Previously a key man at Asda, can the new UK managing director of Toys R Us use his retailing nous to keep the increasing threat of supermarkets and online at bay, asks Tiffany Holland.

Roger McLaughlan

Roger McLaughlan’s name may not be as instantly recognisable as some in the industry, but while he has kept below the radar, he has made a big impact wherever he has worked.

He is said by those who know him to be a great motivator with a sense of humour that makes him fun to work with, while always maintaining a sharp focus on detail.

As the new UK managing director of Toys R Us, taking up the role after Christmas, those attributes will help him as he takes over from the specialist retailer’s veteran UK chief David Rurka.

Toys R Us has been on an upward trend in the past few years, helped by the demise of rival Woolworths in 2008. McLaughlan should be well placed to ensure that continues, having made his mark at Asda’s Living and George businesses, but he will also be fully aware of the challenges of running a general merchandise business in today’s difficult consumer environment.

According to a fellow retailer who has worked closely with him and known him for many years, McLaughlan managed to reignite George at Asda, where he was retail director, while also tasked with growing Asda Living overall.

“He took the key issues challenging the business and reinvigorated it,” he says. “He has a tremendous discipline, doing both roles at the same time, having two hats.

“With George, Roger built a really great team, creating a new structure for it. He introduced the new branding and the logo. He really delivered.”

James Hyde, director of headhunter Flint Hyde, agrees: “He is a brilliant retailer. He’s a very motivational team leader with a passion for leadership.

“He successfully changed the format of Living stores and made an enormous contribution to their success.”

At the Asda Living division, McLaughlan built a team, separate from that of George. He led Asda’s plans to open 150 Living stores over a five-year period, but because of the economic climate the timetable was revised.

Arden analyst Nick Bubb, who was in the audience at the original presentation on Living in April last year, was impressed by his ideas.

“He seemed like a really good guy and he had some interesting new product ideas, and he was going to revamp the look of the stores. He also talked about introducing catalogue showrooms,” Bubb says.

McLaughlan has had a varied career so far, having worked at Marks & Spencer and Holmes Place among others.

In his new role McLaughlan will need to keep up momentum in tough trading conditions in a sector that is firmly in the sights of the supermarkets. Planet Retail analyst Lisa Byfield-Green said: “There is a lot of competition in the toy market at the moment, particularly for the specialists whose market share is being threatened by supermarkets and online retailers.

“These difficulties can be seen by the fact that Mothercare is closing a lot of its free-standing Early Learning Centre stores in town centres and is continuing to report declining UK sales.

“In the US Toys R Us is trying to build its online presence and its range of exclusive products and I would imagine this is one of the things that it will do in the UK. Amazon is a big threat, as it is continuing to increase market share across a number of categories including toys and for busy parents ecommerce is a convenient way to shop.”

But the retailer who knows McLaughlan is confident in his abilities and says: “Roger really does have quite a track record. Toys R Us is lucky to have him. He’s good with people, a real team player – whether in the team or leading it.

“He has a wonderful blend of serious focus to detail in retail with a light touch and a great sense of fun. I think that it’s a great job for him to go to for that reason. I am confident that if anyone can do well in the toy business it’s him.”

Career history

2008 to 2011 Retail director, Asda Living

2004 to 2006 Managing director, Holmes Place

2002 to 2003 Retail director, Stylo

2000 to 2002 Head of selling, womenswear Marks & Spencer