Retail Week Stores Summit poster - taking place 24 May 2023

If the golden quarter sets the tone for retailers’ fortunes in the year ahead, then 2023 will see a renaissance for stores. 

In fact, as trading updates began to pour in, a trend emerged.  

Retailers with stores performed better.   

Just look at Primark, where sales rocketed over Christmas, up 18% to £3.15bn in the 16 weeks to January 7. Or Marks & Spencer, with store sales up 12.8% over Christmas and an announcement of 20 new “bigger and better” shops, bringing new store investment to £480m.  

The opportunity is clear – so how are you going to seize it?  

Find out at Retail Week’s unmissable Stores Summit 2023, which will include five in-person content sessions with leading retailers and commentators.  

Key topics we will cover include:   

  • Strengthening customer loyalty – reimagining retail spaces to boost CX  
  • Diversifying store formats – maintaining flexibility to increase ROI 
  • Stores reform – how retailers can drive change  
  • Global growth – where to invest, from people to tech and fulfilment 

Apply for your place to attend the Stores Summit in person from 8.30am-12.30pm on May 24 at Harvey Nichols, London

Please note, attendance at this event is for retailers and brands only.

AGENDA

8.30-9.00 – Breakfast and networking  

9.00-9.05 – Retail Week welcome 

9.05-9.15 – Welcome address from Chris Renwick,
Co-founder and Chief Executive of Lucy & Yak

We’ll be opening our Stores Summit masterclass with a focus on purposeful retail, discussing the roadmap for a more sustainable industry. 

9.15-9.35 – Keynote 

Retail Horizon 2023: Mid-Year Update 

To set the tone for our summit, hear expert insights from our Retail Week analyst team who will take a deep dive into our Retail Horizon 2023: Mid-Year Update. We will explore:  

  • The key trends shaping the sector across society and consumers, technology, policy, industry and culture  
  • The economic outlook and how leading retailers are adapting to grow 
  • Our five winning strategies to drive growth and navigate disruption.  

Speaker:

  • Lisa Byfield-Green, Data and Insights Director, Retail Week

09.35-10.05 – Panel 

Retail spaces reimagined: Elevating CX to maximise loyalty and growth

Currys trials AI robots to support product location. River Island’s ‘River Studios’ boast smart fitting rooms and RFID labelling to enhance online ordering. Lush focuses on wellness with a high street lounge launch. H&M joins the metaverse to educate consumers about fashion circularity.  

The future is clear: stores must be more than the products within them.

Customer-centric innovation should be top of the list for retailers looking to maximise consumer loyalty in a crowded market. 

In this masterclass, hear from a panel of some of the UK's top retailers as they reveal their ultimate guide to efficiently elevating in-store CX and subsequently maximising customer lifetime value. 

Speakers include:

  • Claudia Nappo, Chief Operating Officer, LK Bennett
  • Candice Ohandjanian, Vice-President Parcel Locker Solutions, Quadient
  • Rebecca Taylor, Commercial Content Manager, Retail Week

10.05-10.35 – Panel 

The cost of (making a) living crisis: How retailers can weather the property storm  

"Fifty-six per cent of retailers interviewed believe they are working well with landlords but business rates are the biggest problem they face," 25 CEOs and property directors revealed in a landmark Retail Week investigation into the state-of-play in UK retail property last year. 

For years, retailers have been calling out for a levelling of the playing field: a shift in the balance between high street and online stores through a reappraisal of the outdated business rents and rates system, which makes many locations unviable for retailers. 

At the heart of this push for change is a desire from retailers for greater flexibility and cooperation from landlords, agents and local authorities.  

But how can all the parties involved drive this change?

Don’t miss this panel as retailers and property experts come together to answer the big questions. 

Speakers include:

  • Andrea George, Director – Town Centres and Consumer Brands, Bruntwood 
  • Paul Thomas, Retail Director, Monsoon Accessorize
  • Hugh Radojev, News Editor, Retail Week

10.35-11.05 – Coffee and networking break 

11.05-11.35 – Panel  

Formats for a flexible future: How to diversify retail spaces and increase ROI 

Dog grooming salons at Dobbies Garden Centres. Nail bars and cafes in Primark. Flexible office space at Tesco. Stores that act as fulfilment centres. Housing click-and-collect hubs. Collection lockers for customers. The ability to satisfy consumers' desire for on-demand delivery.  

Retail stores have become community playgrounds: a hub for social engagement, entertainment and convenience. 

The retailers that meet their customers’ needs in one place, cost-effectively offering top-level customer service, will come out on top.   

In this panel, Retail Week brings together leading retailers and supply chain experts to discuss:  

  • The evolution of stores – from browsing haven to collection and fulfilment centre  
  • Which service offerings actually enhance customer experience while increasing ROI
  • The role store teams are playing in delivering an elevated customer experience 

Speakers include:

  • Graeme Jenkins, CEO, Dobbies
  • David Lancefield, Director of Software Solutions Sales EMEA, Zebra Technologies
  • Marsha Smith, Country Deputy Retail Manager UK & Ireland, Ikea
  • Megan Dunsby, Senior Commercial Content Editor, Retail Week

11.35-12.00 – Fireside chat with Will Crumbie, CEO, Fat Face

Global expansion: Actionable steps to accelerate success  

Translating a successful UK business overseas is no mean feat. For every success, there have been many failures.

Aside from navigating new economic environments, opening stores in new markets comes with a host of challenges, from how shops should look and feel, which products will work for that market, the type of service customers expect and the services they require, as well as how a retailer’s marketing and multichannel strategies come into play.  

That’s not to mention getting to grips with logistical questions including a new regulatory environment and understanding how rents, rates and supply will work.  

As we close the Stores Summit, hear from Fat Face CEO Will Crumbie as he discusses how to find success in your cross-border strategy, avoid the pitfalls and craft a winning international retail roadmap.

Speakers include:

  • Will Crumbie, Chief Executive, Fat Face
  • James Knowles, Head of Content Innovation, Retail Week

12.00-12.15 – Closing remarks from Retail Week 

Speakers

Chris Renwick, Co-founder and Chief Executive, Lucy & Yak 

Chris Renwick is the Co-founder and Chief Executive of Lucy & Yak, an independent ethical clothing brand from Brighton and Barnsley. Known for its joyful clothing and dedication to upholding a positive environmental and social impact, the little square logo with a circular mindset is fast becoming the future of conscious living.

The self-proclaimed funnier of the two founders, Chris is passionate about cracking endless jokes (much to the office’s misery) and is dedicated to making socks and sandals cool. In addition, he heads up Lucy & Yak’s financial and operations teams as well as spearheading the brand’s retail expansion. He is a firm believer in the power that bricks-and-mortar stores have in building communities, as well as helping to progress Lucy & Yak’s circularity programmes. 

Will Crumbie, Chief Executive, Fat Face

Will Crumbie has been Fat Face CEO since September 2021. He was previously the Chief Financial Officer and has been with the group for more than nine years, overseeing all key operational areas of the business during this time, including supply chain and IT over the last two years. Prior to Fat Face, he held senior financial and executive positions within Walgreens Boots Alliance and P&O, and he is a qualified chartered accountant. 

Marsha Smith, Country Deputy Retail Manager for UK and Ireland, Ikea

Marsha joined Ikea in 2004 where, after five years, she became Store Manager for Ikea Birmingham. Outside the UK, she has enjoyed roles in Ireland as Market Manager and in Canada as President and Retail Manager. During that time, she led the opening of two more stores as well as the development of customer fulfilment initiatives and leadership programmes.

Today, Marsha is Country Deputy Retail Manager for the UK and Ireland, where she oversees retail operations along with taking responsibility for the development of Ikea’s Ireland market. Marsha has a strong passion for women in leadership, equality and youth development in areas of economic deprivation. 

Graeme Jenkins, Chief Executive, Dobbies

Graeme is Chief Executive of Dobbies, the UK’s leading garden centre retailer with 76 stores nationwide. He joined the company in 2016 as Chief Financial Officer before being appointed CEO in 2018. For 150 years, the Dobbies name has stood for quality horticulture. In recent years, it has diversified its offering with innovations in its food hall, restaurant and digital operations. Graeme has led on the acquisition of 38 new stores, more than doubling the estate, as well as the launch of Little Dobbies, the retailer’s small store format.  

 As well as his role at Dobbies, Graeme is a Non-Executive Director at the Institute of Directors. He has previously held senior operational and financial positions with Target Australia, Virgin Media, FirstGroup and John Menzies. He is a chartered accountant, having qualified with Ernst & Young. 

Claudia Nappo, Chief Operating Officer, LK Bennett

Claudia Nappo has had a varied career in retail for over 25 years. Having started as a management trainee at Fenwick Bond Street, she has travelled far and wide before returning to Bond Street in her current role as COO for luxury womenswear brand LK Bennett, which opened its flagship store and offices on New Bond Street in 2022.   

From Fenwick, Claudia joined Oasis, moving from flagship store operations to overseeing international store opening programmes. She then went on to hold various senior roles at Habitat, before in 2017 moving to LK Bennett as retail director for the UK, moving into the role as COO in 2021, taking on additional responsibility for international stores and the global HR function.  

Paul Thomas, Retail Director, Monsoon Accessorize

Paul is a seasoned retail leader with more than 30 years’ experience across grocery, fashion and luxury retail, and a member of the senior leadership team at Monsoon and Accessorize. As Retail Director for both brands, he is responsible for their UK and Ireland retail businesses. He has played an integral role in leading them through the pandemic and in implementing Monsoon Accessorize’s successful turnaround strategy. 

Paul Joined Monsoon Accessorize after a three-year spell as a Retail Consultant, where he helped retailers improve their operations and efficiencies. This involved working with retailers large and small, in the UK and across the world. Prior to this, he was Retail Director at Harrods, which he originally joined as Head of Food Halls. Paul is passionate about people development, has strong operational skills and a belief in keeping things simple. 

Candice Ohandjanian, Vice-President Parcel Locker Solutions, Quadient

A transformative and highly respected professional among the UK’s top 100 retailers and carriers, Candice has a proven track record in commercial growth. Her reputation was earned through the delivery and implementation of propositions that outpace the competition and create catalysts for growth. She was previously a member of Evri’s executive board, responsible for 83% revenue and 62% volume growth alongside product and marketing functions.   

Currently, as VP of Parcel Locker Solutions at Quadient (UK, Ireland, Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Italy) Candice’s role focuses on delivering strategic partnerships and driving growth within Quadient’s carrier-agnostic locker network, retail and residential sectors.

David Lancefield, Director of Software Solutions Sales EMEA, Zebra Technologies

David has held numerous client sector roles at both field and head office level, enabling him to have a holistic understanding of all areas of complex multi-site retailers.

Having started his career at Home Retail Group in the UK, David has held various positions with high street retailers such as Next and Homebase in retail and commercial operations. He joined Reflexis Systems, a retail execution and performance software solutions provider in 2014 where he was the Senior EMEA Vice President until Zebra’s acquisition of Reflexis in 2020. David leads Zebra’s Software Solutions business unit EMEA sales and consulting teams, focusing on retail and service industries.

Andrea George , Director – Town Centres and Consumer Brands, Bruntwood 

Andrea is Director of Town Centres and Consumer Brands at Bruntwood. She leads a dynamic team of creative thinkers, curating places to help shape original and interesting communities and cultivating long-term relationships with customers. Future-facing, she is passionate about disrupting the high street, sustainability and regenerating places. 

With more than 22 years in the industry, Andrea provides strategic, specialist asset management and leasing experience to evolving places, town centres and consumer brands. 

Lisa Byfield-Green, Data and Insights Director, Retail Week  

Lisa Byfield-Green is Data and Insights Director at Retail Week. In this role, she heads up the Retail Week analyst team, responsible for our Strategy Hub insight and analysis, retailer rankings and forecasts, and big-picture Retail Horizon outlook. 

Lisa previously worked as a senior retail analyst, leading research at IGD, Edge by Ascential and Lebensmittel Zeitung. With more than 15 years of experience analysing the retail industry, she regularly presents at briefings, conferences and workshops. 

Megan Dunsby, Senior Commercial Content Editor, Retail Week

Megan is Retail Week’s Senior Commercial Content Editor. A former journalist and Features Editor, she joined Retail Week in January 2019 to help brands leverage content to reach the people that matter in retail. Megan also works on Be Inspired, Retail Week’s events and content programme that promotes inclusivity across the sector.

In 2018, she was named among The Drum’s 50 Under 30 Top Women in Digital and in 2016 she was recognised with the Silver Rising Star accolade at the British Media Awards.

James Knowles, Head of Content Innovation, Retail Week

James Knowles is Head of Content Innovation for the Retail Week commercial projects team.

He has spent 10 years as a journalist, working across both consumer celebrity and lifestyle magazines and business trade titles, including Retail Jeweller and Drapers, before joining Retail Week in July 2017.

Hugh Radojev, News Editor, Retail Week

Hugh is a news editor at Retail Week. He currently covers all things retail property, policy and grocery. He has also written about department stores, direct-to-consumer brands and emerging retail technologies.

He joined Retail Week in January 2019, from Fundraising Magazine where he was previously senior reporter. He also worked at the BBC with Top Gear Magazine and began his career as travel feature writer and then acting editor of TNT Magazine in Australia.

Rebecca Taylor, Commercial Content Manager, Retail Week

Rebecca Taylor is Retail Week’s Commercial Content Manager, responsible for helping to grow and deliver Retail Week’s bespoke sponsored reports and events across themes from stores and the consumer to supply chains and tech.  

With more than seven years experience in content-focused roles, Rebecca specialises in across-the-board brand interactions and storytelling, engaging audiences at all stages of their brand lifecycle through authentic, vibrant and quality content. 

Chris Renwick, Co-founder and Chief Executive, Lucy & Yak 

Chris Renwick

Chris Renwick

Will Crumbie, Chief Executive, Fat Face

Will Crumbie

Will Crumbie

Marsha Smith, Country Deputy Retail Manager UK and Ireland, Ikea

Marsha Smith

Marsha Smith

Graeme Jenkins, Chief Executive, Dobbies

Graeme Jenkins

Graeme Jenkins

Claudia Nappo

Claudia Nappo

Claudia Nappo

Paul Thomas, Retail Director, Monsoon Accessorize

Paul Thomas

Paul Thomas

Candice Ohandjanian, Vice-President Parcel Locker Solutions, Quadient

Candice Ohandjanian

Candice Ohandjanian

David Lancefield

David Lancefield

David Lancefield

Andrea George

Andrea George

Lisa Byfield-Green, Data and Insights Director, Retail Week  

Lisa Byfield-Green

Lisa Byfield-Green

Megan Dunsby, Senior Commercial Content Editor, Retail Week

Megan Dunsby

Megan Dunsby

James Knowles, Head of Content Innovation, Retail Week

James Knowles

James Knowles

Hugh Radojev

Hugh Radojev

Hugh Radojev

Rebecca Taylor, Commercial Content Manager, Retail Week

Rebecca Taylor

Rebecca Taylor


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