Conversation with… Sophey Layton, HR director at Shiseido UK & Ireland
In this latest Conversations interview, we speak with Sophey Layton, HR director at Shiseido UK & Ireland, about the key milestones that have shaped her career, why retail HR continues to inspire and challenge her, juggling family and professional life, and her top tips for building a truly people-first culture.
Your career trajectory is incredible. You became an area manager at McDonald’s at just 17, then studied for your degree at the same time. What was that time like?
Honestly, I look back on my time at McDonald’s with so much pride. It might sound small to some, but growing up in Grimsby, becoming the youngest manager in the area at the time felt huge. I started working there as soon as I was 16 and juggled it with my studies for the next four to five years, doing everything I could to create opportunities beyond Grimsby.
A manager must have seen something in me as one day I got told “You’re going to London.” I’d never even been before! But off I went to McDonald’s university, did all the training, passed the tests, and came back as a qualified manager. I was soon training others, travelling to other stores in places like Skegness, Cleethorpes, and even Leeds – while still studying. It gave me structure, purpose, and a lifelong appreciation for process and people.
Never Miss a Retail Update!That early people experience clearly stuck with you. You later moved into HR at Panasonic, then held roles at Samsung, Currys, BT and more. What drew you to HR?
My first real taste of HR came during my industrial placement at Panasonic when studying at Nottingham Trent University, and it just clicked. After that, I joined Samsung where I learned a lot – especially about working in global, Asian-led cultures. The sense of heritage and discipline in those environments really shaped my approach and appreciation for people and culture.
At Samsung I worked within the European HQ, which meant supporting teams across Germany, France, and beyond. That international exposure was invaluable. I also found myself fascinated by the little things – like learning that mobile signals are boosted by discreet masts in petrol stations! It was those surprising discoveries that made me fall in love with the variety within corporate environments.
You moved to Currys at a time of major change. What was that like?
I joined just after the Carphone Warehouse and Dixons merger, and it was such a unique blend of cultures: one, a retail institution, and the other, a fast-paced mobile disruptor. I worked on unifying both businesses through new processes, policies, and teams.
One highlight was helping launch their graduate programme, which was a massive undertaking but incredibly rewarding. I was literally driving TVs around in my car to career fairs, securing budgets, building excitement. Once the programme had lift-off and someone was hired to lead it full-time, I was more than happy to hand it over! I love being a generalist at heart, but I enjoy a good challenge, too.
You then made the big leap to Dubai. What inspired that move?
My husband was offered a job there, and we just said yes. I posted on LinkedIn asking if anyone knew of roles in the region, and that’s how WPP found me. They needed someone for the Middle East, and it all just aligned.
It was a whole new world – media, marketing, SEO, pay-per-click- I had to learn everything from scratch. I also travelled to Lebanon and Egypt, which brought new cultural layers to my experience. It was fast-paced, eye-opening, and a little nerve-wracking at times! But I loved the challenge.
You mentioned a life-changing moment while in Dubai – your husband’s stroke. That must have been very difficult.
It happened on Christmas Day. He was 36. It was a huge shock. Helping him recover and see him so vulnerable was one of the hardest things we’ve ever done. But it put everything into perspective. We decided to come back to the UK, and I joined AllSaints. I had two job offers at the time, and choosing AllSaints was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I became a mum there, went through Covid, furlough, a CVA… everything. It was intense but deeply meaningful.
The team became like family. When you go through that much together, you form a bond – something stronger than just a professional connection.
And now you’re with Shiseido. What drew you to the company?
The opportunity to work for a global beauty brand with such a heritage was a dream. And funnily enough, my experience with Asian based brands helped. When I mentioned it during my interviews, there was immediate recognition. They understood that I understood their culture.
I’m now part of Shiseido’s UK&I business, which is incredibly dynamic. It’s a privilege to work with such a legacy brand while bringing fresh, people-focused energy into it.
Shiseido is such a stunning company. I’d heard of the brand before through my network but I didn’t fully appreciate the scale and depth of the business until I joined.
Most people know the name Shiseido, but they don’t realise we also own NARS, Drunk Elephant, and hold fragrance licenses for brands like Zadig & Voltaire. In total, we have over 10 brands under one roof. It’s an amazing portfolio and a fantastic place to be.
What does your role as HR director typically look like day-to-day?
I look after the UK and Ireland, and I lead a team of ten covering HR, recruitment, and our office and facilities. It’s incredibly varied.
We support both corporate and retail teams, and I’ve learned that really understanding the day-to-day of our people, especially on the retail floor, is essential. I once said I’d never be a retail HR person when I was at Dixons Carphone, but my old boss was right: retail teaches you so much.
My days are split between operational HR – compensation reviews, talent planning, policy updates – and strategic projects like shaping our ED&I direction, which we’re still defining. We’re also looking at L&D strategy because we don’t have a dedicated lead for that currently. I am still learning so much – even after AllSaints, where I worked across eight countries. It’s been refreshing to focus on one region, but the complexity remains!
And which of those responsibilities do you most enjoy?
Definitely L&D as it feels like such a huge opportunity area. We’ve got a fantastic L&D platform that’s still underused, so there’s a lot of potential. I’m also really passionate about bringing learning in-house – it’s empowering for the HR team and builds stronger internal capability.
You also juggle all of this with being a mum to two young children. How do you manage it?
My little boys are nearly two and four so, it’s very full on! My family is up in Grimsby, so it’s tough sometimes. My husband’s family are a bit closer, but we mostly manage between us.
I’m very lucky to work for an employer that genuinely supports flexibility. About 94% of our workforce are women, and many of us have children- including at leadership level – so there’s a lot of empathy and understanding. No one bats an eyelid if you need to move a meeting because of a nursery bug. That culture makes a massive difference.
My husband and I are both pretty organised – we have to be. He travels a lot, so there are times I’m single parenting, and we’ve learned to balance that by taking solo breaks and investing in quality time together as a family.
What would you say are your top tips for creating a strong people-first culture?
Transparency is key. It’s easy in HR to feel like you have to hold information back, but people respect honesty. Even in difficult situations, being respectful, clear, and empathetic makes a huge difference.
Also, I’m a big believer in process. That’s probably my McDonald’s background showing through! But having clear policies and structures gives people confidence and consistency. It’s the foundation of trust, really.
Have you had any mentors who’ve guided your journey?
Not in a formal sense, but I’ve definitely had a few incredible managers, all with very different styles, but each taught me something unique. They’re the kind of people I know I could still call for advice today. That’s invaluable.
What excites you most about the future at Shiseido?
So much! We have incredible stories within the business – like a store colleague we recently celebrated for 35 years of service. I want to keep highlighting those stories. I also want to continue evolving our recruitment practices. There’s a huge opportunity to bring more diverse retail experience into our stores. If we can get that right, it’s going to be such an exciting journey ahead.
What advice would you give to people embarking on a career in retail HR?
Be curious. Say yes – even if it feels daunting. The weirdest roles or moments often teach you the most. And surround yourself with people who lift you, challenge you, and give you space to grow. That’s what’s shaped my path more than anything.
Hear Sophey speak at The Retail Bulletin’s Retail HR Central Conference in Birmingham on 14 May. Find out more and register here
