Kingfisher innovation won’t go down the toilet, M&Co veteran McGeoch avoids another breakdown and Thirlwell goes from all-go to cocoa

Kingfisher innovation won’t go down the toilet

At the beginning of the year Kingfisher boss Véronique Laury revealed she would seek to emulate Apple’s innovation when it comes to product design. Eight months on and Laury insists innovation is still very much on the cards. However, the DIY giant will pick and choose its battles when deciding where it will invest in product development – which means some core ranges will not receive the Apple-treatment. “I do not think we will be doing any innovating with toilet seats,” says Laury. And with that statement any dreams of a web-connected WC were flushed away. So much for the connected home revolutionising retail.

No more breakdowns for McGeoch

It was the end of an era as Iain McGeoch stepped down as chief executive of M&Co, formerly Mackays Stores, handed over the reins to son Andy. Along with brother Len, McGeoch built the retailer from six pawnbroking shops into a 280-store clothing specialist and earned himself a place in the Sunday Times Rich List. McGeoch checked out all the potential retail properties himself as the business expanded, spending days on the road. Back then everything was done on a shoestring as would be expected of an entrepreneur and he drove what might be described as an old banger. He jokes that the frequent breakdowns meant he knew every AA man between Birmingham and Glasgow.

Thirlwell has a cocoa cool down

Angus Thirlwell

Angus Thirlwell

Any keen athlete will tell you that the cool down is a necessity for the human body following any physical or sporting exertions. But Hotel Chocolat founder and boss Angus Thirlwell seems to have adopted his own unique method of recuperating from such activity. Having returned from an exhausting expedition in Iceland in which he hiked 80km in the space of just four days, the entrepreneur told Retail Week he had been recovering by “resting and eating lots of chocolate.” Let’s just hope he hasn’t overdone it – the last thing Hotel Chocolat needs ahead of the crucial Christmas and Easter periods is a shortage of stock.