John Lewis’ Monty the Penguin beats Sainsbury’s, Harvey Nichols, Lidl to be crowned most compelling Christmas 2014 advert October 29, 2015 By now you will have met John Lewis' Monty, unwrapped Lidl's little present and cried over Sainsbury's wartime sharing. But which of these adverts is most likely to make you spend money? Despite the debate around whether Sainsbury's might have stolen John Lewis' crown for creating festive ads guaranteed to get you blubbing, it [...]
Marks & Spencer website leaks customer details – but retailer insists it’s a “technical issue”, not a hacking October 28, 2015 Marks & Spencer was forced to suspend its website last night for two hours after it emerged that customers could see other people's details when they were logged in. Customers were able to see order histories, personal addresses and a number of other details belonging to other account holders when they logged in to register [...]
In the market for disruption: SapientNitro chief executive Nigel Vaz on consumer expectations October 25, 2015 Most disruptive companies have certain characteristics in common. They adapt constantly to stay ahead of the curve, they are dedicated to digital and deliver excellent customer service. Nigel Vaz, global chief strategy officer and European chief executive of SapientNitro, likens such businesses to gryphons – mythical hybrids with the wings of an eagle and the [...]
Marks & Spencer to close 12 stores in five Eastern European countries October 11, 2015 Marks & Spencer (M&S) is pulling out of five countries in eastern Europe, driven in part by heightened tensions between the West and Russia. The company is leaving Croatia, Bulgaria, Montenegro, Serbia and Slovenia, with store closures set to begin in January. The group plans to close 12 stores in total by May 2016. The [...]
EU referendum: Treasury Select Committee will review UK’s membership of the EU October 10, 2015 The influential Treasury Select Committee has launched an inquiry into the economic and financial costs and benefits of the United Kingdom's membership of the European Union. The inquiry comes as a response to the government's commitment to holding an In/Out referendum on the EU by the end of 2017. Read more: Former executive chairman of Marks and [...]
Marks and Spencers looking to sparkle with new lingerie and womenswear designer September 24, 2015 Marks and Spencers yesterday announced the appointment of its first director of design for womenswear, lingerie and beauty. The appointment of Queralt Ferrer, a former Inditex executive, is part of an attempt by Steve Rowe, the retailer’s new head of its non-food businesses, to revive the fortunes of M&S’ flagging women’s department. Ferrer will report [...]
Ex-Sainsbury’s boss Justin King takes on first big role since leaving September 7, 2015 The former chief executive of Sainsbury's, Justin King, is set to take on his first major role since leaving the supermarket last year. King, who is widely credited with reversing the fortunes of the supermarket chain, is due to become vice-chairman of private equity firm Terra Firma Capital Partners. "A source close to Terra Firma [...]
Lord Stuart Rose backs student property firm August 25, 2015 FORMER Marks & Spencer chairman Lord Stuart Rose has emerged as a surprise backer of Select Property Group, a developer and manager of student housing across the UK. Select said yesterday that Rose has invested a “multi-million pound” sum alongside Terry Green, the former boss of BHS and Debenhams. The privately owned group, which was [...]
Former Marks & Spencer boss Lord Stuart Rose backs Select Property Group August 24, 2015 There is a new new retail club in town and it’s called Select Property Group. Former Marks & Spencer chairman Lord Stuart Rose has emerged as a surprise backer in the privately-owned developer, which operates a swathe of student housing and is about to launch its first block of serviced flats in Manchester. He has [...]
Retail supplier Li & Fung hit by slow shopping August 21, 2015 SLOWING consumer demand in Europe and the US triggered a fall in retail supplier Li & Fung’s profits this half-year, the company said yesterday. The Hong Kong-based exporter, which supplies stores in the UK such as Primark and Marks and Spencer, said core operating profits fell by a fifth to $182m (£130m) from $227m for [...]