CONVERSATIONS WITH CHANGEMAKERS: HANIM JAIN, SENIOR EXECUTIVE IN FASHION / RETAIL AND CEO / FOUNDER OF WOMEN IN FASHION.
My regular interview sessions focus on an individual who is known to me, has a connection to fashion / retail and whom I personally admire. In September I am delighted to shine the spotlight on Hanim Jain, CEO & Founder of Women in Fashion.
Introduction.
Hanim and I met during the lockdown period. HGA Group operate an office in South Africa. Hanim is married to Sunil Jain – who is also an Executive in fashion & retail – both are currently based in Johannesburg. Hanim connected in response to HGA Group running an online series of Careers Advisory support sessions for individuals in Africa. Hanim is exceptionally well travelled, having lived and worked in Europe, China, Thailand and South Africa. She has trailblazed in 2 industries – IT and fashion, launching and selling 2 businesses, as well as leading other businesses. Hanim now leads “Women in Fashion Global” This organisation supports female company owners, professionals and entrepreneurs in the development of the businesses and careers. This is a global community that aims to connect, inspire and empower females in fashion.
Read More
CONVERSATIONS WITH CHANGEMEAKERS - JULIET SLOT - COMMERCIAL STRATEGIC LEADER, - SPORTS INDUSTRY
Juliet is a commercial strategic leader with 30 years of experience mainly in the business of sport. Juliet’s track record shows an ability to embrace a large remit, develop and articulate strategies, build successful teams and deliver growth and profit.
How did we meet?
We have a connection in common… Erica Vilkauls (ex CEO LK Bennett, East) is our common denominator and kindly introduced us in late 2020.One of the “silver linings” during the global pandemic is that we all have been speaking (of course virtually) to individuals who we never would have met, in the normal course of business. Juliet and I instantly connected.
Read More
CONVERSATIONS WITH CHANGEMAKERS; SUPARNA MALHOTRA, BUSINESS COACH AND BEST SELLING AUTHOR.
My short monthly interview sessions focus on an individual who is known to me and whom I personally admire. In January I am delighted to shine the spotlight on Suparna Malhotra.
Suparna’s linkedin introduction of Executive Coach, Bestselling Author, Leadership Consultant, Keynote Speaker, Facilitator and Caring Human seems only to describe in part the breadth of her experiences!
Suparna has combined all of the above for over a decade. She is a specialist in working with c-suite leaders in Fortune 100 companies, entrepreneurs and executives across various sectors including banking, technology and FMCG.
Read More
CONVERSATIONS WITH CHANGEMAKERS - MERCEDES VIDAL LOBATO - GLOBAL IT, DIGITAL & COMMERCIAL EXPERT
My short monthly interview sessions focus on an individual who is known to me, has a connection to retail and whom I personally admire. In August I am delighted to shine the spotlight on Mercedes Vidal Lobato.
Introduction.
One of the “silver linings” in the global pandemic is the fact that we are all having conversations with individuals who we would not have met in the normal course of business. I connected with Mercedes some months ago through linkedin and have since enjoyed a number of conversations.
Read More
Conversations with Changemakers: Jane Robson - Global Sourcing and Manufacturing Expert
Jane Robson has enjoyed a 30 year international career in fashion manufacturing and sourcing. In 2019, Jane completed the Business Sustainability Management course at Cambridge University. Jane’s expertise is sought after as a NED, Board Advisor and Mentor to young people entering our sector.
Jane and I have connected recently during lockdown, this is certainly one of the few silver linings in the “global pandemic” cloud. I believe we are all speaking to many more new contacts, given the ease of technology.
Read More
Conversations with Changemakers: Asil Attar - International Female Executive ex CEO.
My short monthly interview sessions focus on an individual who is known to me, has a connection to retail and whom I personally admire. In July, I am delighted to shine the spotlight on Asil Attar.
Asil is a dynamic, transformational leader with over 28 years’ experience in the fashion and retail space. With extensive experience gained in the UK, US, Europe and Middle East, Asil has won a number of accolades and recognition for her achievements. In 2019, Forbes ME placed her amongst the Top 50 International CEO’s heading local companies in the GCC.
Read More
Conversations with Changemakers: Chris Igwe - Global Retail Expert
My short monthly interview sessions focus on an individual who is known to me, has a connection to retail and whom I personally admire. In July I am delighted to shine the spotlight on Chris Igwe.
Chris Igwe is a leading authority on global retail and highly sought after for his passionate views, deep knowledge and great insights.
Based in Paris, he is special advisor to global brands, owners and investors on strategic matters at his own consultancy firm, Chris Igwe International. He is also Managing Partner at More Or Less, a company representing tenants and lease-related problems.
Read More
Conversations with Changemakers: Priya Gill - Deputy Youth Mayor, Derby
“My name is Priya Gill, I’m 17 years of age and as of May 2020, I will be the Deputy Youth Mayor of Derby. I study at Landau Forte College in Derby – A Levels in Chemistry, Product Design, and English Language & Literature. I am passionate about providing a voice for young people, and I hope that over the next year, I can do them justice. My main focuses are providing opportunities of a wider variety, putting on events that integrate society and most importantly, ensuring every young person in Derby has a voice”.
Read More
Conversations with Changemakers: Anusha Couttigane
Listed as one of Drapers 30 Under 30 Rising Stars of the Fashion Industry 2018, Anusha Couttigane is one of Kantar’s leading experts in the fashion field, covering everything from cut-price clothing to luxury labels. Leading a new vertical in Kantar’s Consulting practice, her work involves tracking all the latest trends in fashion, from mass market offerings to luxury strategies, and her expertise extends to digital drivers, Clicks-to-Bricks strategies, new routes to market and Artificial Intelligence in fashion retailing. Anusha is responsible for steering Kantar’s thought leadership in the fashion space, with recent publications such as Value, Values & Vogue in WPP BrandZ’s Global Top 100 report.
Read More
Paradigm shift – Will Covid-19 force a ‘new future of fashion’ that is needed?
With our global headlines being currently dominated with the immediate threat of the Covid-19 pandemic, the daily concerns of governments and businesses have shifted towards the outbreak, leaving the urgency of climate action to descend far lower on their agendas. The Coronavirus is indeed stifling sustainability progress, with those responsible for driving the transition towards sustainable change facing substantial interruptions in their roles. Investment in sustainability and energy projects are being paused by many, but when we come out the other side of Corona, which we will, the world will still be under enormous pressure to tackle the greatest existential crisis of our time - climate change.
Read More
Woman inequality: Are our industries evolving with society’s call to do better?
Gender equality isn’t just a social issue; it is a business issue. When it comes to women, there is an unmistaken, ongoing gender inequality and underrepresentation in leadership positions across the fashion and retail industries. Although women are the primary consumers of fashion and make up more than half of major retailers’ workforces, less than three percent of these companies have female CEOs, and women only hold a fifth of board seats at S&P 500 retail organisations (Catalyst, “Women in Management: Quick Take,” (2019).
Read More
HGA GROUP - Our Relevance in 2020.
With a seismic shift in the highly competitive industries of fashion, beauty and retail over recent years, brought on by globalisation, technological advancements and changes in consumer demand, industry dynamics are rapidly changing and evolving and businesses need to keep moving to survive. The UK retail industry is facing a prolonged period of difficulty, with ongoing political and economic uncertainty. 2019 was definitely a year of ‘awakening’, and there is an undeniable demand to move from intention to action - a ‘now or never’ scenario. We have developed a 2020 strategy to remain “relevant today and tomorrow”, we champion 4 pillars, being: Global Recruitment, Career Mentoring, Business Development and The Sustainability Hub.
Read More
2020: The Decade of Customer-Centric Retail Culture
As we move forward into a new year, a new decade, and a new global retail landscape, it is more important than ever for businesses to understand the shifting needs and expectations of their consumers. Today, the consumer is King, and they are more in control than ever before. Alongside their high expectations and increasingly changing needs, data-driven technologies and AI are also changing the way shoppers behave and purchase, and are crucial to creating a differentiated shopper experience, both on and offline.
Read More
Conversations with Changemakers: Miya Knights
Miya Knights is a technology expert, combining this with journalism, research and insight skills, who is currently Head of Industry Insight, Eagle Eye Solutions. Miya’s career has focused on the retail sector, she is a sought-after Industry event / Conference Speaker and is co-author of Omni-channel Retail and Amazon. Consistently ranked as one of the industry top ranked retail influencers, Miya has regularly appeared on BBC, ITN and Sky News.
Read More
End of Year Newsletter
As the end of 2019 approaches, we wanted to share our insights and aspirations for 2020. The macro-economic and domestic climates have demonstrated low growth, with a number of risk factors. Uncertainty regarding the election and fatigue around Brexit have certainly added to the squashing of retail, leading some pundits to wonder if consumers are actually consuming. This is combined with a number of high profile CVA’s including New Look, Debenhams, Mothercare and Arcadia.
Read More
HGA Group Dinner: Convenience vs Privacy in the Data Driven World
The global retail market is changing rapidly, with the digital revolution having changed the way our current generation carries out everyday tasks. In the digital marketplace, consumers have for a long-time exchanged data for services they find valuable - online shopping, chatting with friends, free Wifi, finding directions and so much more. But we are increasingly starting to let platforms into our lives like never before. This brings to light the key topic of debate in our data-fueled world, ‘Convenience vs Privacy’.
Read More
Customer’s new shopping criteria – desirability, requiring budget brands alongside luxury
With the global beauty market currently worth $465 billion globally (with the US trail blazing with nearly $61 billion of the industry’s current worth) and set to reach $750 billion by 2024, it is expected to be the fastest growing retail sector in the coming years, surpassing fashion and apparel, food and beverage, and automotive. This highly profitable, yet extremely overcrowded industry has become incredibly susceptible to consumer shifts, with the democratisation of beauty impacting the creation, marketing, and selling of products – both on and offline.
Read More
Soundbites from The Drapers Fashion Forum ... Avon calling
There were many insights shared at the recently held Drapers Fashion Forum. The diverse range of excellent Speakers included Richard Hurren – Vice President, North Europe, Levi Strauss, Peter Williams – Chairman Superdry, Linzi Boyd, Founding Partner of The BoB Group and Chirag Patel, COO from Pentland brands.
Read More
How to create 'Retailment' in an independent bricks and mortar store
We all know and understand that there are some wonderful examples of theatre within retailing, Selfridges and Harrods come to mind, but of course there are thousands of small independent “mom and pop” stores that do not have the resources or retail might of these global retailing icons…. I wanted to focus on a deli that I came across on a recent visit to Italy, and share some observations.
Read More
