Retail Week IT Directors’ Club - Past Events

The Club has had some fantastic speakers, discussing the topics and challenges that are high on the retail IT agenda.

• Mike McNamara, Operations Development and IT Director , Tesco Stores

  12th May 2010

• London

  January 2010

  Please check back shortly for more details on the next event.

• Gary Barr

  Gary Barr, IT Director, Morrisons

  London

  14th October 2009

  Joining us to facilitate off-the-record and confidential discussion is Gary Barr, IT Director – Morrisons.

  The evening will take the format of a roundtable debate and we will be discussing a number of topics. Please do mark the date in the diary, and we will circulate further details of the content of the evening nearer to the time and are also keen to receive input from guests.
  

• Cathy Holley

  Cathy Holley, Partner, Boyden

  London

  9th July 2009

  We are delighted to be joined for a by Cathy Holley, partner at global executive search firm Boyden. Cathy will be sharing insights into the current cross-sector leadership challenges in IT, and what the upsides and downsides are of being an IT Director in retail. Responsible for working closely with CEOs to place CIOs across a variety of sectors including FMCG, consumer products, global technology, and of course retail, Cathy is perfectly placed to facilitate discussion from an international and cross-industry perspective.

  The customer-centric capabilities associated with retail are highly sought after skills; in this challenging business climate and with the future of retail uncertain, how is human capital being affected? What does this mean for you, and for talent within your teams?

  The evening will run under Chatham House Rules with all discussions strictly off-the-record, and we are looking forward to an interactive and participatory evening.
  

• Keith Riley and Colin Cobain

  London

  19th May 2009

  Joining us to facilitate informal and confidential discussion will be Keith Riley, IT Director of Primark, and Colin Cobain, formerly CIO of Tesco. The umbrella theme for the evening will be looking at what lessons can be learnt from the last recession of the 1990s, and translated to the current downturn, and we would welcome your input on points for debate.

  Also we will be looking at the role of this group in the future, and setting the agenda for 2009 – 2010.  Retail Week would greatly value your particular insight and direction for this, and we do hope you are able to join us. All conversations are strictly off the record, and as such we are hoping for a frank and thought-provoking evening. 

• Peter Schofield

  Peter Schofield, Director of IT Services, Carphone Warehouse

  London

  12th March 2009

  As times get really tough and streamlining, surviving and cost-cutting are at the top of the agenda, there is a risk of freezing out your talent. Peter Schofield, Carphone Warehouse’ IT Service and Operations Director, will be facilitating debate around human capital management and its integral role in wider business IT strategy.

  Topics for discussion include:

  ▪ Human capital: nurturing your people
  ▪ Managing and growing the business whilst the economy is in turmoil
  ▪ Surviving the downturn through strategic investment
  ▪ Readying your business to respond when the upturn comes

• Neville Roberts

  Neville Roberts, Chief Information Officer, Best Buy International

  London

  20th January 2009

  Best Buy is renowned for its holistic approach and people-friendly technology goals. Right now, Roberts is leading Best Buy’s international information systems team to create “Best Buy-in-a-box”, a suite of off-the shelf IT packages and custom-built applications for consumers, as part of their wider integration and customer-centric strategy.

  Roberts has also been tasked with developing the e-commerce solutions for growth globally and leading the creation and implementation of enterprise-wide technology initiatives. Neville will be sharing with us, his insights into Best Buy’s success thus far, and where it is going in the future.
  

• Peter Schofield

  Peter Schofield, Director of IT Services, Carphone Warehouse

  Adam Street Private Members Club, WC2 , London

  16th September 2008

  With the rapid growth in the business both in the UK and internationally, it is imperative that CPW’s IT infrastructure can keep pace.

  Peter focused on two key areas: people, and enterprise resource planning (ERP) for IT, both of which are at the heart of Carphone Warehouse’ plan for a lucrative future.

  Responsible for a workforce of 250+ in the UK, Europe, Asia and South Africa, Schofield understands the importance of talent and the development of people as a key driver in advancing the company’s IT services, making operations slicker, faster, greener and more cost-effective across the business.

  Peter also looked at ERP for IT and its potential for retail businesses. A well implemented ERP solution can of course improve the efficiency of the enterprise, reduce money tied up in stock/work progress and improve cost-efficiency across the board.
  

• Peter Fitzgerald, Senior Industry Leader in Retail, Google

  North Gallery, ExCel London , London

  25th June 2008

  Loyal customers are more profitable customers and technology plays an increasingly important part in creating and maintaining that loyalty.

  In an increasingly tough economy and with an ever more discerning-spender, what must businesses do to gain competitive advantage?

  Spotlight focus on:

  • How retailers can acquire new customers more efficiently
  • What retailers should do to drive repeat customers
  • The future of customer loyalty
  • How best-in-class retailers are driving profitable sales and forming strategies to tackle the downturn in the economy and resultant changes in consumer spending

• Cathy Holley

  Cathy Holley, Partner, Boyden

  Café Royal , London

  4th March 2008

  Retail CEOs are more demanding than most and as one of the UK’s leading IT Director and CIO head-hunters, placing several FTSE 100 retail IT Directors, Cathy’s insights into ‘hiring and firing’ at Board Level are invaluable.

  Spotlight focus on:

  • What does ‘good’ look like?
  • The challenges and expectations you face internally - by the CEO and the Board
  • Developing your talent

• David Llama, IT Director, Harrods

  No. 5 Cavendish Square, Mayfair , London

  24th January 2008

  Change is the only thing you can count on in today’s business world, so it is critical your business is flexible, with the agility to respond with speed to customer demands, market opportunities and external threats.

  David Llamas shares Harrods’ story of a complex retail organisation’s development and implementation of a strategic SOA approach to technology.

  Spotlight focus on:
  
  • Managing master data, multi-channel initiatives and multiple solutions through SOA
  • Creating a single view of the customer in a highly competitive & customer centric market
  • Managing orders across multiple channels for increased customer satisfaction
  • Utilising business insight to understand customers and drive a unified cross-channel customer experience

• John Davison, Managing Vice President, Gartner

  London

  29th November 2007

  Sharing his insights into the evolution of multi-channel retailing, John Davison looked at retailer strategies and systems. Prior to Gartner, Davison has worked closely with Asda,
  WH Smith, IBM and BHS, where he was heavily involved in both IT and merchandising projects, as well as supply chain implementation

  Spotlight focus on:

  • Analysis of business and consumer technology markets
  • The ever-changing demands and profiles of shoppers
  • Identifying potential growth opportunities
  • Deconstructing the consumer mentality
  • The challenges faced by retailer IT Departments in the next 3 to 5 years