All Podcast Episodes
The Interview: Brompton Bicycles Head of Marketing NA, Dawn Fichot
In this episode of The Interview Series, host Karl McKeever is joined in conversation by Dawn Fichot, Head of Marketing North America for iconic British foldable bike manufacturer, Brompton Bicycles.
We explore how this most British of companies is adapting its message to move in line with needs of the North American audience; the ways Brompton is leveraging digital solutions to track new consumers; urban change in the US; and why innovation and loyalty will always be Brompton’s obsession.
Recorded at NRF 2024: Retail’s Big Show
The Interview: Kmart Australia Managing Director, Ian Bailey
In this episode of The Interview Series, host Karl McKeever sits down with Ian Bailey, Managing Director of Kmart Group Australia.
With over 450 stores, Kmart Australia is the country’s number one performing general merchandise and apparel retailer, and one of the most trusted and loved brands in Australia and New Zealand.
We explore how Kmart Australia doubled down on clarity of purpose and innovation to develop a strategic blueprint and operational architecture to transform its business model, moving it from a traditional discount chain to an innovative, modern, hybrid retailer.
Presented by World Retail Congress.
The Interview: Camper Global Retail Director, Isabelle Aberman
In this episode of The Interview Series, host Karl McKeever travels to Barcelona to sit down with Isabelle Aberman, Global Retail Director of iconic footwear brand, Camper.
Founded on the small Spanish island of Mallorca in 1975, Camper is a family business with a rich shoemaking heritage that it uses to create unique designs that continue to enjoy global appeal.
Passionate about retail in all its forms, Isabelle joins us to discuss Camper’s unique approach to retail design, share the inside story of CamperLab and ReCamper, and to look ahead to what the future of retail holds for us all.
The Interview: Sprinter Creative Director, Eduardo Recio
In this episode of The Interview Series, host Karl McKeever travels to Barcelona to sit down with Eduardo Recio, Creative Director eCommerce & Retail, for leading Spanish multi-sport retail brand, Sprinter. We examine the story behind the retailer’s game-changing new retail concept, the key challenges that retailers in the sports sector face to deliver a winning customer experience, and look back on Eduardo’s own career retail—which first began here in the UK.
The Interview: Vuori VP of International, Andy Lawrence
In this episode of The Interview Series, host Karl McKeever is joined by Andy Lawrence, VP of International of US-based athletic clothing brand, Vuori. Inspired by California’s active, coastal lifestyle, Vuori was founded in 2015. In September last year it launched into China, Hong Kong, Singapore, the Middle East, and Mexico, and opened its first UK store in London's Covent Garden. In this episode, we explore the story behind the SoCal brand, the key challenges that the athleisure sector (and many other DTC brands) face to ‘win’ with consumers, and the company’s secrets to serving up a successful international growth strategy.
Event Review: World Retail Congress
Event Review - World Retail Congress 2023: In this episode, we bring you more highlights from World Retail Congress 2023 in Barcelona.
Host Karl McKeever is joined by Deloitte chief global economist, Ira Kalish, and Matahari Department Store CFO, Niraj Jain. Together, we discuss the economic headwinds that the industry is facing in 2023, and how retailers can create the financial foundation to deliver resilience and growth in the months ahead. Plus we are joined in conversation by Havaianas President EMEA, Guillaume Prou, to explore his company’s extraordinary brand journey and why investing in product innovation remains vital in the face of growing additional ‘distractions’ to the day job of retailing.
Event Review: Shoptalk Europe 2023
Event Review - Shoptalk Europe 2023 - Ep03: in the final of our daily podcast episodes from Shoptalk Europe 2023 in Barcelona, host Karl McKeever brings you highlights from Day Three at the event. We hear from some of the sharpest minds in retail, at some of Europe’s leading retailers and brands, as they discuss, debate and present the solutions that are redefining thinking… in an ever-shifting landscape.
Event Review: Shoptalk Europe 2023
Event Review - Shoptalk Europe 2023 - Ep02: in the second of our daily podcast episodes from Shoptalk Europe 2023 in Barcelona, we pick our way through some of the highlights from Day Two at the event. Host Karl McKeever brings you highlights of what was on show (and discussed) during what was another busy day at Shoptalk Europe 2023. We hear from some of the sharpest minds in retail, at some of Europe’s leading retailers and brands, as they discuss, debate and present the solutions that are redefining thinking… in an ever-shifting landscape.
Event Review: Shoptalk Europe 2023
Event Review - Shoptalk Europe 2023 - Ep01: In this latest episode of The Retail Exchange podcast, host Karl McKeever brings you highlights from the first day of Shoptalk Europe 2023 in Barcelona. The event promises to unite Europe’s entire retail ecosystem. And the first day did not disappoint as retail leaders and some of the industry’s leading innovators came together to discuss and debate the trends that are shaping the industry… and present solutions that are providing a glimpse into what the future of retail might look like.
Event Review: World Retail Congress
Event Review - World Retail Congress 2023: In this latest episode of The Retail Exchange podcast, host Karl McKeever brings you highlights from World Retail Congress 2023 in Barcelona, as we pick our way through some of the topics, insights and conversations that are inspiring and challenging the retail ecosystem, and that interested us the most.
Event Review: Retail Week Live 2023
Event Review - Retail Week Live 2023: In this latest episode of The Retail Exchange podcast, host Karl McKeever brings you highlights from Retail Week Live 2023 in London, as we pick our way through some of the topics, insights and conversations that are inspiring and challenging the retail ecosystem, and that interested us the most.
In Focus Ep23: Retail Automation
In Focus | Retail Automation. Are robots taking over the retail industry? Host Karl McKeever sits down with John Toler, CEO of US retailer Plow & Hearth, and Samay Kohli, CEO of warehouse robotics company, GreyOrange to find out.
E-commerce had a transformative effect on retail operations but now the booming demand for warehouses to speed-up last-mile deliveries is set to bring another round of dramatic change in retail.
Robots are well established in industrial settings but advances in AI and robotic SaaS platforms are increasingly working alongside humans in the retail industry, and having a dramatic effect on warehouse operations and how retailers and brands make their businesses more efficient and productive.
In the latest episode of our ‘In Focus’ series, we examine why forward-looking leaders are investing in intelligent automation; and the challenges and opportunities presented by robotics.
Presented by GreyOrange.
In Focus Ep22: Customer Data Platforms
In Focus | Customer Data Platforms. Host Karl McKeever sits down with Citizen Watch VP Customer Insights & Data Management, Rob Harvath, and Amperity Chief Customer Officer, Dan Milgrom to discuss how customer data platforms can connect the dots for improved customer engagement; why establishing a singular source-of-truth for customer data matters; the importance of adopting a “question everything” approach; and how to create a data-driven culture, to keep things ticking.
Presented by Amperity.
The Interview: Fabletics SVP Head of Retail, Ron Harries
The Interview: Fabletics: In this episode of The Interview Series, host Karl McKeever is joined by Ron Harries, SVP Head of Retail at US activewear brand Fabletics.
2023 marks the 10th anniversary for the digitally-native brand, co-founded by actress and entrepreneur Kate Hudson. In that time, Fabletics has been busy pulling in a loyal online consumer following.
For the last six years, Ron Harries has been the person responsible for leading the development of its retail proposition – unpicking the ever-more complex interplay of data and retailing. His tenure has seen the go-faster brand significantly increase its visibility across the US, with a raft of strategic store openings.
He reveals the importance of data-driven retail growth; why digitally-native and established retailers aren’t cut from the same cloth; how the lines between online and in-store are becoming increasingly blurred; why he’ll never step away from the challenge of delivering ‘better retail’; and the brand’s plans for the future.
Presented by Appriss Retail.
Event Review: NRF Big Show 2023
Event Review - NRF 2023 Retail’s Big Show - Day Three: In this latest episode of The Retail Exchange podcast, host Karl McKeever reports from NRF 2023, Retail’s Big Show, in New York City. We bring your highlights from the Javits Convention Center, where retail leaders and some of the industry’s most pioneering vendors, discuss, debate, and present the key topics that provide a glimpse into what the future of retail might look like. In this episode, we picked our way through some of the highlights from the final day at the Show.
Event Review: NRF Big Show 2023
Event Review - NRF 2023 Retail’s Big Show - Day Two: In this latest episode of The Retail Exchange podcast, host Karl McKeever reports from NRF 2023, Retail’s Big Show, in New York City. We bring your highlights from the Javits Convention Center, where retail leaders and some of the industry’s most pioneering vendors, discuss, debate, and present the key topics that provide a glimpse into what the future of retail might look like. In this episode, we picked our way through some of the highlights from Day Two at the Show.
Event Review: NRF Big Show 2023
Event Review - NRF 2023 Retail’s Big Show - Day One: In this latest episode of The Retail Exchange podcast, host Karl McKeever reports from NRF 2023, Retail’s Big Show, in New York City. At the start of a franticly busy three days in the Big Apple, we bring your highlights from the Javits Convention Center, we picked our way through some of the highlights from Day One at the Show, where retail leaders and some of the industry’s most pioneering vendors, discuss, debate, and present the key topics that provide a glimpse into what the future of retail might look like.
The Interview: Warner’s Gin CEO and co-founder, Tom Warner
The Interview: Warner’s Gin: In this episode of The Interview Series, host Mark Faithfull is joined by Tom Warner, co-founder & CEO of Warner’s Gin.
Celebrating its tenth anniversary in 2022, Warner’s Gin has had much to do the gin-naissance boom over the last decade.
In this episode, Warner walks us through the story of how he and his then business partner decided to launch the brand; the influence of Warner’s Gin in revolutionising the category boom through its rhubarb flavoured gin (at the time, a ‘first’); the importance of balancing the need to do good with doing business; and his own personal tales of the trials and tribulations of entrepreneurial life.
Recorded at Retail Week Live 2022
The Special: US Retail
The Special: US Retail. In this episode of The Special, we report from our New York studio to focus on the latest developments in US retail. Host Karl McKeever is joined by Laura Lewi, associate and concept designer at global architecture and design practice CRTKL to discuss the importance of reimagining physical retail for our new reality.
We speak to Neil Saunders, retail analyst and managing director of GlobalData Retail in Arizona about the current state of US retail, consumer confidence, and the prospects for growth ahead of the Golden Quarter. Plus: we’re joined by Aimee Grandfield, head of insights at retail display specialist arken P-O-P International to talk beauty retail, following her own recent visit to New York City.
The Interview: Spotify Head of Industry – Retail Vertical, John Gregory
The Interview: Spotify: In this episode of The Interview Series, host Karl McKeever is joined by John Gregory, Head of Industry – Retail Vertical at Spotify. From bombs, to beer, to Bloomingdale’s. Gregory has enjoyed a varied and storied career that has seen him involved in everything from the F-15 fighter program to the role of VP Marketing at the US luxury department store chain.
We explore the secrets to delivering a successful digital customer experience; how technology and data can be used to truly understand the individual and appeal to consumer senses and emotions; and what retailers can do to inspire shoppers through the joy of discovery.
Recorded at Retail Week Live 2022