Meet the 2025 Speakers

With over 30 years of extensive experience in retail and hospitality across the UK and Europe, Mark Fox brings a wealth of knowledge and insight to the judging panel. His career spans roles at every level – from unit and area management to regional, national, and international leadership – to encompassing operations, franchising, business development, real estate, and general management. Renowned for his strong organisational skills and exceptional people management, Mark is a decisive leader with sharp commercial acumen. He is passionately committed to cultivating high-performing teams that deliver memorable customer experiences, driving excellence and innovation within the retail sector.

Sam Westwood is People Experience Director for KFC UK & Ireland, taking responsibility for the experience of their 37,000 employees and directly leading on areas such as organisational development, EDI, internal comms, engagement, reward, wellbeing and employer brand. Sam has 20 years’ experience in the people space and holds both a BA and an MA in Human Resource Management. Throughout his career, Sam has worked for a number of large brands within the retail and hospitality industries including McDonald’s, Topshop Topman and Whitbread. His passion centres on optimising employee experience to drive engagement and business performance.

As Partner & National Head of Employment at Irwin Mitchell, Elaine Huttley has considerable experience of contentious and non-contentious employment work including tribunal litigation and advocacy, advising clients on day to day employment issues including disciplinary and grievance issues, drafting contracts and policy documents. She also deals with corporate transactional work and has a particular interest in high level employment disputes involving shareholders and/or senior executives.

Liz Jewitt-Cross is the Founder of Future HR and Advisory Partner to the internationally acclaimed and award winning The Coaching Solution. Through her multi-industry career, she has supported over 40 of the UK’s best loved brands, including Sainsbury’s, American Express, National Lottery, Mosaic/Aurora Fashions, Joules, Jaeger, New Look, Pets at Home, Co-Op Lincolnshire, McArthurGlen, as well as Banking, Health, Tech and Private Equity ventures. An expert in navigating high-impact change, Liz is best known for her work and successes as an Interim Chief People Officer and Executive Coach, leading businesses, leaders, and people and change teams through rapid growth, digital transformations, new operating models, M&A’s and critical business turnarounds and restructuring. Through Future HR, and as an Advisory Partner for The Coaching Solution, Liz also champions and supports the next generation of People leaders and is part of a pioneering new mentoring program for first-time Chief People Officers, People Directors, and future talent, which is receiving high interest and exceptional initial feedback for its transformative impact.

As Chief Executive of the Retail Trust, Chris Brook-Carter has been a passionate supporter, advocate and champion of UK retail across his entire career. Prior to joining the Retail Trust in May 2020, he was the Managing Director and Senior Vice President of Retail Week and the World Retail Congress. Chris led these brands, as editor in chief or more recently as MD and SVP for ten years, transforming the business from a weekly print title, into a digital-first information and global events brand that continues to sit at the heart of global retail by delivering on its mission to inform, connect and inspire the leaders that continue to colour this great sector. He is a passionate campaigner for the positive impact of retail on the UK economy as well as a leader in the fight for diversity in business, having been recognised by both the Women’s Business Council and Management Today as an agent of change by fighting for gender equality in business leadership.

Sophie Melrose has nearly seven years of experience in Talent Acquisition and is currently Global Head of Talent Acquisition at Astrid & Miyu. She leads the recruitment strategy while championing the brand’s mission, values, and culture. Passionate about inclusive, values-driven hiring, Sophie focuses on employer branding, evolving recruitment practices and elevating the candidate journey to support Astrid & Miyu’s bold growth.

Tamia Mullaney is a Global Talent Acquisition Manager at Astrid & Miyu, a jewellery company she started with in 2023. Previously, she was in agency recruitment focusing on helping scale their Performance Marketing department. At Astrid & Miyu, Tamia recruits across office team members, UK, US and Amsterdam retail store teams, as well as Services Team members such as Piercers and Tattoo Artists.

A highly experienced HR professional, Lucy Melling has held a variety of senior roles within people and HR functions including retail, human health and hospitality. In Lucy’s most recent role, as the former Director of People Services for Pets at Home, she was responsible for providing leaders and colleagues across the business with people support. Her experience spans a broad range of disciplines across people and HR functions, including transformation and change, establishing and relocating to new sites, developing a shared service provision, implementing system and data-led programmes through the introduction of a new people system and the creation of meaningful people data to support the business.

Jennifer Stewart is a HR leader with 10+ years experience in the luxury fashion and retail space. Her approach focuses on creating sustainable, scalable solutions that support both immediate business needs and long-term organisational growth. Jen is committed to driving operational excellence through continuous improvement, consistency in process and a passion for implementing ways of working that enable company goals. Previously holding positions at companies including PVH, River Island, and Kurt Geiger, she specialises in designing and implementing strategic HR Operational initiatives that deliver measurable business impact.

Ritu Dhawan-Foster is a proven executive board director with a clear focus on improving shareholder value, understanding the power of people to deliver growth and improve profit through modern leadership. A change leader with in depth commercial and strategic experience within consumer facing global brands and sectors, Ritu designs and implements the people plans aligned to the business plan and strategic direction of the organisation. She is currently Interim HR Director UK&I at L’Occitane Group. Prior to this, she was Interim Director of People & Transformation at Vue International from August 2022 – May 2023, where she led their business transformation and value creation in order to prepare the business for a transaction. She was previously Chief People Officer at Monsoon Accessorize for eight years, and Head of Human Resources at Fortnum & Mason for three years.

Since joining Selfridges in 2021 as Head of DEI, Recruitment & Onboarding, Sharlene has been instrumental in making progress towards Selfridges goal of building an inclusive retail culture. She is focused on engaging and educating Selfridges leadership and management, raising awareness and imbedding DE&I, inclusive hiring and HR best practices. Her work has supported closing the gender pay gap and has increased representation at different levels across the business. Sharlene is a recognised business leader who was awarded a British Diversity Award in 2023 and has been recognised by Diversity in Retail as a Woman to Watch in Retail and a Retail Role Model. Her passion for DE&I extends beyond the workplace. She is an active member of her community, supporting local authorities providing career advice to young people and mentoring women to promote empowerment and self-belief. As a woman of colour in business, Sharlene knows first-hand how critical representation is.

Alyson Fadil has been the Chief People Officer at Matalan since February 2024. She was previously  the Chief People Officer at N Brown Group for just over five years and is also a part time Non-Exec Director & Chair of Remuneration for Marks Electrical Group. She was previously Group People Director at Missguided and before that, she was Group People Director at Sofology for nearly five years. She started her career as a Dual Site – Senior HR Manager with Selfridges in 2006. A true business partner to the executive team – working tirelessly to ensure that the people strategy is aligned to the commerciality of the business – she is accountable for the overall HR/ people proposition, including Learning & Development and Internal Communications, within a fast paced, customer service, commercially driven business. Alyson is a mentor for the Women Leaders Association and the MBA Gold programme for Manchester University, and also a visiting Fellow of the Business School at Bolton University.

Katie Baker-Shaw’s started her career at Clarks shoes, where she spent 16 years, working her way up to senior leadership in stores. Through her passion for developing others, and employee engagement, she moved over to the world of Human Resources and joined the People Team at Sweaty Betty, where she took on several different roles and opportunities, such as Talent Advisor, Diversity Communication Lead, HR Generalist and her current role, as HR Business Partner for all UK Stores & store lead corporate functions. Leading a multitude of projects throughout her time in HR – from change management to implementing various strategies and driving several diversity (DEI) lead initiatives – Katie has always maximised the opportunity to play her role as an active ally for both mental wellbeing, and economic inclusion. She was awarded as Sweaty Betty’s Role Model for Inclusion in 2023 and recently appointed as Trustee for the charity board of The Sweaty Betty Foundation, to support the mission on enabling girls under the age of 18 to get active and stay active for life.

Sophey Layton’s background is from a HR generalist experience within fast paced global retail focused businesses. Currently she is HR Director at Shiseido and has held roles at All Saints, BT, Currys plc, Samsung over the past 12 years. Sophey has a passionate people first approach as well as a focus on with fostering positive, engaging workplace culture.

Una O’Reilly has worked extensively in human resources, organisational development and employee engagement, with a track record of creating award-winning people practices that promote inclusivity, attract top talent, improve retention and increase engagement leading to stronger commercial business results. Her skills in steering organisations through periods of significant growth and transformation really came to fruition when working as the European Human Resource Director Westfield, where she oversaw the People Leadership aspects of the merger of Westfield with Unibail-Rodamco and helped develop and deliver values and led strategies to enhance employee engagement, wellbeing, and advance diversity and inclusion. This included, among many other things, reviewing all People practices and maternity and paternity policies, that earned URW 9 Best Practice Awards and got Top Employer recognition. In addition, the diversity and inclusion strategy resulted in 40% of senior management roles being held by women, and a community strategy that led to 80% of employees taking part in volunteering which led to them taking home the HR Excellence Award for Best CSR Strategy.  

Magdalene Arthur is a seasoned strategic people partner with over 10 years of combined experience in the logistics and retail sectors. Known as a ‘critical friend’ to senior leadership teams, she brings constructive challenge and strategic insight to help align people priorities with wider business goals. She is passionate about driving high-impact HR initiatives that enhance performance, engagement, and long-term talent strategy. With a proven track record in developing solutions, Magdalene blends imaginative thinking with strong analytical and problem-solving skills.Her extensive expertise spans all aspects of people, culture, and process—supporting organisations through periods of change, growth, and transformation. Magdalene is also a dedicated advocate for inclusion. As Co-chair of WHSmith’s Race and Culture Network, she champions the creation of spaces where individuals feel empowered to bring their authentic selves to work. She is committed to provoking bold, often uncomfortable conversations that inspire meaningful and lasting change.

David Anderson is Rough Trade’s Head of People. He joined Rough Trade over two years ago as Head of Retail, marking the beginning of a new chapter – transitioning into his current role as Head of People, where he redefined what it means to manage people in retail. David’s ethos is to focus on learning and development, integrity, and community engagement. His efforts underscore a commitment to the growth of the business and every individual within it. David prioritises learning and development to ensure that Rough Trade’s staff are empowered individuals with a clear path to growth. His work extends beyond the internal mechanisms of HR, improving aspects like mental health and wellbeing. Their partnership with the Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) to combat suicide was a proud moment showing the power of community engagement and support. Before joining Rough Trade, David spent 15 years at Gap Outlet, where he managed stores across the UK.

As a passionate talent acquisition specialist with over seven years of experience, including four years specifically within the retail sector, Paige Jordan has developed a deep understanding of how careers in retail can grow and evolve. Currently in her role as Senior Talent Acquisition Manager at Charles Tyrwhitt, she works closely with stakeholders to deliver strategic hiring solutions and support career development across the business through the people function. Paige’s career has included roles at The White Company, VistaJet (a private jet company), and recruitment agency environments, giving her a broad perspective on hiring across different industries.

Jennie Williams is the founder and CEO of Enhance The UK – a non-profit organisation specialising in disability awareness and inclusion, run by disabled people, for disabled people. Jennie is neurodivergent, a hearing aid user, and lives with a chronic pain condition; she brings this lived experience of disability and over a decade’s worth of experience in ethical leadership and disability awareness training to her role. Enhance The UK also runs Undressing Disability – a trailblazing initiative raising standards in sexual health and wellbeing for disabled people. Jennie is a resident expert at Undressing Disability’s Love Lounge service, which provides free, confidential support on all things sex, dating and relationships for disabled people. Jennie is a seasoned public speaker with multiple TV and media appearances (insert examples) She has delivered training for clients including the BBC, Amazon, MIND, The National Gallery, Shakespeare’s The Globe, Northern Rail, The London Fire Brigade, and many more.

Rhianon Plews is an award-winning HR leader. As the Head of HRBPs and Talent at Watches of Switzerland Group (WOSG), she leads the HRBP & Talent Team to support the business tackle their pressing issues and longer-term goals, through an aligned and integrated people strategy. Part of the People Leadership Team, Rhianon is dedicated to building high-trust relationships between HR and the business, embedding their new operating model and ways of working to drive business results.  Prior to WOSG, Rhianon was Head of HR for Boots Opticians, leading the People Agenda throughout Covid and beyond. She then became the Head of HR People Transformation and Change at Boots UK, leading the transformation agenda, driving strategic change projects with HR and for the business, ensuring they deliver benefits. Her early career started in food manufacturing, followed by roles in various financial services organisations, including in the UK and Australia and more recently, senior HR Roles in healthcare and retail.

Idris Arshad is a Chartered Fellow of CIPD and Head of People for the charity Asthma + Lung UK. A passionate HR leader who advocates to uplift the reputation and showcase the value of HR, he is proud of coaching and partnering with leaders to improve frontline services and help better serve people in need. His extensive strategic and operational HR experience in the charity sector covers a range of different organisations including international development, faith based, homelessness, hospice and healthcare. He has led the equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) and wellbeing agenda strongly throughout his career, most recently in the hospice sector. Idris has chaired EDI committees, increased the diversity of workforce representation and improved wellbeing cultures. He has completed a Masters in HR and his views and comments about HR have been regularly published in media outlets and on LinkedIn

Clara Sancho Ortega is the HR Director at LVMH Fashion Group UK, where she leads people strategy across iconic luxury brands including Loewe, Givenchy, Celine, Kenzo, Marc Jacobs, Pucci, RIMOWA, and Moynat. She began her career in the film industry after earning a degree in Media and Communications. Clara later transitioned into HR, bringing a unique creative and operational lens to talent and leadership, having worked at Brands such as Mulberry, Dolce&Gabbana or Loro Piana where she joined LVMH 8 years ago.

 

Marcus Robbins is Chief Digital Advisor at Fujitsu UK. He leads a team of specialists covering Digital, Sustainability, Employee and Customer Experience, Data & Analytics Workplace, Change, Culture and Strategy consulting and specialises in helping organisations pivot and scale around value. His extensive experience spans leadership roles in business development, consulting, and systems delivery across a variety of sectors. His personal areas of specialism include Strategy, Culture, and Leadership. Marcus is an experienced coach in both work and sports settings and works with young people using exercise to change their lives and has coached international level athletes.

As the Retail Recruiter for Alo Yoga, Hannah Govier leads the retail recruitment across the UK and EU, to support the brands rapid growth. She’s committed to finding exceptional talent that drives business success, fosters team diversity, and promotes ongoing growth and development. Starting her retail career on the shopfloor at 16, Hannah built a career in retail management with brands including AllSaints and Oasis, leading teams of all sizes across a variety of markets and key locations. It was here she found her true passion: people. Moving into talent acquisition with The White Company, she used her retail experience to recruit top talent and build high-performing teams for new store openings. Along the way, she rolled out recruitment best practices, championed ED&I, and recently, earned an accredited coaching qualification.

Sara Duxbury is a business psychologist, executive coach, and founder of Blooming Potential. With nearly 15 years’ experience in the retail, professional services and public sectors, she specialises in helping individuals, teams and organisations to unlock their potential through accessible, tailored coaching and development solutions. Known for her people-first approach and practical insight, Sara is passionate about making personal and professional growth achievable for everyone.

Matthew Corner is an experienced people solutions professional with over 10 years of experience in software and service implementations, delivery, sales, and strategy. In his current role, Matt leads SD Worx’s strategic offering, shaping customer-centric software and services that align with industry trends and business needs. He is passionate about delivering innovative payroll and HR solutions that drive efficiency, compliance, and value for businesses in the UK and internationally. His work focuses on anticipating industry challenges, enhancing service delivery, and ensuring SD Worx remains at the forefront of people solutions.

 

Benedict Selvaratnam leads Freshfields Market, a multi site retail and ecommerce operation.  He co-founded the Croydon Business Association (CBA), representing 350+ local businesses. Passionate about retail, e-commerce, and community regeneration, Ben’s work spans local regeneration, high street recovery, and civic collaboration. 

As Head of Sales, UK Retail at Reveal Media, Dinesh De Silva brings a decade of SaaS expertise, with more than five years specializing in security and safety systems. In this time, he has driven revenue growth across a diverse range of sectors – including retail, law enforcement, higher education, and real estate – leveraging his deep knowledge of Security Systems, CRM and PMS in global markets. Currently at the forefront of UK Retail Sales initiatives at Reveal, Dinesh is proud to represent the company as a leading body cam supplier. Reveal’s innovative solutions serve as an effective tool to de-escalate incidents involving retail colleagues, deter crime and theft, and document evidence to support training or prosecution when needed.