MEET THE 2025 SPEAKERS

Maria Hollins is Chief Executive of Ann Summers, and over the past four years, has been responsible for leading the turnaround and growth of the iconic multi-channel retailer as it continues its mission to empower all. Originally joining Ann Summers as a commercial consultant in July 2018, Maria was appointed Joint Managing Director in February 2019 and sole Managing Director in February 2022. In July 2023, it was announced she would step into the role of Chief Executive. Starting her career at Arcadia, Maria has more than 30 years’ experience working within the retail industry and has previously held Board positions at both ASOS and House of Fraser.

Helen Dickinson leads the team and sets the strategic direction of the BRC. She joined in January 2013 and has been working with retailers for over 25 years. In 2016 she was awarded an OBE for Services to Retail. Helen is passionate about diversity and inclusion in retail, acting as the BRC’s Social Mobility Commission ambassador; participating in the Timewise Innovation Unit, looking to support more flexibility in jobs, particularly at senior levels; supporting the Everywoman Retail Ambassadors Programme; and having previously been the Chair of Working Chance, a charity helping women offenders find employment. Helen believes retail can make a strong contribution to communities, and is also on the advisory board for Pennies, a charity which offers digital charity boxes to businesses. Helen was previously UK Head of Retail at KPMG, driving and developing the retail practice and leading relationships and audits for many clients.

Pim Vellenga is an accomplished leader in Operations Management and Strategic Programme Development, currently working on the physical expansion at Emma Sleep. He is skilled at translating visions and strategies into reality through pragmatism and analytical thinking. Pim has coached various startups in their physical and offline operations, getting their products to the customer. He was responsible for the physical operations expansion of VanMOOF.

Sharaz Khan is a seasoned professional with over 20 years of experience across sales, operations, finance, and customer service in diverse roles and industries. Currently serving as Retail Operations Manager at New and Lingwood, he oversees logistics, store processes, and customer service strategies, driving operational efficiency and enhancing customer experiences across international locations. His prior roles include Store Manager at Reiss, Menswear Department Manager at Selfridges, and extensive tenure at Harvey Nichols, where he excelled in operational, financial, and departmental leadership roles.

Shereen Ritchie has 25 years of experience in everything hospitality, PR and construction and is a leader with a difference – she believes that business success involves balancing operational and commercial considerations with human ones. Her approach has helped her to turn around enterprise performance, routinely beat budgets, and create and launch a new digital business in just three weeks. As the former UK Managing Director of LEON, she led the brand through its most successful, as well as its most challenging time. Prior to this and after a stint in PR and Construction. she ‘returned home’ to hospitality and joined Las Iguanas where she grew the business and supported the sale of Las Iguanas to Casual Dining Group. Shereen has just been promoted to CEO of the independent London bakery brand, buns from home. The brand that was born during the pandemic has taken the city and social feeds by storm. With ques around the block morning, noon and night, the rapidly growing brand is not only expanding its bakeries but launching into retail and cookbooks.

Nathaniel Wade is one of the co-founders behind Wakuda, known for his role in unlocking growth for African and Caribbean brands through eCommerce. Nathaniel’s strategic insights have driven Wakuda’s award-winning success, making him a trusted figure in fostering growth for diverse and culturally rich businesses.

 

Tracey Powers is the Sales Director for Avon UK. She joined the business in 2019 and in recent years has helped to oversee one of the UK business’ biggest transformations to date, navigating it from a single-channel, direct selling business to an omni-channel organisation which offers product via retail, social selling, marketplace, DTC and franchise – alongside its traditional and much-loved brochure. Throughout the transition, Tracey has ensured that high-touch beauty remains at the brand’s core and the strategic shift still fully supports and empowers female entrepreneurs to achieve success. Tracey started her career in management consultancy before taking Board positions in the recruitment sector. After having her children, she built a successful direct selling business of her own with US jewellery and accessories brand Stella&Dot. This has given her first-hand insight into and experience of the opportunities and challenges the sector can bring.

Scott Taylor is Executive Director of Marketing for American Golf – the largest golf retailer in Europe. Passionate about digital marketing, he has been on the board of American Golf since 2021 – driving their success as an omnichannel business. He has more than 18 years of experience in marketing and customer relationship management with some of the UK’s largest retailers. With top-level experience in digital marketing, customer loyalty, data insight and creative brand management, Scott has worked with many major brands including Selfridges, Ted Baker, Arcadia and Uniqlo. An LGBTQ+ advocate, Scott is also the host of The Rainbow Roundtable which features guests to celebrate and discuss all things LGBTQ+ within retail.

Michelle McWhinnie is the Operations Director at Usborne Publishing, heading up Usborne Community Partnerships, the direct selling arm of the business.  Her role is to support, motivate and inspire the Independent Usborne Partners to share the business opportunity and Usborne’s award-winning books to spark children’s curiosity, expand their minds and grow their confidence.  With decades of business experience working in leadership roles in the finance and tech industries and a passion for helping other fulfil their ambitions she offers a unique perspective to help shape the growth strategy for the business.

Emma Thackray is the co-founder of Hip Pop, a brewer of functional gut lovin’ drinks. Since inception, Hip Pop has experienced exponential growth, with its range of vegan, low-sugar and non-artificial kombuchas and living sodas stocked by retailers including Booths, Harrods, Fortnum & Mason and most recently, 280 Sainsbury’s stores – the brand’s largest commercial listing to date. The alternative beverage brand was awarded a total of 5 stars across 4 of its fermented living culture drinks at this year’s Great Taste Awards – the world’s largest and most trusted food and drink accreditation scheme – in addition to being shortlisted for ‘SME Emerging Business’ at the Food & Drink Federation (FDF) Awards 2023. Emma was also recently selected to join Insider Media’s ‘North West 42 under 42’ list for 2023 – an annual campaign which profiles 42 people from the region who are excelling in heading up businesses, aged 42 and under.

Susannah Schofield OBE is the Director General of the Direct Selling Association, the industry body for direct-to-consumer (D2C) retail in the UK. Prior to this, she spent 18 years at Royal Mail, culminating in her holding the Board-level role of Commercial & Innovation Director, where she led a team of 300. A passionate advocate for women and young people in business, Susannah was awarded an OBE for her work in this area in the 2015 Queen’s Honours List. She continues to champion women in business, and is a regular speaker on the importance of flexible working and portfolio careers. As well as being a published author (of business strategy book Mind the Gap), Susannah has lectured for The University of Kent and City, University of London, and also served as an advisor to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS).

Jo Causon joined The Institute of Customer Services as its CEO in 2009, where she has driven membership growth by 150 percent and established the UK Customer Satisfaction Index as the country’s premier indicator of consumer satisfaction, providing organisations with an indicator of the return on their service strategy investment. Jo focuses on demonstrating a clear link between employee engagement, customer service strategies and organisational performance. Working across the public, private and voluntary sectors she provides strategic advice to Boardrooms to raise the standards of service provided by UK organisations and to provide evidence of the connection between customer satisfaction and operational efficiency and profitability.

Sanish Mondkar is the founder and CEO of Legion. He has over 20 years of leadership experience in products, technology, and cloud operations. Before founding Legion, Sanish was the EVP and Chief Product Officer at SAP with responsibility for all procurement and business network areas, representing over $1B of annual revenue.  Prior to SAP, Sanish was Chief Product Officer and EVP at Ariba, where he was responsible for the creation of several market-leading enterprise products, including the Ariba Network from the ground up, which is the largest business network in the procurement space. Sanish holds a Bachelor of Computer Engineering from Pune University and a Masters of Computer Science from Cornell University.

 

Greg Tufnell is currently Managing Partner of Prime Advantage Capital Partners, a business advisory and corporate finance company specialising in the consumer, automotive, energy and data sectors. In addition, he is on the Advisory Board at Cabin Zero, a fast-growing travel lifestyle brand for travel hungry millennials and Boulevard Online, a rapid growth VC backed marketplace super seller. Greg is also Chairman of Chinti and Parker, a premium knitwear brand; Common Objective, a sustainability platform for the fashion industry and Radiant Law, in the legal technology sector. Prior to this, he was Chief Executive of Marchpole Holdings for four years, specialising in the management of designer brands such as Yves St Laurent, Ozwald Boateng and Emanuel Ungaro. He was Managing Director of Boxfresh, Mothercare and Burton Menswear, having started his retail career as Buying and Merchandising Director at Next in 1994.

Ed Duggan joined Fishpools in the summer of 2013 as their CFO & Commercial Director, where he has built a considerable multi-site retail finance, commercial and operational skill set in businesses of varying size and complexity. He currently has responsibility for all aspects of finance, brand & communication strategy, online development, plus marketing. He started his career as a member of the Tesco Graduate Scheme, working his way up to more recently as Finance & Commercial Director for Furniture Village and is now at Fishpools.

Rowland Gee is CEO of The Shoklite Company, a revolutionary new urban cycling/scootering apparel and Director of AromaChimie, a company who supply nutrition for the farming, poultry and livestock industry. He was until recently the Chairman of The Board at Cell Workout Athleisure for the past four years. He is an experienced retail manager with over 35 years of public company experience in the retail, marketing and design sector – he was CEO of Moss Bros Group from 1989-2002 and helped develop Hugo Boss retail operations in the UK to 17 stores. With two co-authors, Rowland wrote The Retail Start Up Book published by KoganPage, which was released in 2019 and is specifically targeted at the retail start up community. He has also founded Grey4Gold.com (G4G) and has recently completed a contract to mentor retail businesses in Wales, and with Cherwell District Council, Shropshire Councils on re-invigorating town centres and on the restoration of the UK high streets

Darren Sanderson-Williams has been General Manager with Specsavers since March 2024. He was previously the Global Head of Leasing for Impress where he led site selection, negotiation and legals to lease in all seven markets. Darren is the Founder of Williams Harding Consulting working with start-ups, expanding and distressed businesses, primarily in retail and hospitality, but also outside of these sectors. In addition, he is Non-Executive Chairman of men’s skincare company Scrubd and a Trustee at Action 4 Youth. Darren has formerly held senior roles in several retail and hospitality businesses, including Hotel Chocolat and Unilever. He currently holds two ambassadorial roles, including Schools Role Model for Stonewall, and fundraising and awareness for Target Ovarian Cancer. Williams Harding also partners with a Bulgarian dog rescue centre.

As Managing Director of Retail at CONCENTRIX,  Mark Guest is a commercially driven and highly successful senior leader that has a proven track record of delivering sustainable results within numerous organisations and industries. With retail is his specialism and passion, Mark’s focus is always centred around the customer being human, whilst ensuring technology is used to make all interactions efficient, easy and ultimately achieving the desired outcomes.

 

Ines Clark is a Franco-British strategic leader with over a decade of experience at the intersection of retail and technology. Having held key roles in both wholesale and retail, she most recently served as Head of Group Strategy at Farfetch. Throughout her career, Ines has been instrumental in driving omnichannel and digital transformation initiatives, leading complex, cross-functional programmes for iconic brands like Chanel and Farfetch, as well as for the wholesale SaaS platform NuORDER. Ines is known for her customer-centric approach and commitment to innovation, consistently helping brands navigate the evolving retail landscape. She currently serves as a Non-Executive Board Member, advising tech start-ups on growth strategies. Drawing on her deep expertise in retail technology, she founded MartyAI, a cutting-edge platform focused on enabling brick-and-mortar retargeting and personalisation.