All Podcast Episodes
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.
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: 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.
The Interview: C&A Europe – Director Global Sustainability, Aleix Gonzalez
The Interview: C&A Europe: In this episode, we’re talking Sustainability. More specifically, how retailers can build a sustainability action plan that delivers meaningful action and traction within the business. Host Karl McKeever is joined by Aleix Gonzalez, Director Global Sustainability at C&A Europe – one of the leading fashion retail businesses in Europe with 1,575 stores in 21 countries, as well as a presence in Brazil, Mexico, and China.
For C&A, sustainability means rethinking how it designs its products for their next life. In his role, Gonzalez is responsible for overseeing the implementation of C&A’s global sustainability strategy. He explains what sustainability means to him; his experience of building momentum behind sustainability initiatives within multiple global retail businesses; his thoughts on the burning issues affecting fashion retailers’ ability to drive change; and the secrets to success for other retailers who are embarking on the journey to cut waste, improve circularity, and achieve Net Zero goals.
Recorded at World Retail Congress 2022
The Interview: Coresight Research, founder & CEO Deborah Weinswig
The Interview: Coresight Research: In this episode, host Karl McKeever is joined by Coresight Research founder and CEO, Deborah Weinswig, to explore the disruptive trends and priorities that are shaping the new retail landscape, and to hopefully provide some answers to the question about the next digital “reality”: the metaverse.
The Interview: Zalando, VP Direct to Consumer Carsten Keller
The Interview: Zalando: In this episode, host Karl McKeever is joined by Dr Carsten Keller, VP Direct to Consumer of fashion e-tailing giant, Zalando. With more and more brands continuing to gear their processes to direct-to-consumer models, the platform has seen a boom in brands collaborations. Carsten explains how Zalando is supporting brand’s DTC ambitions, what the future will look like for ‘platforms’, what he believes will drive the next phase of hyper growth in retail, and why ‘progress, not perfection’ is more crucial than ever.
The Interview: Pandora, SVP Omnichannel Retail Kate Walsh
The Interview: Pandora: In this episode, host Karl McKeever is joined by Kate Walsh, SVP Omnichannel Retail for Pandora. She reveals the charm of working for this iconic jewellery brand, how it is repurposing and revitalising its offer for the future, the lessons she’s learned about how to do business better, and her views on whether The Apprentice is as good as it used to be.
Event Review: World Retail Congress 2022 Roundup
Event Review - World Retail Congress 2022 Week: In this latest episode of The Retail Exchange podcast, Karl McKeever and Mark Faithfull report from World Retail Congress in Rome. As the event makes a welcome return to the industry calendar, we hear from retail leaders, exhibitors and attendees at the global flagship retail conference.
Event Review: Retail Week Live 2021 Roundup
Event Review - Retail Week Live 2021: In this latest episode of The Retail Exchange podcast, Karl McKeever hosts a special edition from Retail Week Live 2021 in London. As physical events made a welcome return to the industry calendar and the retail industry begins to reconnect, we hear from retail leaders, exhibitors and attendees at the UK’s flagship retail conference.
The Special: Retail Sustainability
The Special - Retail Sustainability: In final episode of our series of special podcasts exploring the future of retail in the next ten years., we discuss why sustainability will become a key business driver and how retailers can be more planet positive. In association with World Retail Congress.
The Special: Consumer Behaviour
The Special - Consumer Trends: As the decade draws to a close, we bring you three special episodes exploring the challenges and opportunities that will lie in store for retail in the next ten years. In this second episode, we discuss evolving consumer habits and societal trends. In association with World Retail Congress.
The Interview: V-Mart
The Interview: V-Mart: In this episode, host Ben Bland sits down with V-Mart chief operating officer Samir Misra, to discover more about the country's economic boom, the retailer's high velocity growth, and its blueprint for delivering sustained retail success. Recorded at World Retail Congress 2019.
The Interview: Unrobe
The Interview: Unrobe: Dutch clothing label Unrobe is a new sustainable fashion brand on a mission to dress people by 'undressing' the fashion industry. Host Ben Bland caught up with the brand’s founder, Daan Ubachs for an exclusive interview, to discuss why there has never been a better, or more important time, for change. Recorded at World Retail Congress 2019
The Interview: Happy Socks
The Interview: Happy Socks: Recorded at World Retail Congress 2019, Happy Socks’ head of retail, Aleksander Milenkovic sits down with Ben Bland to talk about the brand’s story – one that’s full of colourful designs, celebrity collaborations and exceptional charm, that’s guaranteed to make you smile.
The Interview: Riverford Organic
The Interview: Riverford Organic Farmers: In an exclusive interview, recorded at the World Retail Congress 2019, our host Ben Bland is joined by Riverford Organic Farmers' founder, Guy Singh-Watson, to talk about the award-winning business which puts its success down to a spirit of ethical trading, and to discover why his decision to shun traditional retailers was, in his view, a good thing.
The Interview: British Retail Consortium
The Interview: British Retail Consortium: In an exclusive interview, recorded at the World Retail Congress 2019, host Ben Bland sits down with Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the British Retail Consortium to discuss the challenges facing UK retail in the light on unprecedented change in the industry that's resulted in difficult trading conditions and evolving shopper habits.
The Interview: Levi’s
The Interview: Levi’s: In an exclusive interview, recorded at World Retail Congress 2019, Ben Bland sits down with Marc Rosen, Levi's EVP/President of Global Direct to Consumer, to discuss how the brand is keeping its customer experience fresh - in its own distinct way.
The Interview: LEGO
The Interview: LEGO: LEGO is one of the most recognised toy brands in the world. In this edition of ‘The Interview’, business broadcaster Ben Bland sits down with Simone Sweeney, Vice President of Global Retail Development for LEGO Group.
The Interview: Leon Restaurants
The Interview: Leon Restaurants: In this edition of The Interview, John Vincent, co-founder of Leon Restaurants joins host Ben Bland to discuss the story of the brand, its ethos and future plans.
The Interview: Neal’s Yard Remedies
The Interview: Neal’s Yard Remedies: In this edition of The Interview Series, we sit down with Neal’s Yard Remedies director of international sales Calum Mackay. Originally recorded at World Retail Congress 2018 in Madrid, he takes business broadcaster Ben Bland through his varied career in beauty, explains the importance of going the extra mile to engage with international retailers and customers, and shares his top tips for surviving the long haul to success.