Movers & Shakers in Retail 2020 report launched

Brough to you by Retail Insider and K3 BTG

Retail Insider is pleased to launch the 2020 edition of the Movers & Shakers in retail Top 100 report highlighting the most digitally progressive people in the industry who are making a major contribution to changing the landscape of retail.

Produced in conjunction with sponsors K3 BTG, this year’s report continues with the objective of previous editions in seeking to find those individuals who are pushing digital transformation strategies forward and also those developing new business models. Covid-19 is but one more challenge they face and has been another factor that has helped determine those people who justify a place in this year’s report.

An advisory panel carefully selected the list of 100 names, which has been topped by the leaders of The Hut Group, Gymshark, Depop and Bloom & Wild. The only traditional retailer in the top 20 this year is Next.

The esteemed panel eventually decided that first place this year should go to Matthew Moulding, CEO of The Hut Group, followed by Ben Francis and Steve Hewitt at Gymshark and in third-place Luke Jenson of Ocado Solutions. The top placed woman on the list is Maria Raga of Depop who moved up the table from last year to hit fourth place.

Interestingly this year, and no doubt fuelled by Covid-19, seventh to ninth places are taken by the leaders of food delivery related businesses in Deliveroo, HelloFresh and Gousto. Delivery and online-only businesses again feature very prominently this year, which highlights how traditional bricks and mortar-focused retailers are losing ground among the industry’s leaders.

The Top 40 people are ranked in order based on criteria such as their achievements in the last 12 months, future potential, and innovative capabilities.

The specially selected Advisory Panel this year comprised: Anthony Fletcher, former CEO of Graze; Nick Thomas, chief digital officer – Holland & Barrett; Sarah McVittie, co-founder, Dressipi; Indira Thambiah, CEO, Roof Maker; Melissa Reed, partner of the retail & consumer practice – H.I. Executive Consulting; Simon Calver, former head of Ventures investment – BGF; Alison Lancaster, marketing strategist, Bicester Village Shopping Collection; Andrew Robb, advisor and investor; Tony Bryant, director of global business development, K3 Business Technologies; Hannah Joyce, Partner, Calibre One; Guy Hipwell, advisor and investor.

The full report can be read by clicking on the link below:

[Correction: The entry for Hugo Adams should state he joined Frugi two years ago and not that he created Frugi two years ago.]

Glynn Davis, editor, Retail Insider