All Interviews articles
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Interview
Rituals CEO on the retailer’s drive to ‘open one new store every working day’
Retail Week sits down with Rituals founder and chief executive Raymond Cloosterman to find out why he’s driving the brand to open a new store every working day this year, despite the downturn in luxury sales around the globe.
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Interview
Listen to World Retail Congress’ new podcast − episode one: Shein
World Retail Congress has launched its first podcast to take its world-class content beyond the conference stage to give you year-round insight from retail leaders across the globe.
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Interview
Q&A: Spoke founder Ben Farren on the importance of the right fit
As menswear retailer Spoke continues to prioritise making clothes “built for fit with real craftsmanship”, founder and chief executive Ben Farren talks to Retail Week about how he turned his tailoring travails into a booming brand.
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Interview
Q&A: Haircare brand Rehab co-founders on the need for industry innovation
Retail Week speaks to haircare brand Rehab about its story and growth, and the need for innovation to solve the issue of plastic packaging in the beauty industry
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Interview
Retail Leader of the Year: How Sainsbury’s CEO Simon Roberts mixed tradition with innovation
As Sainsbury’s chief executive Simon Roberts wins the Salesforce Retail Leader of the Year Award, we meet the man who arrested the supermarket giant’s slumping market share and guided it through Covid and the cost-of-living crisis by putting food back at the heart of the business
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Interview
Outstanding Contribution to Retail Award: Judith McKenna on why people make the difference
Once again, it’s been a year of retail triumphs.
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Interview
Q&A: B&Q marketing director Tom Hampson on the power of ‘You Can Do It’
As B&Q dusts off its ‘You Can Do It’ slogan for a new advertising campaign, we spoke to marketing director Tom Hampson about the power of the catchphrase, balancing innovation with heritage, and influencer marketing
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Interview
Q&A: BP's Joanne Hayward on why food is the future of forecourt retail
As news emerges that BP is rolling out a fresh, made-to-order food pilot across its stores, vice president of convenience Europe Joanne Hayward talks to Retail Week about these new Wild Bean Cafe pilots, the transition to electric vehicles, and how BP is growing its convenience offer.
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Interview
Q&A: Dr Martens chief product officer on getting the brand’s strategy back in-step
With fashion retailers battling more than ever to win consumer spend, Dr Martens chief product officer Adam Meek sat down with Retail Week to discuss the brand’s strategy moving forward, how it is stepping up its game when it comes to innovation and the importance of staying true to its core products
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Interview
Q&A: EE retail boss Asif Aziz on the brand’s new experience stores
As EE delves further into retail by announcing a £6m investment into its store estate over the next 12 months, retail director Asif Aziz speaks to Retail Week about how important it is to be a consumer-focused brand, and what its “experience stores” have to offer shoppers.
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Interview
Q&A: TBCo boss Emma Macdonald on sacrificing growth for sustainablility
Founded in 2014 as the Tartan Blanket Company, co-founders Emma and Fergus Macdonald wanted to create a business that had a positive impact on the planet while also being stylish. As the fast-growing retailer transitions from gifting to homeware, accessories and fashion, CEO Emma Macdonald speaks to Retail Week about its repositioning, its rebranding, and why she’s opted to sacrifice rapid growth for sustainability.
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Interview
Discount Dragon: Meet the pureplay brand setting the value sector alight
Emerging as a new player in the value market, Discount Dragon is striving to guarantee Brits a bargain. Boss Martin Higginson is co-founder and CEO of parent company Huddled.
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Interview
Woolworth boss Roman Heini has UK return 'on bucket list'
CEO Roman Heini is leading the expansion of Woolworth Germany at home and abroad, and says Britain is on his bucket list of destinations.
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Interview
Q&A: Yoga brand Bahe on stretching past the pandemic sweatpants trend
Retail Week talks to Australian yoga and Pilates activewear brand Bahe as it plans to go global and bring innovation to the sector
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Interview
Andy Higginson on speaking up for retail at the next election
As industry veteran Andy Higginson takes his seat as the new chair of trade body the BRC, he talks to Retail Week about his desire to make the voice of a great industry heard as loudly as possible in the corridors of power.
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Interview
Q&A: Ann Steer on reinventing Freemans in a year of ‘aggressive’ transformation
Freemans chief executive Ann Steer speaks to Retail Week about a year of “aggressive” change for the business following the move that transformed Freemans from a traditional mail-order catalogue business to a modern digital department store
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Interview
Q&A: eBay director of luxury on ‘diminishing the stigma’ of buying pre-loved
As pre-loved luxury becomes growingly more popular, eBay director of luxury Keith Metcalfe sat down with Retail Week ahead of Christmas to discuss the diminishing stigma of gifting secondhand, the importance of authenticity guarantee and why pre-loved and luxury go hand in hand
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Interview
Q&A: Lush head of retail on bringing fun back to stores
As the handmade bath and body retailer opens its biggest store yet in Glasgow, Retail Week speaks to Lush head of retail Kasey Swithenbank about what makes the new store different and bringing back a sense of fun
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Interview
Q&A: Frasers CFO Chris Wootton on luxury demand and future acquisitions
As Frasers reports an increase in sales and profit across its portfolio, driven by the group’s elevation strategy, Retail Week speaks to chief financial officer Chris Wootton about what’s next for the retail powerhouse
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Interview
Q&A: Deliveroo’s Eric French on becoming more than just a takeaway platform
Following the unveiling of Deliveroo’s new non-food delivery platform, chief operating officer Eric French speaks to Retail Week about what the new service can offer customers, its new partnerships and becoming a destination for last-minute Christmas gifts