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Retail Bulletin Conferences Calendar of Events 2007 Home

Speakers

Antony Gold, Head of Retail Sector, Eversheds LLP

Antony is a partner in Eversheds’ commercial practice and is head of contentious intellectual property. He is also head of Eversheds’ retail sector group.

Antony advises a number of leading retailers on branding, brand protection and online issues. He is particularly well-known for his expertise on domain me and internet issues and is one of only a handful of lawyers worldwide to have been appointed as an expert to determine disputes in each of the .uk, .com and .eu domains.

Antony was recently described by Chambers as “top of the pile” (Chamber 2007).

Katie Withers, Associate, Intellectual Property, Eversheds LLP

Katie is an Associate in Eversheds' commercial practice and specialises in intellectual property.

Katie's main focus is in relation to "soft" IP - trade marks, the internet, copyright, confidential information, passing off and designs. Katie deals primarily with contentious intellectual property but she also advises extensively in relation to brand protection, IP portfolio management and Internet-related issues. Katie has particular experience in relation to domain name disputes and trade mark infringement.

Eversheds

Paul Simmons, Head of Brand Marketing, Product & Distribution, easyJet

Paul Simmons is Head of Brand Marketing, Product & Distribution at easyJet which is now the biggest UK airline in terms of passengers flown. This year easyJet is expected to carry 38 million passengers over a network that currently spans 79 airports in 26 countries. 98% of sales go via easyJet.com. Paul’s role is to run the consumer facing strategy covering areas such as advertising development, eCommerce, market research, product definition including new product development, and distribution strategy.  Paul’s career spans nearly 20 years, initially in the FMCG arena with P&G, S.C Johnson Wax & Kelloggs; and latterly in the Hotels sector as global VP Marketing at Intercontinental and EVP at the luxury operator Oberoi Hotels.

Simon Lilley, Director of Marketing, Flybe.com

Simon has been on a fast track within the airline industry since he joined the industry in 1995. Since joining British Airways as a graduate Simon held a number of positions within the airline in the UK and overseas within both marketing and business development areas, before moving to Flybe.

In his current role as Director of Marketing, Simon launched the Flybe.com brand and has since been instrumental in the development of the airline to become the UK’s 3rd largest low cost airline brand, transforming the financial performance of the airline as a result. Simon is also responsible for Flybe’s ancillary revenues which has now become industry leading, and managed a world first with the introduction of baggage charging last year.

The recent acquisition of BA Connect means Simon will be responsible for the Marketing, Product Development and Ancillary Revenues for Europe’s largest regional low cost airline carrying up to 10m passengers a year across 160 routes.

Simon is married with two young sons and lives in East Devon. In between time spent with the family at weekends, after building his own house a few years ago he finds a lot of DIY jobs to keep him occupied outside of work.

Pepita Diamand, Founder & Retail Director, Wrapit PLC

Born and raised in Toronto, Canada, Pepita Diamand began her career in fashion journalism before moving into the internet media industry. 

In 2000, she saw an opportunity to combine style and technology in the wedding gift list business.  Seven years on, Wrapit has changed the gift list market in the UK.

The business is based on a 100 department ‘virtual department store’, supported by a chain of thirteen showrooms around the country.  It is the biggest wedding gift list specialist in Britain, with sales of £10m and provides wedding list services for both Fenwick and Liberty.

Her next goal is to turn Wrapit’s huge product range into the housewares' answer to 'net-a-porter' by opening its virtual doors to everyone in search of the perfect present.  She has developed, in parallel, an online style magazine to make the shopping experience richer.

Wrapit has won numerous awards including “Best E-commerce Business in London” and the prestigious Unysis Customer Service Excellence award. 

Last year Pepita was chosen as one of the Management Today “35 Women Under 35 to Watch”.  She will soon appear in a Channel 4 documentary showing successful entrepreneurs helping foster enterprise in Africa.

Adri Kraa, Head of Ikea Shop Online!

After his studies in Aeronautics and a short spell in the Dutch/European space industry, Adri decided he could use his skills to ‘bring companies to greater heights’.

He worked for six years as management consultant advising large financial and privatised government companies on re-engineering of their service delivery organisations to become customer centric. Adri also developed a service management development programme which was globally accredited with first group of graduates achieving highest national grades.

In 2002, he relocated to Cambridge with his family to drive the business development of IKEA Wholesale. He followed an executive MBA and designed the service portfolio and distribution structure of IKEA UK that would enable future eCommerce fulfilment.

Adri was then selected to set-up UK’s online business unit and define the total eCommerce operating model. Together with the programme team he managed to start the roll-out of Shop Online! –the long awaited online shopping channel of IKEA-, ahead of schedule in January 2007.

Currently, the focus is on developing online sales north of £100m and on reaping further business benefits from the new IKEA Multi-Channel strategy. 

Chris Pearce-Ramwell, Former Head of Transport, Screwfix Direct Limited

Over the last 20 years Chris has worked within own account & third party logistics and the parcels business both in operational and development roles.  

Chris has spent the last four years developing and implementing a distribution strategy for Screwfix Direct, the UK’s fastest growing direct supplier of tools and fixings.

Ian Paton, Head of Security, Focus DIY

Started working life as a Police cadet in 1974 and joined Strathclyde Police in 1976 leaving in 1999.

Joined Focus (DIY) as a Regional Security Officer in March 2000 before moving to Divisional Manager in 2004.

In Feb 2005 relocated from Glasgow to Cheshire to take up the position as Head of Security, Focus (DIY) who have over 200 stores throughout the country.

Married with 2 children aged 17 & 10 and hobbies include golf, watching football at all levels and refereeing football.

Presently entering final year of a MSc in Security Management through Loughborough University

Gina Deeble, Head of Interactive Content, QVC UK

Gina is responsible for controlling and managing the content on all QVC UK’s non-broadcast retailing platforms, including www.qvcuk.com, QVC Active (available on Sky, Virgin and Freeview), and QVC Mobile.  An essential part of this role is ensuring the content is easy to use and provides excellent customer service for all QVC’s customers.

Gina was QVC UK’s first employee in June 1993 and, during her time at QVC; she has worked in programme planning and as a buyer in the jewellery and beauty departments, before moving to the Interactive Content Department in 2000.

She has a BSc in Sociology and Psychology from Bath University.

Paul Frantz, Senior Industry Manager, Retail, Google

Since joining Google over two years ago Paul has been pivotal in building strategic relationships for Google with advertisers in the retail sector.

Paul has extensive experience in the Online industry.  Prior to joining Google, Paul was the Sales Manager at WPP agency Mindshare for 3 years where he working closely with top clients on their online marketing strategies. Before that he worked at a series of technology companies including Agency.com and Cisco Systems.

Paul holds a degree in Sociology from the University of Liverpool

Andrew Garbutt, Director, Transactions Team, PricewaterhouseCoopers

Andrew Garbutt – Director for Operational and Commercial Retail and Leisure Due Diligence, PwC has six years of commercial and operational due diligence experience on many retail and leisure projects including due diligence on over 50 UK and European retail and leisure Companies.  These include:

Prior to that, Andrew had 3 years experience as Commercial Director of a computer training and internet access business, responsible for operations in 40 separate sites.

Vinod Bange, Associate, Data & e-Commerce Group, Eversheds LLP

Vin specialises in Data Protection and e-Commerce arrangements with significant experience acting for a range retail clients. This includes data protection audit and implementation projects, outsourcing, insourcing, technology security  and breach incidents, CRM systems, multi-channel,  marketing & data maximisation and cross-border data flows solutions. E-commerce experience includes ‘B2B’ and ‘B2C’ transactional websites, developing data and e-risk policy, DDA legal risk, electronic authentication issues, m-commerce and RFID.

Vin has also been involved in industry and legislative consultation process on data protection and e-Commerce laws and has briefed representatives from US Government on cross border data flows issues and Japanese Cabinet office on data protection and information security laws.

Matthew Legge

Matthew Legge is e-Commerce Manager at Early Learning Centre, the UK's most popular multi-channel toy retailer.

Matt has spent the last five years growing the online channel through implementing a succession of major website redevelopments and enhancements. These have led to consistent double-digit growth at www.elc.co.uk and recent successes include winning 2nd place in a usability survey of the top High Street e-tailers. Currently, Matt's focus is on maximising ELC's online sales through further optimisation of all online marketing campaigns and by introducing a completely new brand to market - FiredupKids.com - which sells inspirational toys, kits, gadgets and games for 5-10 year olds.

Finlay Clark – Senior Retail Strategist

Finlay joined bigmouthmedia from Newsdirect where he headed up a communications team. Delighted to be doing slightly more sociable hours these days, he is a fully fledged bigmouth, heading up the bigmouthmedia Retail Search Strategy team, achieving astounding exposure, ROI and sales for big retail brands online by ensuring maximum search engine presence.  In his current role as Senior Retail Strategist, Finlay works with retailers such as Tesco, Signet and the Early Learning Centre, providing expertise in long term search strategy within retail.  With several industry award-winning campaigns under his belt, Finlay knows what it takes to lead the search marketing field in fiercely competitive e-commerce markets. 

Finlay holds a degree in Sociology and Politics from the University of Edinburgh.