Retail Exchange’s Mark Faithfull talks to Claire Leigh, founder of award-winning independent retailer, Two Ducks.
During the pandemic, customers were increasingly keen to support smaller, independent and community retailers. But will bricks-and-mortar independent retail still be popular and relevant as we move forward?
BIRA CEO Andrew Goodacre believes so. The noises coming out of the sector suggests that shops are rising to the challenge. And now it’s time to support them, in person or through sensible online marketplaces.
This is, very much, the time for independent shops, run by owners with passion and commitment, to seize the moment.
In this episode of The Interview series, host Karl McKeever is joined by Green & Black’s co-founder Jo Fairley as she shares her experience of founding a business during a recession and discusses the importance of staying true to her core belief that doing good for your people and the planet simply makes good business sense.
In this special episode, The Retail Exchange reports from Spring Fair at the NEC Birmingham, to bring you a review of the flagship four-day wholesale retail event.
For those who have an eye on wholesale retail, Spring Fair has traditionally had a strong spot on their roster. Its physical presence may well have been on pause since 2020 but this year it's back, to claim the mantle of being Europe's biggest post-pandemic industry event to date. And with a distinct era of hope and optimism as well.
On this episode, we bring you a choice selection of interviews and discussion from the UK’s leading wholesale retail event. We showcase a strong showing from some of the standout exhibitors at the show. Hear the views of panellists about how pop-ups can help rejuvenate our high streets. And we speak to the man who helped Selfridges Fenwick, Primark and Harrods to grow their physical store sales, as he tell us how retailers can cope with change the lens of a customer-centered culture. All that's coming up on this episode of the retail exchange podcast in partnership with Spring Fair 2022.
In this episode of The Interview series, host Karl McKeever is joined by Mintel director of trends EMEA Simon Moriarty as we preview Spring Fair 2022.
Forecasting where the retail industry will go next has always been a tricky business. Even more so during the last two years.
Consumers today have more choice than ever over what they buy and where they shop, and which brands they want to associate themselves with. At the same time, for those looking to attract consumers, doing the right thing, and enjoying business success has never been tricker. Increased competition is a factor but so too are increasingly savvy customers who’s purchasing behaviour is rapidly evolving.
To peer through the windows of retail’s future, we’re joined by Simon Moriarty, director of trends EMEA at Mintel to talk changing consumer habits, ethical buying, and the important trends that will likely shape the direction of retail in 2022, and beyond.
In this latest episode of The Interview from The Exchange podcast, Karl McKeever sits down with Pets at Home chief people & culture officer Louise Stonier.
In just two short years, the way we work has changed – and fast. But even before the crisis, she had her sights set on challenging the conventional narrative when it came to people, positivity, and productivity. Here she explains how the retailer overcame recent challenges, why loving what you do is key to giving it your all, and how meaningful engagement, flexible working and even welcoming furry friends in the office ultimately pays off when it comes to delivering lasting improvements in performance.
In this latest episode of The Interview from The Exchange podcast, Karl McKeever sits down with BOXPARK founder Roger Wade and London Designer Outlet general manager Sue Shepherd.
Talk of a pandemic-induced exodus from city living has been making headlines in the media. But the neighbourhood-building power of retail and hospitality shouldn’t be underestimated.
Now is the time for a re-think, to keep the high street and our communities healthy.
In this episode, we talk to two people who know a thing or two about physical retail, and have strong opinions about the importance of creating spaces where concepts and community can flourish.
In this latest episode of The Retail Exchange podcast, Karl McKeever hosts a special edition from Retail Week Live 2021 in London.
After months of enforced slumber, the retail world stretched its limbs and took a breath of fresh air in London earlier this month for the flagship UK event.
As physical events made a welcome return to the industry calendar and the retail industry begins to reconnect, The Retail Exchange was in attendance to bring you a review of the flagship two-day event.
It was an event packed with great guests, with retail leaders sharing their ideas on how to make retail better. We caught up with speakers, exhibitors and attendees to get their thoughts on the key take-outs and themes dominating presentations and discussions.
In this latest episode of The Retail Exchange podcast, Karl McKeever hosts a special edition from Retail Week Live 2021 in London.
After months of enforced slumber, the retail world stretched its limbs and took a breath of fresh air in London earlier this month for the flagship UK event.
As physical events made a welcome return to the industry calendar and the retail industry begins to reconnect, The Retail Exchange was in attendance to bring you a review of the flagship two-day event.
It was an event packed with great guests, with retail leaders sharing their ideas on how to make retail better. We caught up with speakers, exhibitors and attendees to get their thoughts on the key take-outs and themes dominating presentations and discussions.
It’s certainly been a year of hyper-speed development in the world of e-commerce. The pandemic presented countless challenges for those working in online retail and forced everyone to up their game. Now comes the big question: “what’s next?”.
In our latest episode of The Retail Exchange podcast, Boohoo CIO Jo Graham and Endava VP Retail Industry Acceleration Bradley Howard join guest host Cate Trotter to discuss why agility is the new commercial imperative, how technology and data driven decisions are improving the customer journey, and what solutions will help e-commerce retailers to adapt and thrive in the new landscape.
For many, having a place to enjoy a good cup of coffee is seen as a vital part of daily and community life. One of the most beloved brands in the UK is Costa Coffee. It’s a very different business to the one started back in 1971. Today, it has grown to almost 4,000 locations across more than 30 countries.
Host Martin Popplewell sits down with Adam Dunt, Global Creative Design Lead, to talk coffee culture and ask how the right kind of design can create a warm, welcoming space that truly connects with the local communities it serves.
Featuring in-depth conversations with leading figures from the world of retail, this is The Retail Exchange’s informed podcast interview series. Hear from the finest minds and inspiring thinkers as they share insights into delivering success and get to the heart of the industry’s big issues.
As 2020 rolls to a close, our final podcast episode of the year reflects on the year that was. A year in retail, like no other.
If you were trying to end this year by winning a prize for its greatest understatement, you could describe 2020 as ‘eventful’. It is difficult in many respects to argue that 2020 was an especially good year. Emerging trends didn’t just gather momentum, they marched forward to turn the industry on its head in ways we could never have imagined. For retail, it’s been a year of contrasting fortunes. Some have faltered. Others have thrived.
To set the tone, we revisit some of the interviews and discussions that have shaped our podcast episodes in 2020, with special co-hosts Karl McKeever and Natalie Berg reflecting on the past year – the challenges faced, things we’ve learned, the opportunities taken – and looking ahead at what’s to come in what we all hope will be a brighter 2021.
In the final episode of ‘The Special’ from The Retail Exchange podcast, we discuss this year’s explosive growth in grocery eCommerce retail, and look ahead as the sector prepares for December festivities.
Grocery retailers have stepped up to the plate in 2020. But as shoppers ready themselves to shop online for their festive food favourites this year, who are set to be the winners and losers this Christmas, and why?
Host Martin Popplewell is joined by guests to analyse what impact a ‘Covid Christmas’ is likely to have on grocery retailer’s home delivery solutions. We ask what grocery retailers can do as they attempt to up-weight their eCommerce experience to build customer loyalty. And explore the technological advances that are powering e-commerce growth behind the scenes.
In this latest episode of ‘The Special’ from The Retail Exchange podcast, we look at the business of 25 December ahead of what will be a very different Christmas 2020 for the retail industry.
Host Martin Popplewell is joined by guests to analyse approaches to this year’s big festive advertising campaigns and discuss the likely impact on retail footfall as retailer prepare to re-open their doors after the UK’s second lockdown. Plus we look ahead to the key trends for the year ahead.
In this latest episode of ‘The Special’ from The Retail Exchange podcast, we reflect on key developments in the world of eCommerce in recent months.
We assess the changes in shopper behaviour, how e-commerce playbooks have had to be reinvented, and the challenges that retailers and brands face to maximise sales during 2020’s crucial ‘Golden Quarter’ at a time when a growing number of consumers are buying what we need with a click.
Listeners with a sweet tooth will likely already be familiar with the Hotel Chocolat brand. Started in 1993, it has charmed UK shoppers with its meticulously produced chocolate and is now one of our most beloved chocolatiers. As the business prepares for one of its busiest times of the year, and what promises to be a very different ‘Covid’ Christmas, it’s also back on our TV screens this autumn, providing behind the scenes access into the running of the UK’s biggest chocolate maker.
In this special episode of The Interview Series, Hotel Chocolat CEO and Co-founder, Angus Thirlwell, joins Martin Popplewell in conversation to talk about the business response to the global pandemic and ‘Retail Darwinism’, the growing importance of online sales and its increasing global appeal.
They say ‘life is like a box of chocolates’, and that has never felt truer. A year that started full of promise has, well, turned out a little differently than we hoped—to put it mildly. For many in retail, profits may have melted in 2020 as a result of the pandemic. But at Hotel Chocolat, they remain positive about the future, with gifting and online sales protecting it from the worst of the impact on physical retail.
Retailers are sometimes accused of pursuing surface-level? initiatives, designed to satisfy PR metrics rather than deliver real change. That cannot be said of Falabella.
The Chilean-based department store chain Falabella is one of the country’s most treasured brands. A more than century-old success story, the retailer is a true South American powerhouse. It is also committed to investing in a responsible plan to secure the future for both its business, and the people of Chile. When it comes to responsible retailing, it is, quite literally, ‘thinking out of the box’—helping the country’s poorest turn waste cardboard into paper money. It’s just one of the many initiatives that we spotlight, in this special episode.
Recorded in Santiago earlier this year, Falabella director of sustainability, Pamela Lagos talks exclusively to guest host Karl McKeever. She shares the inside story of how one of the country’s most famous retail names is investing in a responsible plan for future success, and the steps it is taking to show people and profitability can co-exist in greater harmony.
To many, buying makeup can be confusing, expensive, and inconvenient. Birchbox founders Hayley Barna and Katia Beauchamp thought so too. A decade ago, they envisioned a way for customers — just like themselves — to easily and efficiently try, learn about, and purchase beauty products online. And so beauty subscription service Birchbox was born.
Today it has more than 4 million subscribers and customers around the world. It has also expanded its offer into male grooming — allowing it to tap into an enormous group of underserved consumers.
In this special episode of The Interview Series, recorded in New York earlier this year, Birchbox COO, Pooja Agarwal sits down with US host Dave Evans. She explains how this pioneer of the subscription model has evolved and continues to remain on the cutting edge of the customer experience. Looks ahead to what lies in store as it embarks on its next exciting chapter. And shares the story of her own remarkable journey in retail.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, some of the products consumers care about the most are the ones that are keeping them connected. With brick and mortar stores closed, Enjoy – the first mobile retail store available on-demand – is playing a vital role, helping to get much-needed communications tools to consumers, safely and quickly.
Like many companies, it has had to adjust and take time to figure out the best, safest next steps for Experts, partners and customers. The result has led to the creation of a whole new contactless experience to enable big brands like BT and EE in the UK, AT&T in the US, and Rogers in Canada, to bring tech products directly to consumers in the comfort of their own homes.
In this special episode of The Interview recorded in New York earlier this year, US host Dave Evans sits down with retail luminary and Enjoy CEO, Ron Johnson. Perhaps best known for his work creating and leading Apple Stores during their first 12 years, then later as CEO of JCPenney, today his focus is on delivering joy through life-improving mobile retail experiences through Enjoy, the business he co-founded.
The phrase ‘Wellbeing’ has become commonly adopted in recent years. But it has taken on increased significance and importance for retailers and employees in the face of the global pandemic, and rightly so. Now is most definitely a time to put people before profit.
Coming up on this episode of The Special, we take an in-depth look at the human impact of the outbreak across the industry and the importance of wellbeing in these unprecedented times.
We hear from Yulia O’Mahony, former head of Diversity, Inclusion and Wellbeing at John Lewis & Partners, to get a retailer perspective on the very real ‘people challenges’ facing retail leaders. And we speak to a panel of wellbeing specialists to explore and explain the major issues facing senior retail management. From the hugely complex reality of remote working, to ensuring all staff remain motivated, engaged, connected and, above all, safe.
Retailers across Europe have acutely impacted by the pandemic in recent weeks. Less so in North America: Until now. To find out more about the unfolding situation in both the U.S and Canada, The Retail Exchange host Dave Evans reports from New York as look at how the pandemic is affecting retailers on the other side of the Atlantic as physical stores close their doors.
He is joined by Bloomberg retail reporter, Jordyn Holman, and Neil Saunders, managing director of GlobalData Retail, to share a US perspective, while Craig Patterson, editor in chief of Retail Insider, discusses the challenges facing Canadian retailers as this turbulent time.
The global Covid-19 pandemic is first and foremost a health emergency. But it is also an economic crisis, causing astonishing turmoil for retailers around the world as they close the doors on their physical stores. For how long, we don’t yet know. In many sectors of retail, business has all but stopped, and without hardly any warning. And we are, frankly, only at a very early stage of whatever this is.
In our next episode of ‘The Special’, we delve into the ramifications of the retail apocalypse that nobody saw coming.
No one has ever seen anything like this. An unprecedented crisis demands unprecedented responses. In our first episode of ‘The Special’ series, we explore how the Covid-19 outbreak is affecting grocery retailers. What are some of the biggest issues facing retailers right now, and how are they tackling them?
Host Martin Popplewell is joined by a series of guests, as we try to make sense of the volatile, fast moving and hugely complex situation that’s challenging major multiples, symbol group and independent convenience retailers alike.
Featuring Luke Tugby, editor of Retail Week, Ronan Hegarty, news editor of The Grocer, Greg Deacon, chief operating officer of NFRN, Mike Exley, former Head of Logistics at Morrisons, and Craig Summers, managing director of Manhattan Associates. We’re also joined by Jean McCabe, chair of Retail Excellence Ireland to discuss the impact of Covid-19 on Irish retailers.
Best known for his work with brands such as Foot Locker, Starbucks, Verizon and Nike, Kambiz Hemati embodies the serenity that permeates the retail spaces he designs.
In our latest episode of The Interview Series, sponsored by NG Retail Summit 2020, US host Dave Evans sits down with the respected retail designer to discuss the art of brand storytelling and the importance of creating physical spaces with architectural integrity, local relevance and customers at their heart.
He also looks back on the experiences that have shaped his own storied career and taken him on a journey with iconic leading edge global consumer technology, athletic apparel and footwear, fashion and coffee companies.
In case EuroShop is not on your regular shopping list of trade fairs, it’s the world’s biggest retail expo. Across the four-day event, more than 100,000 visitors passed through its doors. It’s an incredible spectacle. Huge halls. Extraordinary spaces. With over 2000 exhibitors, 600 speakers and 500 sessions, across 8 stages, there was plenty of inspiring creative visions to capture visitor’s imaginations.
With pressure of bricks and mortar stores around the world like never before, we look back on this year’s event to find out what the creative minds at EuroShop 2020 had in-store for visitors, to help retailers and brands measure up to the challenges that lie ahead.
Guest host Karl McKeever is on the ground at EuroShop 2020 as he talks to a few of those exhibiting and attending who know more than most what it will take for physical retail to stay ahead of competition from online and meet the ever-evolving needs of today’s shoppers.
In this latest episode of The Interview Series retail podcast HEMA CEO, Tjeerd Jegen, joins us for an exclusive chat ahead of his talk atRetail Week Live 2020. He joins Ben Bland to explain how a ‘return on value and values’ is helping drive new growth, and discuss his own storied retail career.
There are many ways for a retailer to make a name for itself. From original product design to low pricing. And, increasingly, having a focus on sustainability.
Dutch variety store-chain HEMA ticks all three boxes. Operating over 750 stores across nine countries, it has retained a style all of its own. And now its robust sustainable practices are taking HEMA to the next level of retailing. Discover more, only on this retail podcast HEMA special.
In this special episode of The Interview from The Retail Exchange podcast, our host Ben Bland looks ahead to Retail Week Live 2020 with Sarah Clark – Retail Week Live Advisory Board Member and chief commercial officer of luxury homewares retailer OKA.
Widely considered to be the UK’s flagship retail event for those who want to stay informed, Retail Week Live 2020 takes place in London 25-26 March, featuring a line-up of over 200 top industry speakers across the two-day event.
We sit down with Sarah to learn more about Retail Week Live 2020 and the role of the Advisory Board in shaping the content that will await attendees at this year’s event. We also explore the brand journey of OKA, get Sarah’s views on the current challenges facing the industry, and shine a spotlight on her own retail career.
In this special roundtable episode from The Retail Exchange podcast, we’re in New York for NRF Big Show 2020 as guest host Karl McKeever talks retail performance with our panel of retail experts.
With retailers on both sides of the Atlantic releasing their ‘Golden Quarter’ results, our guests reflect on the latest trading updates and discuss some of the surprising (and not so surprising) highs and lows. We also ponder some of the big questions about what some retailers can do to positively influence their fortunes in the year ahead.
In autumn 2019, The Retail Exchange partnered with World Retail Congress to record a series of special roundtable podcast episodes, exploring the challenges and opportunities that will lie in store for retail in the new decade ahead. In our final episode, we discuss why all retailers will have a responsibility to be sustainable as the planet faces up to the growing climate crisis.
Guest host Ian McGarrigle, Chair of World Retail Congress, is joined by senior retail thought leaders from Fairtrade Foundation, Bulk Market and Google.
In autumn 2019, The Retail Exchange partnered withWorld Retail Congressto record a series of special roundtable podcast episodes, exploring the challenges and opportunities that will lie in store for retail in the new decade ahead. In this second episode, we discuss the evolution of consumer behaviour and societal trends.
Guest host Ian McGarrigle, Chair of World Retail Congress, is joined by senior retail thought leaders from Hammerson plc, WGSN Insight, Style Psychology, Household, RPA: Group and ASF Development.
In autumn 2019, The Retail Exchange partnered with World Retail Congress to record a series of special roundtable podcast episodes, exploring the challenges and opportunities that will lie in store for retail in the new decade ahead. In this first episode, we talk technology.
Guest host Ian McGarrigle, Chair of World Retail Congress, is joined by Heal’s Customer & eCommerce Director, David Kohn and Ian Pattison, Head of Customer Engineering for Google, along with thought leaders from retail agencies Visual Thinking, FutureBrand, FITCH and Jack Morton.
Rituals believes that happiness can be found in the smallest of things. Inspired by the wisdom and ancient traditions of Asian cultures, the Dutch-based retailer is passionate about transforming everyday routines into meaningful Rituals. It’s a philosophy that extends to the shopping experience within the physical retail environment.
In an exclusive interview, recorded at Future Stores 2019, host Martin Popplewell meets Rituals Director of Format and Design, Richard Lems, who extols the virtues of ’slow retail’, the importance of rituals and explains why the future of physical retail is bright.
In this special episode, guest host Karl McKeever travels to New York for an exclusive interview with Macy's national director of window presentation, Roya Sullivan. She shares the behind-the-scenes story of preparations for its highly anticipated Christmas windows, and talks about the challenge of managing windows for the one of the world’s most iconic department stores.
Launched back in 2015, Allbirds is a booming shoe brand with sustainability at its heart. The San Francisco-based startup may only be four years old but it is already focused on building the brand worldwide. Makers of “the world’s most comfortable shoe”, it designs environmentally friendly footwear, has a burgeoning reputation for quality and is enjoying fast-paced retail growth.
In this special episode, guest host Karl McKeever travels to San Francisco for an exclusive interview with Allbirds head of global retail operations Travis Boyce. He shares the story of the footwear brand’s rapid growth, discusses the transition from its online birth to physical retail expansion, and reflects on the challenges that still lie ahead.
In an exclusive interview, recorded at Tech Festival 2019, host Jason Bradbury sits down with Josh Bottomley, global head of digital, data and development at HSBC, to discuss the tech challenges of becoming a successful retail bank in the digital world.
Host Ben Bland sits down with V-Mart chief operating officer, Samir Misra, to discover more about the country's economic boom, the retailer's high velocity growth, and its blueprint for delivering sustained retail success. Recorded at World Retail Congress 2019.
The Samsung KX concept in London’s Coal Drops Yard is taking brand experience in the physical space to another level. This is not a shop. It’s a place to explore the latest in tech innovation, in a new way – to see things, play, learn, push your limits and open your mind.
Guest host Jason Bradbury sits down with Tanya Weller, director of Samsung Showcase to discuss the story behind the new Samsung KX concept and explore her many career highlights. First broadcast 07 November 2019.
In this episode, special guest host Jason Bradbury sits down with David Coombs, head of strategic services at Cheil UK to talk about the changing face of brand loyalty, the issue of consumer data rights ownership, and sort tech myths from the reality.
In this special episode, guest host Karl McKeever travels to San Francisco for an exclusive interview with thredUP president Anthony Marino. We also catch up with the brand's co-founder and CTO Chris Homer, during his visit to Tech. Festival 2019, to learn about the technology fuelling its phenomenal growth.
In an exclusive interview, recorded at Future Stores 2019, host Martin Popplewell sits down with Three UK Head of Omnichannel & Digital First, Graham Johnston, to talk about the importance of delivering a seamless customer experience, and what lies in store in a 5G connected future.
Dutch clothing label Unrobe is a new sustainable fashion brand on a mission to dress people by 'undressing' the fashion industry. Host Ben Bland caught up with the brand’s founder, Daan Ubachs for an exclusive interview, to discuss why there has never been a better, or more important time, for change. Recorded at World Retail Congress 2019
Recorded at World Retail Congress 2019, host Ben Bland meet the brand's Head of Retail Aleksander Milenkovic, to learn more about this unorthodox, fun loving brand's story - one that's full of colour designs, celebrity collaborations and exceptional charm that they say is guaranteed to make you smile.
In an exclusive interview, recorded at the World Retail Congress 2019, our host Ben Bland is joined by Riverford Organic Farmers' founder, Guy Singh-Watson, to talk about the award-winning business which puts its success down to a spirit of ethical trading, and to discover why his decision to shun traditional retailers was, in his view, a good thing.
In an exclusive interview, recorded at the World Retail Congress 2019, host Ben Bland sits down with Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the British Retail Consortium to discuss the challenges facing UK retail in the light on unprecedented change in the industry that's resulted in difficult trading conditions and evolving shopper habits.
Cycling has gone through what can only be described as a revolution over the last 10 years. A trend that has seen cycle clothing brand Rapha quickly grow to be a truly international brand.
In an exclusive interview, recorded at Future Stores 2019, host Martin Popplewell sits down with Rapha Director of Retail & Development, Caroline Crosswell, and Head of Retail, Darren Read, to discuss the brand’s approach to delivering its retail experience and our growing love of all things two-wheeled.
In an exclusive interview, recorded at World Retail Congress 2019, Ben Bland sits down with Marc Rosen, Levi's EVP/President of Global Direct to Consumer, to discuss how the brand is keeping its customer experience fresh - in its own distinct way.
In this edition of ‘The Interview’, business broadcaster Ben Bland sits down with Jason Heward, UK managing director of Leica Camera. He talks about the passion that exists within Leica (and himself) for photography, the brand’s recently opened new London flagship store, and its focus on using ‘experience’ to connect with customers.
As fashion retail’s ever-shifting landscape continues at breakneck pace, we ponder what retailers can do to overcome the current challenges in style. Host Ben Bland sits down with senior industry thinkers to discuss the challenges that exist, as well as can be done to deliver practical long-lasting improvements in retail performance.
LEGO is one of the most recognised toy brands in the world. In this edition of ‘The Interview’, business broadcaster Ben Bland sits down with Simone Sweeney, Vice President of Global Retail Development for LEGO Group.
The fast food industry is notoriously competitive. In this edition of ‘The Interview’, we sit down with John Vincent, the co-founder of Leon Restaurants.
Originally recorded at World Retail Congress 2018 in Madrid, he takes business broadcaster Ben Bland through the story of the brand's growth and its 'family' ethos, and talks passionately about his views on the issue of sustainable capitalism.
In this episode, we explore what the future could look like for our supermarkets. As the hunger for change in the sector grows, assumptions that have underpinned the business models of the big grocery retail players for so many years no longer hold true.
In this edition of The Interview Series, we sit down with Neal’s Yard Remedies director of international sales Calum Mackay. Originally recorded at World Retail Congress 2018 in Madrid, he takes business broadcaster Ben Bland through his varied career in beauty, explains the importance of going the extra mile to engage with international retailers and customers, and shares his top tips for surviving the long haul to success.
Juventus Football Club head of brand licensing and retail, Silvio Vigato shares his views on all things sports retail, the power of fan loyalty, and how the club uses its football stars to promote the brand on a global scale.
Co-founders of menswear apparel brand L’Estrange, university friends Tom Horne and Will Green share the story behind the brand’s development, talk about their store concept ‘The Apartment’, and explain why more fashion brands should champion a move towards ‘Essentialism’.
In this episode, we explore how mall owners will keep enticing shoppers in the years ahead. Will the big anchor store still be the big draw? And what will the mall experience of tomorrow look like?
In this episode, host Ben Bland talks to Rockar founder Simon Dixon about his company’s latest partnership with industry giant Ford and fashion retailer Next, and how innovation is moving car retailing up a gear – transforming perceptions and putting power into the hands of customers.
In our latest special edition of The Interview Series, ahead of the World Retail Congress 2018, business broadcaster Ben Bland talks to Grupo Cortefiel CEO, Jaume Miquel.
He discusses the key trends he expects to dominate the agenda at the Congress and tells the story of retail transformation and international expansion taking place within the Grupo Cortefiel.
In this edition host Ben Bland has an in-depth conversation with Gavin Aldred, owner of online clothing brand Supremebeing.com to talk refashioning physical and online retailing, and to explore why the brand has eschewed many standard industry practices in favour of tackling ethical concerns.
In this episode, we're discussing the power of people. As technology and automation becomes more prevalent in the world of retail, the idea of having store assistants might seem old-fashioned. But the human touch is still very much in demand.
In this episode, recorded at NRF Big Show 2018, business broadcaster Ben Bland talks to Jason Breazeale, Director of Innovation for Ahold Delhaize.
He discusses the challenges of grocery retail as the direction moves away from being simply functional transactions to delivering a seamless, life-orientated retail experience for the shopper, regardless of channel.
In this special edition, recorded at NRF Big Show 2018, business broadcaster Ben Bland talks to Cristina Ceresoli, Senior Vice President for Retail Strategy at the National Retail Federation. She shares her tips for what the prevalent themes for the year will be, and warns retailers to guard against the danger of adopting technology for technology’s sake.As it celebrates 40 years in business, Pandora remains loved by consumers and employees around the world, in equal measure.
Delve deeper into the fabric of the Danish jewellery brand and it is possible to understand why this retail gem continues to be so successful.
Like the brand’s national birthplace, Pandora is also constructed on a human scale. Something that has put it in good stead to face the global challenge from the recent pandemic, and to face the changes ahead.
The brand continues to make its own way in a highly competitive world; something that its SVP Omnichannel Retail Kate Walsh also knows how to do all too well. Having started in retail management at an early age, she went on to appear on the UK series of The Apprentice, before eventually embarking on a near-decade-long career with Pandora.
She reveals the charm of working for this iconic jewellery brand, how it is repurposing and revitalising its offer for the future, the lessons she’s learned about how to do business better, and her views on whether The Apprentice is as good as it used to be.
In this episode, host Ben Bland talks to Jamie Taylor, Retail, Property and Wholesale Director for international beauty brand L’Occitane. He tells business broadcaster Ben Bland what lies in-store for shoppers in its new Regent Street store, how the hospitality industry was an inspiration, and how people are crucial in delivering retail transformation.
In this special edition, recorded at NRF Big Show 2018, business broadcaster Ben Bland talks to Ian McGarrigle, Chair of the World Retail Congress. He discusses the challenge of delivering retail transformation, what lies ahead for the industry during 2018, and looks ahead to what's in store for attendees at this year's event in Madrid.
In this episode, we discuss the technology promising to change how we shop in-store. Join our guest Tim Manning, Swarm, Pete Trainer, US Ai, and Melanie Pittham, The BIO Agency, as they discuss what retailers must do to avoid the pitfalls of adopting technology for technology’s sake and ensure developments stay focused on meeting shopper needs. Plus, we visit New York to discuss the big topics at NRF Big Show 2018.
As the number of agencies involved in delivering retail objectives continues to grow, in this episode we discuss the art of collaboration, what needs to change, and where responsibility for ensuring success should lie.
In this edition, broadcaster and business journalist Declan Curry talks to Bridget Lea, O2 director of stores, online, multichannel and supply chain. She recalls the journey so far for the business and looks ahead to what's still in store for the fast-changing mobile phone retailing marketplace.
In our latest episode, broadcaster Ben Bland sits down with senior industry thinkers to discuss whether we are reaching saturation point with seasonal retail promotions, what more retailers can do to keep things exciting and fresh, and the secrets to maximising shopper engagement and amplification beyond the four walls of the store.
Featuring Simon Millington, owner of Millington Associates, Seen Display’s strategic creative director, Moe Krimat, and Tom Philipson, managing director and co-founder of YourStudio.
In this first of The Interview Series, broadcaster and business journalist Declan Curry meets House of Fraser’s Dr Dorothy Maxwell, who reflects on the retailer’s new department store and efforts to make retailers and stores more sustainable.
In our latest episode, broadcaster Ben Bland sits down with senior industry thinkers to discuss whether we are reaching saturation point with seasonal retail promotions, what more retailers can do to keep things exciting and fresh, and the secrets to maximising shopper engagement and amplification beyond the four walls of the store.
Featuring Simon Millington, owner of Millington Associates, Seen Display’s strategic creative director, Moe Krimat, and Tom Philipson, managing director and co-founder of YourStudio.
As the way we shop continues to be redefined, is a rethink needed for retailers? In this episode, our guests give their take on how evolving shopper behaviour is impacting in-store brand engagement.
Experience, engagement, emotion, and economics. In our second episode, we conclude the discussion on Stores of the Future 2.0 by attempting to decode what it takes to deliver store transformation in a way that achieves the real returns today’s retailers demand.
In our first episode, we discuss Stores of the Future, what's worthy of attention, why there is still much work to do and what could, or should, change in the way that retailers approach such retail transformation projects. Featuring guests Paul West, strategy director at Dalziel & Pow, Nathan Watts, creative director of FITCH, James Breaks, associate design director with rpa:group, and Karl McKeever, founder of Visual Thinking.