INFO Magazine - Focus on Retail in The age of disruption

january/ february 2016

t h e m a g a z i n e f o r a n g l o - f r e n c h b u s i n e s s

french chamber of great britain www.frenchchamber.co.uk

in The age of

disrupTionIN THIS ISSUE:

5 minutes with Orlando Rock, Chairman of Christie’s UK

Helena Morrissey, CEO of Newton Investment Management, and Estelle Brachlianoff, Senior Executive Vice-President UK & Ireland of Veolia, debate the perils

and progress of women in the workplace

La Belle Assiette, Decathlon and Societe Generale triumph at the Franco British Business Awards

INTERVIEW: Jonathan Chippindale, CEO of Holition, casts a visionary perspective on retail

Report back on the Franco-British Digital Conference

reTail

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SOUS LE SIGNE DU LION

NECKLACE AND RING IN WHITE GOLD AND DIAMONDS

www.chanel.com

173 NEW BOND STREET - LONDON W1

SELFRIDGES WONDER ROOM - LONDON W1 HARRODS FINE JEWELLERY & WATCH ROOM - LONDON SW1

FOR ALL ENQUIRIES PLEASE TELEPHONE 020 7499 0005

Job No: 50979-1 Publication: INFO Mag Size: 279x394 Ins Date: TBC Proof no: 1 Tel: 020 7291 4700

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It seems hard to believe it is 2016 already and on behalf of the Chamber, I hope you had an enjoyable Christmas and wish you all a very happy New Year.

This is our first issue of INFO since the tragic events in Paris in mid-November and I would like to offer our condolences and the strongest possible message of support to the victims and their loved ones.

A month later in the same city what we all hope will prove to be a historic agreement was adopted under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The Paris agreement to hold the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and pursue efforts to limit the increase to 1.5°C is welcome and I believe both French and British businesses have an important role in making it happen.

Just as a deal was being reached at COP21, the effects of Storm Desmond in the north of the UK brought the reality of climate change home, reinforcing what had been discussed only a week or two earlier in our Climate Change Forum, chaired by Richard Brown CBE. Richard presented the effects of extreme weather on transport systems (p. 73), which highlights just how relevant and topical our Forum and Club sessions can be, so please try to attend as many as possible.

The Chamber will be starting 2016 on a positive note on 11 January with a Breakfast with Jacques Attali, President of Positive Planet, the NGO that implements development programmes to improve access to housing, clean water, energy, education, health and hygiene as well as access to finance, entrepreneurship and markets. This will be followed on 14 January with the second run of the Cross-Cultural Quiz, which was an enormous success last year, pitting the wits of our Franco-British members against each other, but also proving that the most multicultural teams can be the most successful. It is also, most appropriately, the occasion for the presentation of our Intercultural Trophy, sponsored by AXA, which is awarded to the company that most embodies cross-cultural values. We look forward to seeing many of you there!

This issue of INFO shines the spotlight on ‘Retail in the age of disruption’, looking at among other things the role of retail in the economy, the changing face of retail, how the consumer has driven change and how data and technology are playing an increasingly important role in shaping the consumer experience, which is the new holy grail. Articles examine both the broad trends and the minutiae of technological interventions that have disrupted and transformed shopping within a relatively short space of time.

In 2016, we are more committed than ever to achieving our goals of helping French and British companies work together, develop their business and share best practice. So if you haven’t made a New Year’s Resolution, my advice is to really get to know your Chamber – you might be surprised at how much we have to offer. I

Estelle BrachlianoffPresident, French Chamber of Great BritainSenior Executive Vice President of Veolia UK & Ireland

6 - info - january / february 2016

ANDY settee. LA BIBLIOTHÈQUE FIL bookshelf. Design Pierre Paulin.www.ligne-roset.co.uk


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9 Brexit?Whyhasitcometothat?

BUSIneSS WoRLD

10 5minuteswith...Orlando Rock, Chairmanof Christie’s UK 12 Capgeminitocreate100jobsinWales13 VeoliaappointedoperatorofnewBiomass CHPinNottingham14 easyJetlaunchesnewinitiativetorecruit femalepilots15 Crowe Horwath International named GlobalAdvisoryFirmoftheYear17 Reportsandresearch:BDO, HSBC, KPMG18 Profile: Myriam Maestroni, ON520 SMEnews

eDUcAtIon

22 Newsbriefs

24 FocUS

Retail in the age of disruption 26 ThechangingfaceofretailintheUK 29 Interview:Helen Dickinson,Director General,British Retail Consortium30 Interview:Jonathan Chippindale, Co-founderandCEO,Holition32 TheRegentStreetretailevolution33 Outletcentresofattraction34 Armorial Paris:howanichebrandgoes onlinewithoutlosingthepersonaltouch35 Trends,challengesandopportunitiesinUK luxuryretail36 DoIsmellpineneedles?38 Profile: Content Square -visualising, optimisingandpersonalisinguser experienceonwebandmobile39 Sociallistening:fromtacticstostrategy40 MADE.COM’sUnboxed41 Bridgingthegapbetweenonlineand offline retailing42 Exaqtworld-hiddenhightechinnovation43 Deliveryondemand44 Packingapunch:howretailerscancurethe deliverydilemma

LIFeStYLe

47 CirqueduSoleil:Amaluna48 What’son50 Review:PAUL at Tower 4251 Eat,Drink,Stay-briefs52 Cheese&WinePress53 Travelogue:Rajasthan54 Books

56 cHAmBeR HAPPenInGS57 Chambershorties 58 Newmembers61 AnnualFinancialLunch:Lookingahead forEurope62 Women,Inspiration&Leadershipdebate: Womenintheworkplace:perils&progress64 TheFranco-BritishDigitalConference:small meetsbig67 BusinessClubCocktail:S.T.Dupont68 Franco-BritishBusinessAwards

FoRUmS & cLUBS71 Economic Update:HowdotheUKand Francescaleuptheirstart-ups?IsFrance thenewSiliconValley?72 Climate Change Forum:TidalLagoonPower –anewsolutiontoanimmediateproblem73 Climatechangeadaptation:thecaseofUK transportation74 Cross-Cultural Debate:Cultivatingtheart ofculturalunderstanding Luxury Club BreakfastatMaisonAssouline75 SMES & Entrepreneurs Club:Whatwould BrexitmeanforUKemploymentlaw?76 ForthcomingForums&Clubs ForthcomingEvents

ManagingDirector: Florence Gomez Editor:Keri Fuller CorporateCommunicationManager: Marielle Fraize Graphicdesign&coverartwork: Katherine Millet Advertising&Sales:Suzanne Lycett PublicationsAssistant: Melissa Hattabi Subscription: INFO is published every 2 months Printedby: CPI Colour

Contributors:Pascal Boris CBE, Julien Callede, Eric Charriaux, Céline Fenech, Guilhem Fouetillou, Gary Freer, Angus Fyfe, Harpreet Gill, Jessica Kelly, Paul Lorraine, Thibault Lavergne, Paul Leslie, Bill Nowacki, Ben Perkins, Nick Pope, Alan Rutter, Melanie Stancliffe, Laetitia Vielvoye

Distribution:French Chamber members, Franco-British decision makers, Business Class lounges of Eurostar, Eurotunnel and Air France in London, Paris and Manchester

EditorialandPublishingOffice:French Chamber of Great BritainLincoln House, 300 High HolbornLondon WC1V 7JHTel: (020) 7092 6600;Fax: (020) 7092 6601www.frenchchamber.co.uk

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january/ february 2016

t h e m a g a z i n e f o r a n g l o - f r e n c h b u s i n e s s

french chamber of great britainwww.frenchchamber.co.uk

in The age of

disrupTionIN THIS ISSUE:

5 minutes with Orlando Rock, Chairman of Christie’s UK

Helena Morrissey, CEO of Newton Investment Management, and Estelle Brachlianoff,Senior Executive Vice-President UK & Ireland of Veolia, debate the perils

and progress of women in the workplace

La Belle Assiette, Decathlon and Societe Generale triumph at theFranco British Business Awards

INTERVIEW: Jonathan Chippindale, CEO of Holition, casts a visionary perspective on retail

Report back on the Franco-British Digital Conference

reTail

50

24

RetaIlIn the age of

dIsRuptIon

� - info - january / february 2016

YOUR ESSENTIALDAILY READOur award-winning journalists keep you informed on all the latest industry news, ensuring you make the best possible business decisions.


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It is easy to attribute this debate to Britain being an island nation which has always been ambivalent about Europe

and to quote Churchill who once said ‘If Britain must choose between Europe and the open seas, she must always choose the open seas’. He also said ‘(…) to re-create the European Family, or as much of it that we can, and provide it with a structure under which it can dwell in peace, in safety and in freedom, we must build a kind of United States of Europe’.

Deeper questions lurk however. What does the EU stand for? How has it evolved? Is it fit for purpose? What are its benefits (if any)? Are these tangible and visible? How do they positively affect the lives of citizens in Britain?

Incidentally, the issues at stake are not dissimilar to the vexing ones about free trade, the visible benefits of which (for instance cheap flat screen TVs) pale in comparison with its negative consequences (offshoring of factories resulting in higher unemployment).

Whilst these issues will come to the fore in Great Britain during the debate ahead of the referendum scheduled to take place before the end of 2017, the very same ones are relevant in other member countries. Indeed, for far too many years, politicians’ attitudes towards the EU have oscillated between a mantra (the EU is unquestionably a ‘good thing’) and a scapegoat (all problems stem from the EU and only national solutions will work). There has been very little informed and intelligent debate recently. It would take a brave (foolhardy?) politician to hoist his/her colours for Europe and thus expend his/her political capital.

The EU appears as a remote entity operating in a vacuum with an unelected bureaucracy imposing unreasonable constraints on unsuspecting sovereign nations and their unaware citizens. It is time therefore for democratically elected national parliaments to rein in. So goes the argument. But is it?

Europe has often been built around grand schemes without their ultimate consequences being fully elaborated upon. Was this because of the need to reach compromises between the opposing views of nations? Or was it because politicians thought the benefits of the new reforms had to be seen before explaining their consequences? Suffice it to say that this has resulted in a gap between the schemes and the

governance necessary to make them sustainable, particularly in times of crisis. Two examples spring to mind: the Euro crisis (one currency without an economic (and political) government) and the Schengen Agreement (free movement of people without an adequately resourced European border control and security apparatus). Needless to say that these two crises give credence to a dysfunctional Europe. What is not being considered, however, is how countries would have dealt with the same events had they been outside the EU.

It is high time therefore for politicians of all hues to engage into a proper and informed explanation as to what Europe they want and why. That the way in which Europe operates should be reformed cannot be doubted. Reforming the way in which politicians often cynically ascribe all ills to Europe is a pre-requisite however. I

BReXIt ? Why has it come to that ?

Pascal Boris CBE, Honorary President of the French Chamber, poses some of the questions that require answers in the ongoing debate about the UK’s membership of the European Union

This column will run until the referendum on British membership of the EU takes place. Members wishing to contribute to it should contact Keri Fuller at [email protected]

The Euro and Schengen Agreement crises give credence to a dysfunctional Europe. What is not being considered, however, is how countries

would have dealt with the same events had they been outside the EU


You were recently appointed Chairman of Christie’s UK, having worked for the company for 25 years. What is your role as Chairman? What is wonderful about this company is that it gets under your skin! There is nowhere else where you get this extraordinary mixture of great works of art, interesting, eccentric and obsessive people, mad collectors… Yes, it is a business, but there is so much more to it.

As Chairman, I am effectively like a conductor in an orchestra. With many different specialist areas and brilliant specialists, I try to bring the best team together so that when we talk to our clients, collectors and dealers, or plan sales, or think about how we approach the market, we look at it from all angles and get a balance between the very top end and the middle.

As the market leader, Christie’s has a responsibility to nurture the market, educate collectors and encourage new people in. A lot of what you read about us in the press is about art works selling for millions, when, actually, most of what we do is at a much lower level, selling things of all price points, many of which are affordable. I would like to voice the fact that you can collect at any level, there are wonderful things available which don’t cost the earth, and you don’t even have to buy – Christie’s is like a free museum that is a great place to visit! Perhaps my greatest recommendation would be to visit Christie’s South Kensington one weekend – it is a treasure trove. You can get a coffee at the café and have a rummage around – kids welcome! How has Christie’s changed over your working life?Christie’s is a very different company now from when I started. Although it has this extraordinary bedrock of tradition and has been in the market for a long time, it has survived and flourished because it has evolved. It never sits still: the balance of the buyers, the buyer base, tastes and the market are constantly moving and being fine-tuned. When I joined the company, the Chairman of the UK was very much the person with his finger on the pulse who knew everything, but now, although the UK is our heartland and incredibly important, we

are an international business with a strong presence in the US and Asia, very distinct characteristics in each regional market and 2,300 employees.

I joined Christie’s through a graduate training scheme they had in those days. I wouldn’t possibly qualify now – you have to be multilingual as well as academically brilliant! I am always amazed and humbled by the quality of young people applying to Christie’s, and having them questioning what you do is a very good thing. They are also much more in touch with how you communicate with clients these days. I used to spend my life on the telephone with clients and now it is also face to face or by email and text.

Your connection to the art business evidently runs deep, so where did it all begin?My dad was an obsessive collector of furniture and works of art, so I spent most of my childhood in the back of a car amidst rolls of bubble wrap going to every country house sale and antique dealer. Some of my earliest memories are being dragged around churches and classical ruins in 40-degree heat. You either love it or react against it. I loved it, so I do exactly the same to my children!

You spent some time working for Christie’s in New York. Why did you go there and is it very different to London?I was incredibly lucky with that and think it is something that every specialist should do if they get the chance. From a business point of view, it gave me a completely different perspective on the strengths and weaknesses of how we dealt with things in London, the differences between the two markets and the different sensibilities of collectors. Americans are more pragmatic about works of art, whereas in Europe, some clients will cling on to objects for dear life, for the family folklore and their provenance. You also have amazing discoveries in America because so many great things went out there in the ebb and flow. If you look at works of art in that way, you can see how they came from Italy in the Renaissance and France in the 18th century then go to England in the 19th

5 minutes with...

ORLANDO ROCKChairmanofChristie’sUK

info - january / february 2016 - 11

century and America in the 20th century. Now they are going to the Middle East and China. One object will tell you the story of the movements of the art market around the world.

Much of your work at Christie’s has been around private collections and historic house sales. What does this involve?My great obsession is looking at works of art, particularly in situ in great houses, so this job gives me the perfect chance to spend my life out of the office looking at wonderful art. It is not really work at all!

I advise on conservation and lending to exhibitions, as well as do research on historic collections, but a lot of my time is spent advising people on how to plan and organise themselves for the future so that historic collections don’t get broken up. If you are careful about how you hold things, you are able to preserve them – such as the exemption from inheritance tax on works of art if they are publically accessible, for example. England is about the only country in Europe which has these aristocratic collections that have stayed intact. In most other European countries, the Code Napoleon has destroyed inheritances through endless divisions, whereas English Trust law has allowed things to stay together.

What really appeals to me when working in a house is trying to unpick the layers to understand what is indigenous and core, and which bits have been accumulated through sideways inheritances or from other houses. I try and advise owners to sell things that will be least damaging to the core collection.

You not only work with historical houses but also live in one as joint-custodian with your wife of Burghley House. What does being a custodian of a stately home involve and how do you juggle both roles?That’s the poacher turned gamekeeper bit! My wife is the main custodian – the house was built by her ancestor – and I look after things to do with the works of art and historic collection. But as with all these kind of houses, it is not about one person, but the community of people involved in working there. In some ways, it is quite useful because I can give a perspective from both sides, and there is a lot of cross-over, particularly in areas such as exemptions, conservation management, public access and displaying works of art. One of the things I am working on is a lighting project in the state rooms and in my Christie’s life, find myself advising owners of large houses about lighting and recommending contractors!

You are one of the world’s leading specialists in decorative arts, and established a new sale category for it – The Exceptional Sale. Can you explain what this is all about?Furniture, porcelain, silver, clocks and tapestries all fall under the decorative arts banner and those are the things I’ve always been keenest on. I am also very interested in how collectors put together collections because when it comes to selling them, you have a strong story about what inspired them,

what they first bought, how they combined and presented objects: each collection has already been effectively curated by someone who is incredibly knowledgeable.

Within the traditional decorative arts field there was a polarisation between the very best, bought by an international group of collectors, and the much more challenging middle market, so we decided to set up the Exceptional Sale (since 2008 in London and more recently in New York and Paris) to reach out to kunstkammer treasure collectors, as well as inspire new people to come into the market. These are tightly edited offerings of the best of the best across all categories of the decorative arts. Markets require confidence in the objects being sold and if you know that everything in a sale has been carefully selected for its type, condition and provenance, there is a degree of reassurance. There is also an element of education involved for, unlike contemporary art, which is more approachable and understandable, people do feel intimidated by classical works if they don’t have the knowledge to judge whether a piece is an outstanding example of its kind.

Christie’s is one of the world’s oldest art businesses. How does it stay innovative and relevant?Just over 30 years ago, we only had London. Today we have spread geographically to 32 countries, with sales in places such as Dubai, Mumbai and Shanghai. Our inaugural sale in Shanghai was one of the most exciting I have ever been involved in, and it was all about how we supported and nurtured a new market – what we could do that was new, entrepreneurial and different, while underlining the tradition and longevity of the brand. We commissioned the artist Cai Guo-Qiang to do a performance work in a deconsecrated church on the Bund, which involved a firework explosion that created a giant drawing with gunpowder burning into the paper. That was a brave step into an unknown market, but it sums up what having to evolve and innovate in new markets is all about.

The digital side is important too. A lot of our videos go viral – the one created for the upcoming ‘Mrs Thatcher’ sale is a case in point. Online sales also go some way towards making Christie’s more approachable to a wider group of people: 74% of the buyers online are people new to Christie’s.

We are also changing the way we sell by thinking about what inspires our buyers and what they want to buy. We recently had a sale in New York themed on ‘The Artist’s Muse’, which was curated around the great Modigliani Nu Couché that sold for a record price.

James Christie himself was an innovator. His first sale included a haystack! He was friends with all the contemporary artists such as Gainsborough and Matthew Boulton, so he sold paintings for them and he was the first to go to France to get things from the revolutionaries. He was a great raconteur, extremely charismatic, experimental, brave and bold. And although we’ve been around a long time, if we can carry on in his tradition, it should put us in good stead for the next 250 years. I Interview by KF

5 MINUTES WITH. . . orL ando rock


BUSINESS WORLD - COMPANY NEWSCompiled by Marielle Fraize

Capgemini to create 100 jobs in Wales

Capgemini, one of the world’s foremost providers of consulting, technology and outsourcing services, intends to create 100 highly skilled jobs over the next three years at a new application delivery centre in Treforest, South Wales. Capgemini’s £17.1 million investment over five years is being backed by £1.4 million in Welsh Government Business Finance Funding.

Opening in January 2016, it will become the company’s pri18mary development site for both public and private sector contracts that require a UK-based centre to deliver security sensitive projects.

Economy Minister Edwina Hart said: ‘This is excellent news and I am delighted Capgemini is expanding its operations in Wales. Capgemini is a global IT brand that will bring high quality, well paid, and specialist technical development roles to the region. Capgemini’s decision to base this new operation in Wales sends out a very strong message about the expertise and availability of high level skills in Wales.’ I www.uk.capgemini.com

EDF Energy acquires Dungeness Estate

EDF Energy has exchanged contracts for the acquisition of the Dungeness Estate in Kent. The sale of the Dungeness Estate became public knowledge back in August when Strutt & Parker brought the estate to the open market on behalf of the existing owners.

The 468-acre estate is designated as a National Nature Reserve, a Special Area of Conservation and a Site of Special Scientific Interest, and EDF Energy has stated its intention to continue to work with the local community and special interest groups in respect of the management of this unique environment. The energy company owns and operates Dungeness B nuclear power station, adjacent to the estate, and is the biggest employer in the area boosting the local economy by over £40 million each year.

EDF Energy has a strong track record in protecting and enhancing biodiversity: each of its nuclear sites, including Dungeness, has been awarded the Wildlife Trust’s Biodiversity Benchmark Certification. I www.edfenergy.com

Altran, a global leader in innovation and high-tech engineering consulting, is acquiring Tessella, an international analytics and data science consulting services organisation. Tessella is known for finding and delivering innovative and pragmatic answers to the complex business and technical challenges of some of the world’s most forward-thinking organisations in the aerospace and defence, consumer goods, energy, life sciences and science research sectors.

Altran also announced a strategic collaboration with Jaguar Land Rover to develop and market a unique and ground-breaking open software platform. This platform will revolutionise traditional Electrical and Electronic automotive architectures by bringing together cutting-edge industrial and engineering techniques with the processes, methods and tools found in the consumer electronics industry. I www.altran.co.uk

Altran acquires Tessella and partners with Jaguar Land Rover


BUSINESS WORLD - COMPANY NEWS

Veolia appointed operator of new Biomass CHP in Nottingham

Veolia have further strengthened their position in generating energy from biomass by securing a £50 million contract from Equitix ESI CHP, to operate the Sherwood Biomass Plant in Nottingham. The 20-year contract highlights the growing UK commitment to this type of energy project, and adds to the £500 million of biomass energy managed by Veolia in the UK and Ireland. The agreement covers operation and maintenance on a 24/7 basis and also water treatment, emission monitoring, and ash disposal for the new plant that is due to start generating renewable electricity and heat in spring 2017.

Estelle Brachlianoff, Senior Executive Vice President, Veolia UK and Ireland, said ‘This new contract highlights our renewable energy expertise and will recycle waste biomass to produce green energy for the grid. This demonstrates our on-going commitment to cut carbon emissions for industry and communities, and sustainably recycles biomass that would otherwise be wasted’. I www.veolia.co.uk

Havas launches first Manchester ‘Village’

Global marketing and communications group Havas is launching its first UK ‘village’ which will bring together its services under one roof in Manchester. Havas Village Manchester, which will be located across two neighbouring buildings on Princess Street, will offer services including creativity, media, PR, data and technology, and with 300 staff working under the same umbrella brand in the city, the business will be ‘the most significant communications group in Manchester’ according to Havas Media Managing Director Natasha Murray.

It follows the success of Havas Lynx, its global healthcare

communications arm; Havas People, the employer branding and recruitment marketing service; Havas Media, the strategic media and marketing services; and DBi, Europe’s leading digital analytics agency.

Havas Media Manchester will be headed by Mark Varley, who joined from MEC. An experienced digital practitioner, strategist and leader, Varley has been

tasked with focusing on growing the talent and clients at the Manchester hub, as well as driving the new BBC account which was awarded to Havas Media UK earlier this year. Iwww.havas.com

PwC acquires the business of Kusiri Limited

PwC’s deals and forensics practice has acquired the assets of Kusiri, a technology start-up which provides a forensic data search platform used to discover fraud and for compliance screening. Six people from Kusiri joined PwC’s forensics team.

PwC already uses Kusiri’s platform for their RADAR service – an ‘early warning system’ that allows PwC clients to manage a broad spectrum of risks including financial, regulatory, compliance and reputational.

This follows a series of recent

acquisitions and partnerships where PwC has invested in new relationships, businesses and platforms which disrupt markets and support clients in different ways; these include: Booz & Co, Logan Tod, Diamond, Mokum and Paragon. I www.pwc.co.uk



easyJet, Europe’s leading airline, has launched a new initiative to increase the proportion of new entrant easyJet pilots who are female. This is part of a new strategy to encourage the development of female pilots at all ranks and positions and will widen the pipeline of women who enter the pilot community.

Just over 5% of easyJet’s 2,500 pilots are female – in line with the industry as a whole. Currently women make up 6% of easyJet’s new pilot intake. The airline plans to double the proportion of female new entrants to 12% over two years. This is the first phase of its long term strategy to increase the proportion of female pilots at the airline.

Pauline Vahey, chair of the British Women Pilots’ Association commented: ‘The British Women Pilots’ Association (BWPA) is delighted to partner with easyJet in this ground-breaking initiative. It aligns perfectly with the first aim of the BWPA to actively promote and encourage women into flying careers in the aviation industry.’ I www.easyjet.com

easyJet launches new initiative to recruit female pilots

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Eurostar celebrates 21st birthday with its very own gin

On the eve of its 21st birthday, Eurostar has unveiled its very own gin designed by Business Premier Culinary Director, Raymond Blanc OBE, in partnership with artisan producers, Silent Pool Distillers.

Named Toujours 21, the bespoke gin encapsulates Eurostar’s heritage, reminiscent of both British and French cultures. Composed of a mélange of French botanicals and classic floral scents of the British countryside, the rich juniper flavours and citrus traces are blended with the subtle sweetness of honey, creating a balanced gin that is classic yet unique.

Raymond Blanc OBE, Eurostar Business Premier Culinary Director, said: ‘When designing the gin, my vision was to take travellers on a journey of taste that played upon all the subtleties of the brand. The aromatic notes of lavender hint at Eurostar’s latest Provencal destination, while the delicate yet clean taste of the angelica evokes memories of the British countryside. By uniting such robust flavours, the bespoke gin is the perfect way to commemorate the anniversary.’ I www.eurostar.com

Thomas Eggar to merge with Irwin Mitchell

Law firms Thomas Eggar and Irwin Mitchell will be merging. Both are ambitious and energetic firms, with a shared culture and set of values that have stood out in the market as striving to be different, focusing upon consistent excellence in work and on forging strong and long-lasting relationships with clients, suppliers and industry colleagues.

The firm will be the 11th largest law firm by UK turnover with 17 offices, complementary service lines and resources focused around mid-market corporations; high-net-worth individuals; and personal injury work. Thomas Eggar will formally adopt the Irwin Mitchell brand in the first half of 2016. Iwww.thomaseggar.com

Vicky Brackett, Thomas Eggar Managing Partner and Andrew Tucker, Irwin Mitchell Group Chief Executive



Hermès develops limited edition Les Confessions scarf for charity

In support of the French Scholarship Foundation (FSF), a UK-based charity which helps support children in need of financial assistance to continue their education in a bilingual environment, Hermès has developed a limited edition of its Les Confessions (‘The Confessions’) silk twill scarf in a special colouration.

The FSF’s vision is well represented in this playful, spirited and highly original piece designed by Flavia Zorrilla Drago, a student of France’s École Nationale Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, who was the winner of a workshop organised by Hermès in 2013 in association with ENSAD.

The proceeds from the sales will be donated to the FSF in support of the educational programmes within the Collège Francais Bilingue de Londres and the new Lycée International de Londres Winston Churchill. Iwww.hermes.com

BNP Paribas recognised for its diversity & inclusion policies

The Workplace Pride foundation, which recognises employers for their inclusive policies towards all employees, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, has this year ranked BNP Paribas second, with a score of 85.3%, for its inclusive policies to every individual employee.

The annual ranking is based on a survey submitted to major global companies, which takes into account criteria such as inclusive policies, professional networks, training, raising awareness, communication and commitment from both employees and directors.

Vinay Kapoor, Head of Diversity at BNP Paribas UK, earned a spot in The Economist’s Global Diversity List of the top 50 diversity professionals in industry in recognition of his development of the bank’s first Diversity and Inclusion Business Strategy, among other initiatives. I www.bnpparibas.co.uk

Crowe Horwath International named Global Advisory Firm of the YearFor the second year running, Crowe Horwath International, has been named Global Advisory Firm of the Year at the International Accountancy Bulletin (IAB) awards 2015.

Held in Kensington, London, the event brought together UK, Europe and global accounting firm leaders for a day of networking, talks and panel discussions, followed by the awards reception. The award recognises the advisory services that have made an important contribution to the success of clients, and have experienced significant growth.

Last year, the network reported a global growth of 23% in advisory, with its global risk consulting practice the largest contributor to that growth. The practice comprises more than 1,000 partners and professionals around the world and has offices in London and Cheltenham. I www.crowehorwath.net

Hermès special edition of the Les Confessionssilk twill scarf, designed by Flavia Zorilla Drago in

support of the French Scholarship Foundation

Citroën’s City Car credentials recognised at GreenFleet Awards

Citroën has scooped the title of ‘City Car Manufacturer of the Year’ at the GreenFleet Awards 2015. The awards were announced at a gala dinner at Edgbaston Cricket Ground, where Citroën was also shortlisted in the Best LCV Manufacturer and Best Fleet Manufacturer categories.

Having won the same award in 2014, it marks back-to-back triumphs in the category for Citroën, and highlights the continuous efforts made by the French manufacturer to design and engineer cleaner small cars with ultra-low emissions.

‘We are delighted to once again be voted City Car Manufacturer of the Year at the GreenFleet Awards. It is recognition of the work that goes on from our talented team of designers and engineers to produce the most environmentally conscious cars we can for our customers,’ commented Martin Gurney, PSA Peugeot Citroën UK’s Director – Fleet & Used Vehicles. I www.psa-peugeot-citroen.com

The offi cial fuel consumption fi gures in mpg (l/100km) for the All-New Renault Kadjar Dynamique S Nav dCi 110 are: Urban 67.3 (4.2); Extra Urban 74.3 (3.8); Combined 72.4 (3.9). The offi cial CO2 emissions are 103g/km. EUDirective Regulation 692/2008 test environment fi gures. Fuel consumption and CO2 may vary according to driving styles and road conditions and other factors. Model shown is All-New R enault Kadjar Dynamique S Nav dCi 110.

Touchscreen Multimedia System with Satellite NavigationPersonalised Digital DashboardFront and Rear Parking Sensors

To book your test drive, call the Renault Business Hub on 0800 731 7066 today.

All-New

Renault KADJARAwarded What Car? and Auto Express 5-star ratings.A great track record off the beaten track.


BUSINESS WORLD - REPORTS & RESEARCH

BDO Consumer power gives 2015 growth a boost but what about 2016?BDO’s Output Index indicates that UK businesses expect continued robust growth in the latter part of 2015. Strong consumer spending, enabled by rising wages and near-zero inflation, is the driving force behind this. But cracks are emerging in the longer-term outlook. BDO’s Optimism Index suffered a sharp drop to 101.9 this month, down from 103.3. This is a fifth consecutive monthly drop in UK business confidence demonstrating that companies are concerned about their prospects beyond 2015. Manufacturers are particularly concerned, recording their lowest level of confidence – 86.2 – since November 2012. I BDO Business Trends Report - August 2015

Available at: http://www.bdo.co.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/1351876/BDO-Business-Trends-Aug-2015.pdf

HSBC UK parents struggle to send children to university abroad

Two thirds (67%) of UK parents would consider sending their child to university overseas, and more than nine in ten (91%) parents plan to contribute to their children’s tuition fees and/or living costs. However, UK parents fall short of the amount needed to send a child to university abroad by over £34,000, according to new analysis by HSBC.

Parents say an overseas education offers their children the chance to become more knowledgeable about the wider world, learn another language and experience different cultures, but the cost could be prohibitive for many when compared to an education at home in the UK. IThe Value of Education Learning for life report - July 2015

Available at: http://www.about.hsbc.co.uk/news-and-media

KPMG Incumbent telcos must go through their next mutation Today, we spend more time using third-party services such as Twitter, Instagram and WhatsApp than we do on the branded services provided by telcos. However, these multi-billion dollar businesses would not exist were it not for the likes of BT, Vodafone or Telefonica. Their infrastructure sits behind every tweet, photo and internet call. Yet their relevance – in the eyes of the consumer at least – seems to have declined as they focus more on apps and devices, rather than the service provider. So how can traditional telcos remain relevant? Innovation has lowered barriers to entry, allowing disruptors to destroy old business models. IThe £1.65bn Opportunity, Digital Telco Survey -October 2015

Available at: http://www.kpmg.com/UK/en/IssuesAndInsights/ArticlesPublications/Documents/PDF/Market%20Sector/Communications/digital-telco-survey-2015.pdf

This is a selection of research papers and reports on a variety of topics produced by Chamber member companies


How did you come to found your company?I started my career in the oil and LPG gas business but at a certain point, I realised that energy companies couldn’t continue as they were without paying attention to how their customers were using energy. Back in 2003, the assumption was that the more energy you sell, the more money you make, so helping customers consume less energy was counter-intuitive. But my belief was that it was that it was preferable to have satisfied customers, a better customer experience and consequently a longer customer relationship. That changed the way I worked in the energy business.

Being the general manager of an LPG group (Primagaz) myself, I realised how difficult it was for energy companies to get into this change process, the psychology involved, and how important digital technology was in allowing us to do things we could not do before. Putting all these elements together, I decided to create Economie d’Energie in 2008, which aims to help existing as well as new players in the transition to a new energy system. We work with them to find different or improved ways of doing things because they have to take on new roles and missions, whether as a result of regulations, customer expectation or competition. It is very complex for energy companies to do this themselves.

Helping consumers save energy does, of course, have an impact on the rest of the ecosystem. Take the housing sector. Old housing stock consumes six to nine times more energy than a house built in accordance with new building regulations, so people are having to renovate. But now, the people involved – builders, manufacturers, installers, etc. – have to become energy facilitators on top of their traditional jobs. A boiler manufacturer, for example, has to explain to consumers how much energy they will save. This new part of

the equation is very important. Another factor is that in our current stagnant economy,

businesses have to find new levels for growth, whether banks, insurers, supermarkets or DIY retailers, and have begun to realise that organic growth lies in the renovation of what exists.

What does ON5 Company do?ON5 does the same thing as Economie d’Energie in France, but in the rest of Europe. The name comes from ‘working on the 5th element’, which is energy savings and energy efficiency. Our purpose is to work on the 20-30% energy NOT used as this is the only type that does not create any emissions! We all, whether individuals or companies, consume too much energy, and any energy user is potentially an energy saver. So we develop tools and services to support energy players and users, whether individuals, companies or industries, to optimise and reduce their energy consumption.

How do you do that?We offer three different expertise. The first is technical knowledge about energy, energy efficiency and the environment. You cannot talk about energy without talking about CO2 emissions and the impact on the environment. The second is new technologies and Big Data. In the past, an energy company only needed to know basic information about their customers such as address and logistical details for energy delivery, but this kind of data cannot be used to help customers make energy savings, which is where Big Data comes in. 99% of our solutions are based on new technology. We offer over 40 platforms, which are very user friendly, and capture the accurate data that companies need to shift to

MyriaM MaestroniFounder and CEO, Economie d’Energie SAS, Founder & President, Foundation E5T, and CEO, ON5 Company Group

Profile

Founder & CEO of Economie d’Energie in France and its European incarnation ON5, Founder & President of E5T Foundation for innovation in energy and energy efficiency, and Femme en Or de l’environnement 2014, Myriam Maestroni explains what her company does and her plans to enter the UK market


BUSINESS WORLD - PROFILE

their new missions. The third is making complex things simple. We are experts in the energy business but realise it has to be made as clear as possible for consumers who are not. We have developed B-to-B-to-C expertise to work with the customers of our clients, and most of the time we work in this dynamic, acting on behalf of companies to address their customer needs. In France, we are working with over 50 big companies such as Carrefour, Auchan, SNCF and BNPP, operating in their name directly with their customer bases. We have a holistic approach that has taken over 10 years to develop.

What is this approach?There are three levels of energy efficiency that we are engaged in implementing. Energy 1.0 is to do with behaviour, as that is the easiest way to reduce our energy consumption. Energy 2.0 is the promotion of renovation work because if, for example, you do not replace an old boiler or insulate your home, your efforts to save energy will be wasted. Our business is involved in assessing what work has to be done to optimise energy efficiency in buildings, whether residential or tertiary sector, or in industrial processes. The third level has to do with the use of smart technology to reduce costs. This might be monitoring tools or automation that enables you to set your washing machine to work at 2am rather than at peak consumption times, for instance.

Climate change is now a reality for most people. Last year was the warmest year ever. More and more people are concerned, not only by climate change, but also by energy costs. It is urgent and important to save energy but to do that involves a process of knowledge, decision-making and having the tools to support that decision. We are part of that concrete step-by-step process.

What are your plans for the UK?We have been investigating the UK market for a couple of years, trying to understand how the government helps with subsidies and what kind of financing is available. We realised that most of the population is not being addressed properly. 80% can afford to make investments in their homes but

nobody is giving them the information they need. There is a lot of focus on fuel poverty, but our point is that fighting it without preventing it does not make sense. We will have the same approach that we use in the French market, but it is a matter of building trust with companies so that they allow us to deal directly with their customers.

What is the E5T Foundation that you founded?15 years ago, we believed that the 20th century was the century of oil, and the 21st century would be the century of gas. However, in 2010 we realised this was no longer true, and we did not know what was going to happen, so I decided to find a way to monitor the most relevant initiatives popping up in the business so that we would not miss the changes happening in the industry. This became E5T, which focuses on innovations in Energy, Energy Savings and Energy Efficiency for the Energy Transition to a new eco-energy paradigm. We organise a summer university and the most recent event in August had over 66 speakers giving 10 minute talks over two days. It’s a way to observe the transformation process that is pushing us to a new energy paradigm. This is especially important given the focus that COP21 in Paris gave to what can be done in order to contain the warming of our planet. I Interview by KF

MyriaM Maestroni

Myriam with her Femme en Or de l’environnement award

It is urgent and important to save energy but to do that involves a process of knowledge, decision-making and having the tools to support that decision. We are part of that concrete step-by-step process... [In the UK] there is a lot of focus on fuel poverty, but our point is that fighting it without preventing it does not make sense.


BUSINESS WORLD - SME NEWS

Chappuis Halder & Co develops new platfomChappuis Halder & Co, the global consulting firm dedicated to financial services, has developed a new platform to purchase smarter. Called BLISS, it provides tracking, protection, advice and optimisation of online purchases with services that increase contacts and customer knowledge. It enables delivery monitoring, purchase protection through follow-up on return dates, end of warranty, home insurance and best price warranty, advice on future online purchases and collation of coupons and discounts for use when needed. I www.chappuishalder.com

Citizen Press wins the International Content Marketing Awards 2015Three months after its arrival in London, Citizen Press has won an award for the National Centre for Space Studies magazine at the International Content Marketing Awards. Bilingual magazine CNES Mag was nominated among 400 entrants. Judges emphasised the ‘good editorial themes and nice dual format.’ This is the solid proof that aesthetics and information quality are, together, a winning strategy. I www.citizen-press.fr

New range of insurance options at Expat AssureExpat Assure has taken on board the resurgence in demand for long-term protection, and is now offering a wider range of insurance options, which include Income Protection and Life Insurance. Income Protection is still undersold despite a recent study showing that people are up to 26 times more likely to become incapacitated and unable to work for six months than they are to die before the age of 65. In a country where personal protection is the onus of the individual rather than the state, it is important for French expats to think about their protection needs to ensure the financial safety of their loved ones should the worst come to pass. Iwww.expatassure.com

French Touch Properties celebrates its 10th anniversaryFrench Touch Properties has marked its 10th anniversary with an expanded team of 15 and turnover up almost 50% on the previous year, and for the fourth year running.

With demand from French people relocating to London still on the rise, French Touch Properties has also seen strong development in its other

services such as property acquisitions, commercial properties, installation support and school consulting.

To celebrate its first decade in business, two successful events were held in Primrose Hill and Chelsea with clients and friends of the ‘French Touch community’. Iwww.frenchtouchproperties.com

Hudson launches a new online selection tool Hudson, the global talent solutions company, has launched a candidate selection tool, developed by its Research and Development division in Brussels. This innovative online tool which is simple to use, can be accessed anywhere by shortlisted candidates and is flexible in order to meet a company’s recruitment needs for any candidate at any level. Alexis de Bretteville, European CEO for Hudson declared: ‘Having a deeper understanding of the skills, motivations and behaviours of your shortlisted candidates will only add further confidence, assurance and validation to your hiring decision. The cost of a bad hire can run into the hundreds of thousands. Can you afford to stake a year’s salary on a poor hiring decision?’ I www.uk.hudson.com


BUSINESS WORLD - SME NEWS

Merci Maman sparkles by winning Nectar Business Small Business Award

Beating hundreds, Béatrice de Montille, founder of online jewellery boutique Merci Maman, scooped the Entrepreneur of the Year prize at the Nectar Business Small Business Awards 2015. Béatrice was picked out by a top judging panel including star of BBC’s Dragon’s Den, Sarah Willingham. The company offers a contemporary selection of hand-engraved, bespoke jewellery including personalised

necklaces, bracelets, cufflinks and rings. They wowed the judges with their business prowess, market leading strategy, customer testimonials and vision for future business growth. They will walk away with £2,000 and 50,000 Nectar points and will attend an industry round table event with the judging panel and the other five Nectar Business Small Business Award winners. Iwww.mercimamanboutique.com

mycoocoon partners with The Dentist Gallerymycoocoon, the colour consulting agency based on well-being is now present at The Dentist Gallery where the patients immerse themselves in colour with the mycoocoon wall prior to surgical procedures in order to relax. Based on chromotherapy, the theory that every person is drawn to the colour that best balances energy levels and stimulates the senses, the mycoocoon treatment aims to rebalance those leading active lifes, bringing them into perfect harmony with themselves and their environment, thanks to the energy that colours transmit. I www.mycoocoon.com www.thedentistgallery.com

Vabble.co available in English and now in FrenchVabble.co, the digital recruitment solution based on candidates’ real skills, potential and attitude, is expanding its activities with the release of the French version of vabble.co. With an increasing number of French companies in the UK needing high skills and unconventional profiles, combined with the high number of French students looking for international experience, the French version will help companies to match French-speaking talents and use Vabble services for their UK branches.

Vabble has secured new partnerships in France and Belgium with universities, business schools and grandes écoles to help London-based companies to recruit the best talents in various sectors, including marketing, IT, business development, social media management and legal. I www.vabble.co

Parrot unveils its new drone Bebop 2Parrot, the expert and pioneer in consumer drones, has unveiled the Bebop 2, a new generation leisure quadricopter with unbridled performance. Bebop 2 is now the most advanced leisure drone on the market, and for it, Parrot engineers optimised the design of the quadricopter as well as its software and hardware battery components. Its embedded fish-eye camera, digitally stabilised on a 3-axis framework, takes Full HD videos with perfect flow and impressive brightness. I www.parrot.com/uk


EDUCATION - NEWS

EM Normandie enters the FT rankings

EM Normandie has made its first entry on the Financial Times 2015 list of the 80 best worldwide masters in management programmes, ranking 69th with its ‘Grande Ecole’ programme. The school distinguished itself in two specific areas: experience and international student mobility, where it achieved 11th and 36th positions, respectively. The obligation to study at least one semester abroad and to undertake an internship there were factors contributing to this score. This performance, which underlines the strong international focus of the school, is accompanied by another important point: eight out of ten graduates (81%) say that they have achieved their career objectives after three years, a particularly high satisfaction rate in the present economic context. I www.em-normandie.fr

Sciences Po PSIA launches International Forum

The new Dean of the Paris School of International Affairs at Sciences Po, former Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta, is launching a new annual event to further strengthen PSIA’s current position as a hub for public debate. In January 2016, PSIA will host its first International Forum - Leaders and Youth Summit, during which experts, international leaders and top academics will engage in direct dialogue with students. The topic of this first Forum will be ‘What mission for the next United Nations Secretary General?’ Members of the United Nations, Heads of State, Ministers, diplomats and journalists from around the world will gather at Sciences Po to participate in the Forum, set to become a key annual event. I www.sciencespo.frEnrico Letta, Dean of PSIA and former

Italian Prime Minister

4 GREAT REASONS TO RECRUIT AN ESSCA STUDENT OR GRADUATE

1 - High-level management training ending up with a master’s diploma

2 - 3 years of classes in business fundamentals followed by a choice of 19 specialisations in marketing, finance, sales, digital, HR, …

3 - An international curriculum — courses in English and a required minimum 1 semester’s international experience

4 - Internships from the 1st to the 5th year, leading to a quick and successful career kick-off

Log on to see students’ profiles on ESSCA CV Onlineor post an offer for internship or 1st job

CONTACT: [email protected]

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EDUCATION - NEWS

NEOMA Business School alumnus awarded by AACSB

At the annual AACSB conference (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business) in Chicago, Stéphane Roques, who graduated in 1995 from NEOMA Business School Grande Ecole Programme, was named among the world’s 100 most influential leaders in the first ever ‘Influential Leaders Challenge’. The only French national to have been so recognised, Stéphane is Chief Executive of Médecin Sans Frontières France, and was nominated particularly for his sense of innovation, his entrepreneurial spirit and his commitment to improving society. I www.neoma-bs.com

Stéphane Roques

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BERLIN | LONDON | MADRID | PARIS | TURIN | WARSAW

ESCP Europe’s London students reveal their entrepreneurial spiritESCP Europe Business School, London held its Jean-Baptiste Say Entrepreneurship Festival in November: an exhibition of 13 product and service start-up ideas and prototypes created by 43 ‘Smart-up’ Entrepreneurship Society student members, plus a keynote speech and panel discussion. Tony Matharu, Founder/CEO of Grange Hotels, gave an inspiring keynote speech on turning opportunities into successful firms, highlighting business ideas from resolving customer problems.

The overall winner and investor award went to HotStand – quick, low-cost clothes drying using a pop-up tent with fan heater at the base to zip over a clothes horse. The industry expert award went to INNITI, a service collection/delivery service for bicycles when inconvenient to ride them home. The customer award went to Partynizer, an app to collect money from friends to fund a party. The teams succeeded in their aims to unite students, entrepreneurs, investors and potential customers to exchange ideas and learn from each other. I www.escpeurope.eu

4 GREAT REASONS TO RECRUIT AN ESSCA STUDENT OR GRADUATE

1 - High-level management training ending up with a master’s diploma

2 - 3 years of classes in business fundamentals followed by a choice of 19 specialisations in marketing, finance, sales, digital, HR, …

3 - An international curriculum — courses in English and a required minimum 1 semester’s international experience

4 - Internships from the 1st to the 5th year, leading to a quick and successful career kick-off

Log on to see students’ profiles on ESSCA CV Onlineor post an offer for internship or 1st job

CONTACT: [email protected]

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UK retail sales totalled£333 billion in 2014

UK online retail sales totalled £37 billion in 2014

Retail accounts for 20% of UK GDP

4.4 million employees in the retail industry – it is the largest private sector employer in the UK

Retail pays£27.5 billion tax per year

Retail pays £8 billion per year in business rates

Retailers purchase £220 billion worth of goods, supporting £55 billion from other sectors

The retail industry represents 14% of all UK non-financial sector investment

Source: British Retail Consortium and Office of National Statistics

Retailin the age of

disRuption


It was purportedly Napoleon who dismissed the English as ‘a nation of shopkeepers’. Whether or not

he said it, it is true that retail is a very important component of the UK economy, as the largest private

sector employer, accounting for 20% of GDP, and turning over billions in sales –£333 billion in 2014.

There was a time when e-commerce was seen as the future of retail, and the demise of the high

street was predicted – prematurely as it turns out. Certainly online sales have grown exponentially,

but still only accounts for around 11% of total sales, which means bricks and mortar remain significant. The

challenge for retailers is to be present wherever their customers want to shop – whether

in store, online, or on their mobiles. Some call it omni-channel, but to others, it is just the

reality of what retail is today. What is important is that, wherever the customer shops,

the experience is the best that it can be: ‘user experience’ has become the holy grail

of retail.

Retail has certainly been at the forefront of digital disruption, with technology in the

last decade bringing unprecedented changes in how, where and when we shop. Yet retail

has been slow on the uptake, according to Jonathan Chippindale, CEO of innovation

agency Holition. Inherently risk averse, retail has balked at taking leaps into the unknown;

without the safety net of past sales figures, many big brands view innovation as something

they cannot afford. But change it has had to, because technology has put the consumer

at the centre of the retail universe, around whom everything must now revolve.

This fundamental shift in the balance of power has meant the relationship between

brand and consumer is different – it is more of a dialogue and an engagement, largely

carried out through the ever-increasing channels of social media. And it is a developing

relationship: where once social media was perhaps seen as a battle ground where brands

would wade in for damage control, now it is increasingly viewed as a valuable resource for

getting to know the customer, around which knowledge, strategy is being evolved.

But it is not just social media that provides the information that retailers need. The

proliferation of internet and mobile shopping is producing big data on an unprecedented

scale. Sorting and analysing it has become an industry in itself, with the ultimate goal of recreating that

intuitive rapport between customer and sales person, albeit online. This is the new territory of predictive

intelligence, which will take personalisation as far as possible, potentially even a different, customised

website for every customer visiting a brand.

Given the pace of change in retail, no one can reliably predict its future, but there is a certain irony in

the fact that in many ways, technology is striving to reproduce a perfect version of the past – the village

shop, where the shopkeeper greets you by name, knows what your usual list is, offers you something he

knows your children will like, asks if you need something for your impending holiday, and assures you he

will have it delivered at your convenience when he knows you will be back from your outing. Only now it’s

all at your fingertips, with the press of a button. I KF

focus


In recent years, the UK has seen varying economic conditions. In 2015, for the first time since the economic crisis, the future

looks relatively positive: consumers have more disposable income, enjoying the lowest interest rates in a very long time and are feeling more confident as a result.

Inflation has also played a role in boosting consumer confidence with prices dropping in many parts of the economy. The price of crude oil has halved, meaning cheaper petrol, utilities and, through the supply chain, cut-price products and services.

However the UK retail sector remains a very competitive market where it is not easy to win with savvy shoppers always demanding more and where fundamental structural changes are taking place. Indeed, many disruptive forces are pushing margins down for traditional retailers such as the growth of online or the price pressures imposed by the discounters.

Still a nation of shopkeepersWhether the UK being ‘a nation of shopkeepers’ is an expression that can be attributed to Napoleon or not, there is no doubt that shopping in the UK is still a national sport. In 2014, the retail sector contributed £180 billion to the UK’s economic output, representing 11% of the total. There are 4.4 million people working in retail or 16% of the total UK workforce and the retail

sector constitutes 10% of all businesses and 9% of all FTSE 100 companies.1

In terms of performance, the long-term retail sales picture shows some interesting patterns. Generally, the value and volume of retail sale are expected to be consistent with one another, with the total value and volume of retail sales increasing at the same time. Yet following the economic slowdown in 2008, these trends began to diverge. With high inflation, value grew faster than volume between 2010 and 2011. During 2012, as inflation fell, the patterns converged again to only diverge again in late 2014. But over the last year, the increase in volume has been greater than the increase in value. Much of this weakness in prices has been driven by lower costs, with falls in oil prices, commodity prices and a stronger pound (see Figure 1).

A strong performance shared across all sectors?In the last 12 months, the overall picture of retail spending has been fairly strong and is backed up by robust fundamentals including strong real wage growth and historically high consumer confidence driving spending growth. According to our recent Deloitte Consumer Tracker, UK consumers are shrugging off the financial turmoil, with consumer confidence back to a record high in Q3 2015. Consumer confidence rose by two percentage points

Céline Fenech, Deloitte Consumer Business Insight Manager and Ben Perkins, Deloitte Consumer Business Insight Lead provide an overview of the retail sector in the UK, its value to the economy and the four dimensions that are driving unprecedented change

The changing face of retail in the UK

1. Source:Output:OfficeofNationalStatistics(ONS),Quarterlynationalaccounts;Employment:ONS,BusinessRegisterandEmploymentSurvey;Businesses:BIS, Businesspopulationestimates2.NavigatingtheNewDigitalDivide,Deloitte,July2015.Seealso www2.deloitte.com/uk/en/pages/consumer-business/articles/navigating-the-new-digital-divide.html

Figure 1. Value and volume of retail sales, UKThree month periods, % change on previous year, seasonally adjusted

Figure 2. FTSE 100 Index vs. Deloitte Consumer Confidence Index

Source: Office for National Statistics (ONS)/Deloitte analysis Source: Thomson Datastream/Deloitte Consumer Tracker

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D elo it t e C ons um er C onf idenc e index F TS E 100 - P ric e index


FOCUS - retail in the age OF diSrUptiOn

returning to a four-year high during the same period that saw the FTSE 100 index fall by 700 points (see Figure 2).

The falling cost of many essentials has enabled consumers to spend more on discretionary items. This would normally be good news for the retail sector, however much of the increase in spending is going on big-ticket experiences and products such as holidays, furniture and household appliances, perhaps to the detriment of the more affordable treats. Indeed, the core leisure category continues to see good growth, with spending in areas such as eating out and going out increasing in the third quarter. As a result, many food and clothing retailers are not experiencing the level of growth they should expect given the rise in real incomes (see Figure 3).

While this is good news for consumers who are getting more for their money, it is putting a lot of pressure on retailers’ margins. Some sectors have been more affected compared to others. The grocery sector in particular has been hit by a combination of cyclical and structural pressures. On the one hand, the sector imported deflation due to falling commodity prices. On the other hand, grocery retailers have been hit by commercial pressure on their gross margin level from discounters, and volume pressures as consumers focus on reducing home food waste and are eating out more. As a result, the food sector is expected to grow at a slower rate in the next five years compared with the wider UK retail sector (see Figure 4, over).

The four dimensions driving change in the retail sectorIn our view, there are four key dimensions driving fundamental change in UK retail today.

The digital acceleration The online sector continues its relentless growth as it outperforms

the rest of the retail sector (see Figure 5, over). Technology has played its part in supporting the growth with the ubiquity of the mobile phone, making shopping faster and more convenient, as goods are delivered directly to the consumer’s home. The role of mobile devices in integrating the online and offline worlds will continue to grow as it becomes a transactional device with the rise of mobile payments. According to research by Deloitte, digital activities also play a role in 28% of all in-store purchases, and by the end of 2015 they will have influenced £170 billion of sales.2 The growth of all things digital has also facilitated the collection of more data about consumer behaviours, creating new opportunities to engage and build loyalty with consumers. On the downside, it has also seen the arrival of new competition for the sector’s established businesses. One thing is certain, online is here to stay and will continue to transform the consumer’s shopping journey.

The rise of the discountersAs mentioned previously, there is a structural change happening in UK food retailing. While they have been in the UK for a while, the rapid expansion of the European discounters Aldi and Lidl has challenged the larger grocery retailers (see Figure 5). The grocery sector is being rebuilt along entirely new pricing and range metrics focusing on price-aware shoppers. Success in the sector will be about proximity and simplicity as well as price.

A data driven sector More and more of businesses’ assets are in a digital format. These include, for example, the back office data such as the data exchanged between retailers and their suppliers or the front office data such as consumers’ shopping and personal information. Analytics capabilities are playing a key role in all aspects of the business, whether it is in improving operating

Figure 3. Consumer spending behaviours

Source: Deloitte Consumer Tracker - Base UK consumers (n=3,000)


efficiency, helping with markdowns and pricing strategies, or in shedding light on consumers like never before, driving the personalisation of their interaction with the businesses serving them. However it also means there is a larger digital perimeter to secure. In recent years, data held by businesses has become increasingly attractive to cyber criminals who have developed the tools to access it more easily. With businesses becoming more and more dependent on data to manage their operations, the risks of cyber crime can only get greater.3

The challenge of the last mile deliveryTechnology has not only brought more immediacy and proximity to the shopping process, it has also compelled retailers to review their delivery capabilities. Consumers’ rapid adoption of digital technologies has transformed the path to purchase, and in the process, how consumers want their products delivered. Empowered to buy what they want, when they want it, consumers are now expecting to access the product as rapidly and as conveniently as possible, making fulfilment a key battleground. Retailers that respond by offering convenient and more immediate pick-up and delivery services are likely to attract more consumers. The challenge is that delivery requirements might differ based on the type of product bought and how the consumer wants it delivered. From a supply chain perspective, this has led to retailers extending their delivery and fulfilment propositions to meet individual consumer expectations while trying to manage the risk of reversing previous scale efficiencies.

Winning in today’s retail environmentRetailers are facing huge challenges as they attempt to adapt

their business models, stores, systems and practices to this new retail environment. They need to take decisive actions to relieve the pressures on their top line and enhance their profitability. This will, in turn, enable them to emerge in a stronger financial position and make the right investments required for long-term value creation. In our view, there are three key characteristics to win in today’s retail environment: AgileDevelop the capabilities to respond rapidly to changes in the market and consumer behaviour. These might include the ability to invest in and develop new locations, new business models and technologies required to drive efficiencies. PersonalEmpowered by social networks and their digital devices, consumers are increasingly dictating what they want, when and where they want it. They have become both critics and creators, demanding a more personalised service and expecting to be given the opportunity to shape the products and services they consume. In the future, businesses that do not incorporate an element of personalisation into their offering risk losing revenue and customer loyalty. Businesses that embrace personalisation have an opportunity to create a differentiated proposition that may command a price premium, and improve consumer traffic and conversion.4 Stable & SecureIn an increasingly volatile marketplace, the need to have stable and secure operations has never been greater. To win, retailers will need to develop the capabilities to anticipate peak periods, protect their consumers’ data and privacy, and invest in data analytics to optimise their operations efficiencies. I

Figure 4. The size of the UK retail market Figure 5. Sector performance – winners & losers

3. TheDeloitteConsumerReviewConsumerdataunderattack:Thegrowingthreatofcybercrime,Deloitte,November2015.Seealsowww2.deloitte.com/uk/en/pages consumer-business/articles/consumer-data-under-attack.html4. TheDeloitteConsumerReview,Made-to-order:Theriseofmasspersonalisation,July2015–Seealso:www2.deloitte.com/uk/en/pages/consumer-business/articles/made to-order-the-rise-of-mass-personalisation.html

Source: ONS/Deloitte analysis Source: Planet Retail/Deloitte analysis



What is the role of the British Retail Consortium? Our mission is to make a positive difference to

the retail industry and the customers it serves. The BRC’s membership is open to all UK retailers, be they bricks and mortar, online or a mixture of both. We are the authoritative voice of the UK retail industry to policy makers and the media, and campaign to promote retailers’ interests. We also look to improve the perceptions of retailing in the UK and advise retailers of threats and opportunities to their business. Retail is one of the UK’s success stories, but currently faces a challenging trading and regulatory environment. The BRC’s aim is to bring about policy and regulatory changes that will ensure retailers can maintain their outstanding record on job creation, consumer choice and product innovation.

The Retail sector is often used as a barometer of the UK economy – what is its state of health at the moment? In the run up to Christmas, retail sales have been healthy with online retail sales experiencing particularly strong growth. We spend approximately £1 in every £5 on non-food items online and retailers have worked hard in recent years on their websites, including personalising experiences, to keep customers interested. Shop prices in November marked the 31st consecutive month of deflation for both food and non-food goods. This continued deflationary environment has been fuelled by low oil prices, a slowdown in demand from emerging markets, a strong pound and discounting on non-food items. In October 2015, the UK town centre vacancy rate was at 9.1% which is the lowest on record since our monitor started in July 2011. Footfall decreased in high streets and shopping centres but grew by 2.9% for retail parks. Healthy overall footfall growth in retail destinations was also recorded in southern England, the East Midlands, Wales and Northern Ireland.

What are the most significant policy and regulatory changes the retail sector is calling for? The retail industry will have to find an extra £14.2 billion over the next five years to fund the introduction of the National Living Wage, apprenticeship levy and increasing burden of business rates.

The BRC has been a prominent leader in the campaign to fundamentally reform the structure of business rates. The rates heavily penalise property intensive industries of which

the retail industry is one. The retail industry is, in fact, the largest contributor to business rates in the UK. With over 60% of leases up for renewal by 2017, retailers of all sizes will have to decide whether to close down unprofitable stores. If these leases are not renewed, the BRC estimates there will be 80,000 fewer shops on our high streets and town centres (or approximately 800,000 fewer jobs). That would have a dramatic impact on the look and feel of the local high street and town centre.

We risk seeing ever greater numbers of store closures unless the Government acts urgently. It can do so by putting in place both short-term deliverables, such as more regular revaluations and freezing the annual uplift, and delivering fundamental reform, beginning with its vision and roadmap for business taxation. We look forward to the publishing of the business rates review in March 2016.

How great an impact will the new National Living Wage have on retailers? Retailers are looking closely at the new proposals, their current pay structures and assessing the impact alongside other tax changes. Many retailers have already announced their plans which in some cases will see pay increases above the recommended NLW amount for February next year. The challenge for all of them will be hitting £9 per hour by 2020; but the greater problem is that without a reformed business rates system, retail is on course to pay the National Living Wage, but to fewer people in the industry.

Retail has been one of the sectors most disrupted by the digital revolution. What do you consider the greatest challenges and opportunities ahead for retail? The inevitable move to multichannel retailing presents a steep learning curve for retailers, with real costs as well as enormous benefits. What works in a purely online environment does not necessarily transfer seamlessly to store-based retail. Awareness of the possibilities and limitations of digital technology as a driver of shopping habits and behaviours is crucial. Different formats need to be treated as distinct environments where the retailers curate their spaces, carefully select the best products and manage service experiences. IInterview by KF

Interview

Helen DicKinsonDirector General, British Retail Consortium


Augmented retail solutions’ is Holition’s tagline. What does this mean?

The four of us who set up the company were all retailers who were incredibly frustrated by the lack of digital desire in the luxury brands we were working for. At that time, around eight years ago, it was the Ice Age digitally! Many of our clients did not even have a website. We did not want to build a solution and then go looking for the problem it could solve, which in retail means hitting it into a client whether it is right for them or not. The notion of ‘augmented retail’ was a reminder to ourselves of where we came from and what our focus was, but also that we were looking at retail in a slightly different way. Our mindset has been ‘What is the next innovation?’. It is not about sweeping up the technology that we build and turning it into big scale applications. Rather it is about grabbing a customer’s attention and then pushing them towards somebody else’s technology product – online or in store. It is about surprising people, and educating them in some ways too.

How have you helped bring deeply conservative luxury brands into the digital age? It isn’t easy. Digital was distrusted because it was not understood – a potential threat that would democratise luxury. With our experience in luxury retail, we understood the problems, the opportunities and their fear and uncertainty, so we were able to hold hands and walk towards their projects together.

One of our first clients, a major luxury brand, told us that until someone could prove to them that the Internet would still be around in three years’ time, they would not be doing anything digital. Others believed that people who looked at websites did not have the spending power to be luxury clients. Another luxury client told us that it was impossible to describe 150 years of heritage, craftsmanship and quality on a 2.5-inch screen, and insisted they could only deliver the best possible service in their showroom. What they were not able to see at that point was that digital has completely changed the relationship between the brand and the consumer.

A luxury brand – any retailer – doesn’t want to take a risk. The amount of times we’ve created something brand new and had a chat to a retailer who’s said ‘It’s great, but how many more lipsticks or pairs of shoes will it sell?’ Innovation is the giant leap forward but it does carry an element of risk. It has never been done before; there’s no data to support it.

Retail was one of the first sectors to be disrupted by digital – has it led the way? Definitely not. Everything has been disrupted. Technology is absolutely everywhere and in some ways retail has been rather slow to take it on.

Pre digital, brands were talking at consumers. They created brand worlds and lifestyles, and invited consumers to partake of it, on their terms, telling consumers what to wear, how to wear it, when to wear it. Digital has allowed a two-way conversation. Brands now have to listen as well as talk. This is the biggest change that digital disruption has brought about. It doesn’t matter if a brand comes out with an amazing product and advertises it as being the must-have item of the next season. If the background noise on social media and in people’s networks says otherwise, that brand will struggle.

The new unknown is the consumer. Consumers are a massive part of this in a way that they were never before, and not only because of the comments they can make on social media. Brands are finding that consumers don’t automatically follow them on social media, rather, consumers will go wherever they want to and brands are having to predict where that is and follow them.

I spent the first 15 years of my career being told what luxury was all about by older and wiser people. You had to have existed in luxury all your life to understand it. You were taught about the science of luxury advertising: you photographed your product in a certain way, put your logos there and used readership figures to demonstrate that a certain magazine was the right place to advertise. Digital has completely changed that. The right mix of tools that digital marketers will use in the future has not even been invented, let alone understood.

Interview

JonATHAncHippinDAleCEO of Holition

With a background in luxury retail and an innovative mindset, Jonathan Chippindale casts a visionary perspective on what could play a role in the future of retail



What is your take on omni-channel? Personally, I can’t stand the word omni-channel. It is the three channels of retail – in-store, online and mobile. Omni-channel is retail, just like digital strategy is strategy. There is no need to use the word ‘digital’.

Luxury brands used to say that stores are where high-net-worth individuals shop because they want to chat to somebody, have a glass of Champagne and shake the hand of the salesman, the geeks go online, and mobile, that’s just children. Brands have now realised that actually it is the same customer dropping in and out of those channels almost continuously, depending on how they are feeling, where they are, what their need is, what product they are looking for. Justin Cooke, former CMO at Topshop and Burberry, used to call it an ‘infinite loop’. He was one of the first to have the idea of getting the consumer more involved.

He did a fashion show called Topshop Unique, which was one of the first to be live-streamed on Facebook with over 550 million impressions. You could take photographs and buy the fashion from the catwalk. That fashion show was viewed in 130 countries, including China, where Topshop had been trying to break into for ages. They’d opened stores there that had never worked, but now, through digital, they had a footprint in China and realised how you could reach into these disparate markets without the old-fashioned way of putting a shop in.

Where do you see retail going? If you ask anyone what is the future of retail and they give you an answer, you should just laugh and say nonsense! No one has been able to express a coherent view of what the future of retail is – it is changing too rapidly. It will settle down, but it is going to take time and we are not there yet.

However, there are a couple of areas that will play a role in retail of the future. The most important is User Experience (UX). We call it digital anthropology. The best way to think about it is human-to-technology relationships.

Many brands believe correctly that digital is a very powerful way to talk to customers, and therefore do a lot of technology, whether online, in an app or in store. But I see a lot of instances where technology actually puts up a barrier. The apps on your smart phone don’t come with an instruction manual; you play with them and learn by making mistakes. I think it is a very big ask to expect a shopper to go through that same process in a physical store. Nobody wants to look like an idiot in front of their fellow shoppers. But retailers think omni-channel means blurring the lines, so it all feels like the same thing, and put their websites on big screens in store. But if nobody ever uses it, what is the point? You have to understand exactly what the benefit is of using technology in store, and how to get that benefit from a very simple user interface. It may be modern and digital, but is it better?

Secondly, technology has to be at least as good as real shopping. You get virtual fitting rooms and things like that, but if the technology is not good enough to equal the real

experience, what is the point? It should be built by consumers or retailers, people who understand that point of interaction, rather than technologists.

In luxury, people used to talk about the last two yards, which is the counter between the sales person and the customer. Everything that the brand did was geared up towards closing that distance between the sales person and the consumer. Technology should all be about that final little bit in front of the consumer, but there is a danger that much of it is about marketing directors showing their CEOs what a cool company they are, or PR saying they can get coverage on that. But does it work? Is it good? Does it make people look beautiful? If it doesn’t, don’t use it!

I am against the whole notion of screens in store. If a store is covered in screens there is no unique feel to it. Screens don’t equal innovation. If you walk into a store and are handed an iPad you will be looking down at a screen rather than up at a beautiful interior which the brand has spent hundreds of thousands of pounds on, filled with their products. Technology cannot get in the way of the relationship with the physicality of the store. It has to support it.

Thirdly, we are doing work around predictive intelligence. Big data is providing opportunities for marketing people to look at everyone as individuals, to understand each customer’s needs and wants, not because they have filled in a form, but because big data derived from smart phones can make assumptions about the brands they like, their social media, their behaviour, where they live and travel, and then come up with a selection that’s right for each person.

You don’t think any brands are particularly innovative, so what would you consider innovative? None of our clients are particularly innovative, but that is not a bad thing, it is just that big brands cannot afford risk.

Last year we did a piece for the British Fashion Council, which is clothing that scans your brain and changes colour and pattern according to your mood and emotion. That is a thought leadership idea.

We did another project for Lyst.com, a UK fashion tech start-up, which doesn’t have its own products, but is a portal for brands. You look at products and buy them on the Lyst site but the brand fulfils it. For an anniversary party they wanted something to communicate the success, power and scale they had achieved. There are 30,000 items being updated and changed every second on their website – products going on and off, stock management, etc. We captured and digitalised that in real time as a piece of big data art. Suddenly Lyst realised that what they had was a view of trend – which brands, colours and price points were moving. Now they are aggregating these billions of bits of data and selling it back to brands as trend information. They believe that big data will be more financially viable for them than the fashion, so it has completely transformed the way that they view their business and made it infinitely more profitable. I Interview by KF


FOCUS - the digital iMper atiVe

THe RegenT sTReeT Retail evolution

In an industry which has many opinions, strategies, trends and challenges, it seems that ‘Retail’ and consumer demand has

changed dramatically over the past 10 years or so. Whilst I would agree that technology has driven a more ‘multi-

layered’ level of consumer demand and definitely more touch points, in the main I believe the same basic principles of retailing are as relevant today as they have ever been. For instance, innovation has always been a huge influence in successful retailing, as has the ability to offer quality products and service whilst developing a greater understanding of consumer needs. The key difference now is we simply have more efficient ‘tools’ to utilise information and engage consumers.

The emergence of 24/7 online shopping has obviously been driven by demand, but is not to the detriment of traditional retailing, indeed the ‘bricks-and-mortar’ retail environment has never been more important. Flagships, stores and boutiques are all information hubs that build and develop long term loyalty, relationships and inspiration. They are often the first interaction a consumer has with the brand and set the ‘benchmark of expectation’.

On this point, within London we enjoy the added benefit of having a truly cosmopolitan consumer base, who have high brand and international awareness, are influenced by social media, endorsements, quality, culture and also in many instances exchange rates! They also have an unquenchable desire for a high level of authentic brand engagement and experience.

To meet this demand, the relationship between retailer and landlord has never been more crucial and on this point

I would like to highlight Regent Street as a great example of this evolution of relationship. As General Manager of Longchamp UK and President of the Regent Street Association, I have first-hand experience of how the street has progressed from a position in recent history of a thoroughfare from Oxford Circus to Piccadilly, with an unbalanced mix of stores to what is now a ‘world-class visitor destination’ with an envious array of retailers and restaurants.

The transformation of the street commenced over 10

years ago and was built around a strategy of creating a distinctive, quality retail destination. This was underpinned by strong retail values of quality, heritage, style and success… In brief, the majority landlord (The Crown Estate) very cleverly identified the benefit of implementing a sustainable long-term plan to ensure a more qualitative brand assortment. In terms of numbers, since 2002, over 80 new retailers have entered the street. However, the most significant aspect of this has been the consistent strategy throughout that has remained true to the initial vision presented by David Shaw, Head of the Regent Street Portfolio, and his team. The development obviously did not come cheaply, however given that the value of the street is now over £4.1 billion, the initial £1 billion invested by The Crown Estate has certainly given a good return!

Another aspect of this development that has benefited the retailers was the emergence of New West End Company, which has supported the management and marketing services, and the work undertaken by Annie Walker and her Regent Street Association team in terms of events and retailer engagement. The combined understanding of respective challenges has resulted in a 360-degree approach to servicing the customer, creating novelty, uniqueness, maintaining quality and developing a retail environment that continues to grow from strength to strength.

Admittedly Regent Street has always had the advantage of its beautiful architecture and is recorded as the world’s first ‘shopping street’, so it is only fitting that it finds itself building on its ‘pioneering roots’ and continuing its commitment to quality retailing. I

Despite the disruptions of technology, the fundamentals of retail have not changed, and London’s Regent Street is a great example of this, as Paul Lorraine, General Manager of Longchamp UK and President of the Regent Street Association explains



There are now over 200 outlet centres across Europe with nearly a fifth of

them located in the UK, where they have established themselves over the last 22 years as a bona fide retail format. Covering both luxury and mass market positions, outlet shopping destinations have never been more popular, so it seems an opportune moment to examine their DNA and factors which explain why they have been able to fend off online competition from clearance sites such as Ebay and offer genuine alternatives to high street, city centre and regional megamall shopping centres.

To begin with basics, an outlet store is defined as one which continually offers reduced price branded merchandise and whilst pioneer operators would agglomerate and fill their shelves with unsold lines from their full price stores, the product mix offered now has developed to encompass a far more sophisticated approach. Early outlet stores would appear compromised and rather unloved with disparate ranges and poor choice of sizes which would actually be a source of frustration to the consumer. Modern retailers now produce ranges specifically for their outlet stores – thus giving shoppers an opportunity to purchase goods made to a price.

This illustrates a key component of a trip to an outlet centre – they give shoppers an opportunity to buy from and into a brand that they might not normally as it is out of reach. Outlets stretch spending power and in the process, make luxury more accessible and affordable by virtue of a permanent discount of up to 60% against the RRP (Recommended Retail Price). Aspiration combined with value for money is therefore a powerful

formula and key driver in making outlet shopping popular. From the brands’ point of view, it is imperative that the aspiration is preserved and that an outlet store is no longer seen as a sorry excuse but a strong and confident expression of its values, encompassing shopfitting and customer service, albeit at a different price point.

Certain other developments in the retail landscape have provided a following wind to this trend as the pursuit

of value has become far more socially acceptable in post-recession Britain and beyond. The arrival and expansion of fast fashion with retailers such as Primark selling clothes at throwaway prices has allowed fashionistas to be clever and create outfits from polar opposites of the market – a trend typified by the term ‘Primani’. Further disruptive forces in the UK’s grocery sector by new entrants such as Aldi and Lidl have only served to magnify this phenomenon and integrate the art of being prudent and seeking value as thoroughly acceptable and part of everyday life, just as so many people now redeem vouchers when eating out.

Aside from consumers subliminally processing the logic of price, there are other emotive forces at play in outlet centres leveraging themselves into

people’s favour – the power of and penchant for experience. A well-kept secret in the retail sector is that when really pressed, there are few people that universally enjoy the art and act of shopping. There just are too many pinch points that stand to impair the enjoyment from queuing to find a space in the car park to dealing with the stresses and strains of changing rooms, insufficient staff at tills, screaming children and overbearing air-conditioning creating

extremes of temperature, all within central locations with exceptionally high footfall.

Outlet centres tend to occupy out of town locations which afford them a sense of space and sanctuary. As oases of calm, the atmosphere at outlets is a de-stressed one, where shoppers can browse and peruse to their heart’s content and the difference to city centres is palpable. The experience is a family friendly

one too, particularly when the appeal is reinforced by brands which sell children’s clothing and chocolate.

The modern, experience-hungry shopper has increasingly high expectations and outlets are now so much more than delivering just shopping as they have morphed into hybrids of leisure attractions with cinemas and restaurants broadening their appeal and dwell time.

Nowhere is this trend better illustrated than at Quintain’s London Designer Outlet, located in the shadow of Wembley Stadium. LDO, as it is referred to, has 20 restaurants, 50 stores and a state-of-the-art 9-screen cinema. Footfall is currently at 6 million per annum, propelling the centre to be the fifth best in Europe just two years after opening. I

Tapping into the trends of aspiration, value for money and consumer experience, retail outlet centres have flourished while many a high street has languished. Angus Fyfe, Asset Management Director at Realm Ltd explains their enduring appeal

oUTleT cenTRes of attRaction


Armorial was founded in Paris in 1890 as a master

engraver specialising in bespoke stationery. It has

always employed craftsmen skilled in the finest techniques

of artisan printing. Given its heritage, customised

products and in-house craftsmanship, Armorial occupies

a niche position in the retail spectrum.

Being such a niche retailer does, however, pose

some challenges when it comes to operating in

different markets. In Armorial’s case, it opened its

first boutique outside Paris in London 15 months

ago, but rather than just replicating the Paris

boutique it has made some allowances for local

cultural differences. However, the very focus of

its business is on customisation so being able to

adapt to specific requests is second nature.

Armorial’s consultants have learnt to listen to

clients and to work closely with them to help

them define and realise what they want.

What is more challenging for a brand

like Armorial which is all about the personal

experience and the physical product, is how

to grasp the opportunity of the Internet. An

online presence has clearly become mandatory

with many clients doing a lot of research online

before even visiting the boutique and some

ordering online without ever having stepped

into the shop. In order to strike a balance between having

an informative website and not compromising the very

personal nature of its offering, Armorial is launching an

online boutique for its off-the-shelf heritage products.

However, it has stopped short of offering any bespoke

services online because it strongly believes that this can

only be delivered with a face-to-face consultation.

For any small luxury brand, the keys to success in new

markets are universal: full research of the relevant market,

an analysis of local shopping habits, an understanding of

local customer behaviour, and location. Moreover, in an

ever-evolving multicultural society such as London, the

ability to change and react with agility is paramount, but

a strong story to tell and a proven heritage go a long way

too! I

Laetitia Vielvoye, Operations Manager France and UK, Armorial Paris www.armorial.co.uk T: +44 020 7409 1325

armorial paris: How a niche brand goes online without losing the personal touch



Over much of the past decade, the luxury goods sector has been propelled forward, sailing under powerful tail-winds.

This has mainly been driven by the extraordinary rise of the Chinese consumer (domestically and internationally), but has also been supplemented by the increased ‘reach’ that the digital channel offers, together with the general economic recovery since the Global Financial Crisis – notably among high income earners (HIEs) and high-net-worth consumers (HNWs).

The UK, and London in particular, is one of the world’s largest and most important fashion and luxury markets. I say ‘important’ with some care. Important because London is a fashion leader, a cultural megalith, a financial centre, and – increasingly vital these days – has one of the most digitally advanced consumer groups in the western world. Crucially, however, it is the relatively high proportion of international spenders which makes our luxury market special. Over half of the UK’s luxury spend is from the inbound tourist, versus, for example, around 10% in Japan, which is a far more domestically driven market. Coupled with a fairly high expat rate, our luxury consumer set is hugely cosmopolitan – even more so than New York, Paris, or Hong Kong.

But the winds of change are blowing across the good ship Luxuria Britannia – with a significant risk that head-winds are on the horizon. For example, the astonishing rate of Chinese contribution to luxury growth has cooled, and will not return to the heights of the past decade. Furthermore, the Sterling is likely to strengthen further against the Euro, continuing to put pressure on the UK’s competitive position. This tends to manifest most heavily in price arbitrage – and looking at the Deloitte Global Luxury Pricing Database, this shows a meaningful (and widening) gap in average country price points between European markets and the UK – in key categories, such as apparel and leather goods. Thirdly, the long-lasting low oil price environment has effectively shredded the Russian demand for the time being. And lastly, as digital lowers the barriers to entry in the luxury market, new brands can more easily take wallet share than they could a few years ago. Thus, a more

fragmented market means it will be more challenging for existing brands to hold on to existing customers (and win new ones).

How should French luxury brands operating in the UK respond?Notwithstanding these challenges, I believe there are several areas of opportunity for French luxury brands operating in the UK.

The first of these is the transit channel. It is an unloved jewel in the ‘crown of channels’ (with the online

gem now shining the brightest). However, with some sensible stakeholder

engagement with airports and airlines, together with some

innovative thinking, the somewhat tired experience

currently on offer in many transit channels – notably airports – could be greatly enhanced to deliver superior financial returns, shopping experiences, and brand love with consumers.

There is also the opportunity to target specific

cohorts of consumers in a different way – using deeper

analytics to drive more powerful insights into who these consumers are,

and when and why they will spend. A few examples could be the huge population of Chinese

students in higher education in the UK (100,000 vs 40,000 in France) – can we build a repeating ‘tradition’ rather than a ‘trade’? The continued flow of inbound American tourists (whose economic strength and spending power is still unparalleled) – how can we attract them to spend on luxury? The expat community in London – let’s make them feel loved by giving them a slice of French luxury? Not to mention there is a market that some people forget exists outside Zone 1 – or, dare I say it, the M25?

The fashion and luxury market is a special and historical one. But despite this (or perhaps because of it) the need to innovate, and to continually improve and delight, is paramount. Of all the great partnerships the UK market has, the link with France is perhaps the deepest – certainly the longest. Leveraging that shared history to drive growth in the luxury sector is not just a possibility, it’s an exciting prospect. I

Nick Pope, Fashion and Luxury Lead at Deloitte UK, notes the winds of change and charts potential new directions in the luxury retail universe

trends, challenges and opportunities in UK luxury retail


For the first time in my digital life, in order to avoid the Black Friday crowds, I consciously opted to do my holiday shopping

online on Cyber Monday. The episode paid big dividends: I finished in about the same

time as it would have taken me to drive to the mall and park my car, I skipped the crush of people and lengthy queues, and I didn’t find myself lost in a far corner of the store trying to figure out where they keep flannel pyjamas – a biannual gift for my father. But I expected as much.

What I didn’t expect was how easy I found it to stick to my list and my budget: I had set out to buy 11 gifts and finished having purchased exactly 11! Moreover, I landed £50 under my allocated budget. This has been a year unlike any other and I’m forever changed – I’ll never go back to the old way of doing things.

Of course, my windfall of time, convenience and value came at the expense of retailers’ ability to market to me and as such, their top and bottom lines. Holiday carols, synthetic pine fragrance, Santa, samples, signs and big sales have always been my weakness. Plied with nostalgia and a snowballing sense of urgency, retailers have always had their way with me. But now, insulated from them by the structure and discipline of online shopping, I am finally ‘in control’.

I’m not alone. In-store sales in the US were down on Black Friday, in part due to the fact that retailers took the unprecedented step of opening on Thursday – Thanksgiving holiday – and in part due to migration toward on-line shopping.

Many retailers see the shift towards online and omni-channel shopping as a potential boon to them given the belief that over time it will reduce a variety of operating expenses. In reality, their failure to master merchandising in the digital realm has the potential to actually undermine them by catalysing an inversion of the seller-buyer relationship as shoppers find it increasingly easier to ignore overtures and offers.

Consumers are quickly awakening to their increasing power – dispassionately meting out their demands thus enticing retailers to more aggressively compete for their pounds and shillings. Once a shopper decides to login rather than walk in, merchants’ opportunities to sell sharply decline. They have a limited opportunity to push and promote merchandise on the landing page. Then, once the shopper begins searching by keyword or clicking through the cascading list of departments, categories, and items while filtering for brand, colour and size, their opportunity to influence the sale further reduces to a couple of suggestions

on the margins of the screen, or a reference at checkout. Said differently, the medium itself encourages shopper

myopia: a shopper sitting in front of a browser sees a handful of items, a navigation bar and a keyword search facility. The latter two are engineered to provide easy, short-hop discovery – they conspire to limit the merchant’s opportunity or selling to three brief and pivotal moments: before the shopper decides to visit, within the first few clicks prior to finding the destination item, and at checkout prior to payment. There is no room for error. Offers and suggestions must be pitch perfect and presented at precisely the right moment.

To date, online retailers have relied largely on recommender engines and customer relationship management systems to inform and drive content. These systems have proven reasonably

good at telling buyers that people who buy cordovan shoes also buy cordovan belts, or in deducing that a shopper who, over time, has purchased a mortar and pestle, specialty olive oil and ramekins, is a foodie and prone to gourmet items.

However, in their current form, these systems can’t discern ‘trip purpose’. In other words, for any given online shopping trip they can’t determine whether a shopper is thinking fashion or food. Who wants to be prompted to buy a santoku chef’s knife when he’s looking for shoe trees? Getting it wrong the first time makes it even harder to break

through the second. Online shopping is a learned behaviour: if trained early in the relationship to ignore suggestions and promotions because they’re irrelevant, nonsensical, or poorly timed, a shopper will quickly and permanently disavow them. They’ll take whatever they’ve purposefully put into their basket and move on! It’s vital therefore that merchants master situational marketing.

Situational marketing derives from the ability to deduce, infer or predict for a given shopping episode that shopper’s window, propensity, capacity, motivation and trigger price for buying as well as insights into the buyer’s persona at the time of the exchange and the likely place the item or service will be consumed. Able to accurately determine these buying dimensions, a retailer maximises the likelihood that a deal or offer will be completed, but it also means that the consumer will be increasingly open to the retailer providing timely, relevant suggestions in the future.

A shopper who lives from paycheque to paycheque has a limited window, usually around the last Friday of each month, to explore and consider. Likewise, a woman who’s a Size XS hasn’t

Bill Nowacki, Managing Director of KPMG’s Decision Science Practice, sees Big Data and Advanced Analytics closing the gap between the physical store and online experience... and dreams of the day when online shopping comes with sensory stimulants

do i sMell pine needles ?

Assembling this pitch perfect offer to an online shopper has only recently been made truly possible through implementation of Big Data and real-time Advanced Analytics



the appetite nor propensity for a Size L. A person just returning from holiday most likely doesn’t have the capacity for another – at least not for another six months. Someone departing for an international trip in the coming days is far more motivated to buy a global voice and data roaming package than someone whose trip is three months away. And the fashionista who already has two dozen pairs of cufflinks might not buy the commemorative Wimbledon set for £250, but will for £229.

In the digital world, getting these things right is fast becoming compulsory. So too is the ability to – keeping with the example above of the foodie – know when a shopper is wearing a chef’s hat or a tennis visor. Retailers getting this right will enjoy more frequent, bigger, more profitable transactions, will be less prone to price and deal shopping (though no one is immune), and will enjoy a modicum more loyalty because on those rare instances the digital shopper takes a few milliseconds to look beyond their intense field of focus, the offer will be pitch perfect.

Behavioural and circumstantial clues that describe individuals are abundant, ever-changing and can be gathered from sources both internal and external to the retail enterprise. But assembling this pitch perfect offer to an online shopper has only recently been made truly possible through implementation of Big Data and real-time Advanced Analytics, which, woven together and analysed with machine learning technology and other innovations, enable merchants to glean insights into each shopper’s what, when and why, ensuring relevance and utility to the consumer, thus deepening the brand relationship.

These are the sorts of data challenges I increasingly see companies grappling with as they move though varying stages of what we call the ‘data maturity’ curve.

Most companies I come across are situated in the ‘looking into the past’ part of the curve, using data analytics to understand why certain events occurred or how a particular shopper arrived

at a purchasing decision. This analysis depends on building a ‘consistent spine of data’ that allows them to work from one ‘version of the truth’, but this is no small task. Pulling together the myriad of data sources and clues to build a full picture of your shoppers is not to be underestimated and often involves amalgamating internal ‘pockets’ of data previously held in a patchwork of systems and places which often are not connected and do not ‘talk’ to each other.

As retailers progress up the curve the next stage involves using ‘predictive’ analytics – finding trends and insights from data within and outside the organisation to create a picture or simulation of the future in order to achieve a desired result. Using a previous example, this is the sort of analysis that allows systems to predict that people who buy cordovan shoes also buy cordovan belts.

However, for the largest and most complex of problems some retailers have begun using ‘prescriptive’ analytics which offer up a ‘better’ course of action and systems which ‘learn’ from every given incidence to improve the process. For the customer, this means, an online experience much closer to the in-store one; mirroring the sales assistant who can upsell, for example, a Le Creuset cast iron casserole set and matching kitchen utensils when the shopper was only in the market for the one middle-of-the-market casserole dish because they can find out whether the shopper is thinking food or fashion, deduce whether they are time-rich or poor, and determine whether the shopping trip is functional or leisurely.

Consider this: over the next 12 months, should my favourite online retail sites bring themselves into harmony with me – giving me confidence they truly understand my many dimensions and reasons for shopping – I’ll be quite tempted to look beyond my list of 11. And if they ever figure out how to make digital pine scent, I’ll be powerless. I


Out of every 100 people who enter a store, 20 will make a purchase, but only one out of every 100 people on an

e-commerce site will buy. That shocking statistic was what spurred ESSEC graduate Jonathan Cherki to turn his back on the family business and set up his own company, Content Square, four years ago. His simple goal was to allow e-commerce businesses to analyse and understand exactly why users quit a website before making a purchase – and to provide solutions to help these businesses improve their customer experience and conversion rates.

Since its founding in 2009, Content Square’s growth has made it one of Deloitte’s top 10 fastest growing French tech companies, and in 2014 it was recognised by Gartner as one of the four most innovative e-commerce technology companies in the world. David Kohler, Gartner Research Director, said: ‘Like many web optimisation vendors, Content Square aims to “understand user experience to increase conversion rate”. However, unlike other vendors, Content Square offers a combination of comprehensive quantitative and qualitative analytics to feed insight into the design and conception of an organisation’s digital commerce site.’ It works with over 100 e-commerce leaders, among them L’Occitance, LVMH, vente-privée, L’Oréal, Citroën, Peugeot, Accor, Aviva and Natixis, and has increased conversion rates by around 20%.

Retailers pay a lot to increase traffic to their websites, so when people leave without making a purchase they need to understand why. But it should not be rocket science. ‘Technical or mathematical knowledge should not be a requirement,’ says Jonathan, and this is the premise behind Content Square’s offer. ‘The person who puts images on the website has to know whether they will contribute to improving the conversion rate, and the person who writes the text should know whether it will compel those reading it to buy,’ he says.

With the insertion of a simple line of coding in a website, Content Square’s SaaS solution software can record every pathway a user takes, what they are reading, where they scroll, what captures their attention, what the breakpoints in their customer journey are and the impact and efficiency of every element. It uses path, zone and page analysis, heat maps,

resolution tracking and even visit replay, which records every mouse move and key stroke of a user, as if you were looking over his shoulder. Content Square records 500 million replays like this every month. However, rather than analyse all this itself, it gives e-merchants the training to become their own optimisation experts and autonomous in the continuous monitoring, testing measuring and fine-tuning of their own web and mobile sites, so that, as Jonathan puts it, ‘they will know instantly what impact on turnover a particular image will have. It’s not merely the usability but the efficiency that you need to measure – whether that is

conversion rate, consumption of pages or turnover.’

After analysis, Content Square moves into the test phase. It provides ready-to-test recommendations and can even create live test versions of websites, to which 20-50% of users are redirected, so that comparisons can be made. Localisation is one of its specialisations, as its analysis has proven that there are differences in the way different nationalities behave online. ‘It is not good enough just to translate your website,’ says Jonathan, ‘you

have to adapt it’. After analysing the journeys taken by German versus French customers on the vente-privée subscription form, they made specific changes on the German form to the delivery, reassurance and general conditions of sale elements which most concerned German customers. The result was that the amount of time users spent before subscription decreased, the bounce rate was reduced and global subscription increased by 30%.

It is a continuous process of enhancement, not only for the companies using the software, but also for Content Square, whose own R&D team releases new functionalities and evolutions in the solution every fortnight. ‘We give companies the power to know and decide fast,’ says Jonathan, ‘and we are not just improving technology but also people. We help change the way they think.’

With big data and this kind of technology, Jonathan asserts it is possible to deliver entirely personalised content to every single user – ‘a different website for everyone’ with a customised user journey, but this is a step that e-retailers have yet to take. I KF www.contentsquare.com

Profile: Content Square

visualising, optiMising and peRsonalising useR expeRience on web and Mobile



The social web is a rapidly expanding arena for conversation. Every day,

over 500 million tweets are posted, 5 million photos are uploaded to Instagram, 76 million publications are posted on Tumblr and 4 billion videos are viewed on YouTube.

This represents a huge potential that brands cannot afford to ignore. Brands must be in a position to capture and analyse this data to take full advantage of it. They must also be capable of monitoring their own channels of communication, a task which is becoming increasingly complex given the large number of different platforms involved.

In today’s digital environment, consumers have taken on an active role in their relationship with brands. The items which they publish on a daily basis can directly impact a brand’s corporate image. Consumers also constitute a valuable resource which can be harnessed. But how can brands benefit from listening to what is being said online? How can it help to change their strategy?

Social networks and hyper-connectivity have allowed brands and consumers to directly communicate with one another. Social listening can educate brands on what consumers are discussing, the challenge being to interpret this content to gain an understanding of what consumers want and how they tend to behave.

AN UNDENIABLE ASSET FOR ENGAGING WITH CUSTOMERSSocial listening first appeared in the form of a tactical approach in reaction to a demand for information, but it is now at the heart of real-time marketing

strategies. The aim of these strategies is to enter into a dialogue with potential online customers by focusing on their current areas of interest. Consumers now communicate more than brands themselves. By monitoring social web content, brands can gain an accurate understanding of how consumers perceive the market, and subsequently devise engagement strategies in a way that best meets their expectations.

AN OPPORTUNITY FOR MARKETING STRATEGYSocial listening has to embrace both

brand-related and topic-related discussion. No longer is it merely a matter of keeping an eye on the company’s reputation as perceived within the digital sphere – the opportunities are far more encompassing. Companies are able to understand trends and influence dynamics in a more direct way than ever. Brands are in a position to gain powerful insights, enabling them to devise content strategies in line with their objectives.

A DRIVING FORCE FOR DIGITAL CHANGE WITHIN COMPANIESIn order to achieve a dynamic relationship with their customers, companies must reorganise themselves internally. The ultimate goal is to adapt to the needs of consumers, focusing marketing activities on their expectations. Social listening is proving to be a major asset in enabling companies to develop their digital strategy. By listening to what is being discussed online, brands can gain a better understanding of the various categories of consumers. This is a key step in helping organisations to be more agile, offering them the capacity to adapt to the reality of new methods of consumption.

The social web has opened brand new perspectives to high-street organisations. But a clever listening of online channels is the key to allow companies to make the most of their social journey: enter into a dialogue with the right message, adapt and define marketing strategies, activate the right influencers, identify areas of risk and opportunities… All of these feed a digital transformation of B-to-C organisations with customer relationship at heart. I

social listening: fRoM tactics to stRategyGuilhem Fouetillou, Co-founder of Linkfluence, takes stock of the power and potential of social media for brands when they listen to consumers and develop a strategy around that two-way relationship

Every day, over 500 million tweets are posted, 5 million photos are uploaded to Instagram, 76 million publications are posted onTumblr and 4 billion videosare viewed on YouTube.This represents a huge potential that brands cannot afford to ignore


MADE.COM’s Unboxed is an online social platform. Launched in 2014, it enables people to connect with

existing MADE.COM customers across the UK and Europe. Visitors to Unboxed can search by area or for a specific product to see who has purchased what, both in their neighbourhood or further afield. They can take a virtual house tour of active users, and even meet with them face to face to see how they’ve styled their MADE.COM products.

As an online brand, MADE.COM is always seeking innovative ways to bridge the gap between the online and offline experience for customers. The concept for Unboxed was born when MADE.COM customers expressed a desire to touch and feel products and see how designs on the site could be styled in real-life homes.

MADE.COM tested the idea at Salone del Mobile in April 2014, using four of our customer’s Milan apartments as an exhibition space to showcase their new collections. The response was overwhelmingly positive.

The platform launched officially later the same year with almost 100 ‘brand advocates’ with their own profiles, each showcasing professional photos of their homes. The platform was also open to any MADE.COM customer who wished to participate and share their photos. In the space of one year, Unboxed has grown from 80 to 4,000 users, with a database of over 4,000 user generated photos.

One of the key advantages of Unboxed is that it contextualises MADE products without the need for costly lifestyle shoots or high street shops, which ultimately the customer pays for. More importantly, Unboxed demonstrates ‘collaborative consumption’ - a movement empowering consumers to take inspiration from each other.

The platform was designed to encourage people to share their love of their homes more widely. Word of mouth has always been one of MADE.COM’s most important marketing channels; Unboxed is a great way to cultivate conversations between customers and their neighbours.

MADE.COM believes Unboxed is at the forefront of a movement that represents the future of retail; the rise of personalised new affiliate model, with brand communities acting as brand champions.

Unboxed is the latest investment in innovation for MADE.COM, one of the first e-tailers to bridge the gap between its internet presence and the real world with showrooms in London, Leeds and now Liverpool.

MADE.COM was also among the first to undergo a trial with digital tagging service CloudTags within its London showroom and launched an augmented reality app enabling customers to view its products within their homes. I Julien Callede, Co-Founder & COO of MADE.COM

Made.coM’s Unboxed



Read the headlines over the past few years, and you’d be forgiven for thinking that the era of the high street is well and

truly over. Advances in e-commerce from retailers’ websites and online market places, to payments security and data collation and analysis, coupled with the proliferation of broadband usage and smartphone penetration has led to a new breed of shopper. Pioneers such as Amazon (which launched online in 1995) have changed the retail rules – yet even they believe in the power of the physical, launching in recent years everything from pop-up retail stores to click-and-collect options such as lockers and local shops, meaning you never need miss a delivery again. Argos, John Lewis and others are increasingly bridging the gap between their online and bricks-and-mortar stores: a realisation that the future will never be ‘internet-only’.

Today’s consumer wants what it wants, when it wants it, be that in-store or online, and retailers are having to rethink the way they interact with, and market to, them.

No longer does the shopper always start in-store and buy there and then, or from a PC from viewing to basket to check-out; they switch seamlessly between multiple devices to research, review and order products, electing for delivery, click-and-collect or reserving in-store.

Or increasingly they engage in ‘Research Online, Purchase Offline’ (ROPO), also known as ‘webrooming’ – that is, doing their browsing online and then going into a store to make a purchase. The simple fact is that most people still love to shop; to see, feel and try the merchandise, particularly when it comes to clothing or luxury and considered purchases such as watches and cars. A recent study from digital agency DigitasLBI suggests that a staggering 86% of shoppers engage in ROPO and Forrester says that for every €1 European consumers spend online, they will spend €4 in physical stores based on the influence of digital touchpoints. By 2020, digital will influence 53% of total retail sales in EU-7*, the research company says, including a combination of online and offline sales influenced by online research.The question is: are retailers making the most of this opportunity? As the consumer moves from a multichannel mindset to an omni-channel one, is the retail industry still fit for purpose?

It’s why we launched BRIDGE, a web-to-store platform that aims to square the circle between online browsing and offline purchasing. The aim is to turn local web and mobile search into in-store footfall – a simple proposition in principle but one that is

tricky to pull off without the right approach and know-how. This web-to-store journey is one we see becoming increasingly

more valuable especially given the prevalence of smartphones and free or cheaper data through WiFi hotspots and 3G and 4G plans – people now research on the fly, as well as from the home or office PC.

Most retailers will have a store locator but too few make use of the functionality beyond merely showcasing where a business resides. What a waste! A store locator should be search engine optimised; leading to multiple pages dedicated to each store (optimised across devices) for each branch, dealership or

stockist, again improving both visibility and the shopper’s experience of brand or service. Local search traffic can be vastly increased through simple measures such as engaging and up-to-date content or local offers posted on such store pages – whilst keeping the shopper within your brand universe.

Having store specific content optimised for location ranks highly in search engine results and generates more organic traffic for a physical store network. A shopper seeking locally will always have a higher propensity to purchase. For example, luxury haircare

brand Kérastase sells through a select network of salons and while it has an e-commerce store, it wanted to drive customers to its independent salons and promote stylists’ proficiencies too. Through BRIDGE it implemented a section into its website allowing consumers to locate salons and visit a series of salon-specific pages. It launched in France in 2012, generating 3.9 times more traffic to the local store pages within 12 months and has now been rolled out globally, including the UK earlier this year. Kérastase also boasts a geolocater built into its website, enabling people to use their location settings to find a nearby salon, which has led to four times as many web-to-store visits and improved SEO rankings. Listing the local pages on Google Maps eases the customer journey and boosts SEO rankings yet further.

Suddenly, local digital marketing moves from being a nice-to-have to a must-have. Brands that break through channel silos to create an unobtrusive experience for consumers increasingly used to getting what they want, when they want it, will see substantial improvements in sales and customer retention. 2016 could well be the year when we see true omni-channel retailing emerge. I

bRidging the gap between online and offline RetailingTechnology and a new understanding of the way consumers shop is driving the journey from web to store as Harpreet Gill, Chief Strategy Officer of Leadformance, part of the Solocal network, explains

Brands that break through channel silos to create an unobtrusive experience for consumers increasingly used to getting what they want, when they want it, will see substantial improvements in sales and customer retention

*UK,Germany,France,Italy,Spain,theNetherlandsandSweden


a

Theft is a small but significant problem faced by most retailers, but fashion retailers in particular feel the pinch.

With an industry average of 1.5% lost, a £1bn business might see £15 million worth of stock stolen each year. For Antoine Leloup, CEO of Exaqtworld, these statistics presented a challenge as well as an opportunity for innovation in the form of a connected security tag that does a lot more than set off alarm bells.

With the fashion retailer in mind, Antoine took the classic large, ungainly, not to mention ugly security tag and transformed it into a smaller, lighter version that not only has a thinner needle that does not damage delicate fabrics but also a stronger magnetic mechanism making it harder to detach. Added to this, it can easily be put back together and therefore back into use quickly, saving time and management of tag stock. Cosmetically it looks better too, and can be personalised with the retailer’s branding. These tags, which are used by retailers such as Adidas, Dior, Givenchy and Fendi as well as large department stores including Le Bon Marché, Le Printemps and Manor in Switzerland, have proved their worth by reducing theft by 50-70%.

The innovation goes further. Embedded with a RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) chip, these tags can also be used for super fast stock inventory, allowing retailers to increase the frequency and accuracy of their stock takes. Normally a 200m2 store would take four people a whole day to stock take as items have to be counted and recorded one

by one. Traditionally retailers have done this only once a year with accuracy rates of around 70%, resulting in sales losses because of stock shortages. But with RFID chipped stock, it takes one person only 50 minutes to make an accurate inventory of the same space by scanning the aisles with a device that picks up tagged items from a metre away, allowing retailers to know exactly what they have and where every single item is.

But the newest innovation Antoine has built into his tags is aimed at the customer, and combines the advantages of traditional brick-and-mortar shopping with the information-rich online shopping experience. Using a system that is currently being piloted in France, tags have been assigned Smart QR codes, which can be scanned with QR readers, or, better still, customised store apps on smart phones. These not only contain information about the item such as price, material and other colours available, but also give customers access to a range of services offered by the store, including enabling them to buy the item with their mobiles and detach the tag themselves in kiosks provided for the purpose, thus avoiding queues at the cashier.

Such innovations allow stores to bridge the online and offline experience and place customers at the centre of cross-channel communication. I KF

Exaqtworld’s Duraltag3 won a Golden Award at the Commerce Connected Show, and it opened its UK subsidiary in October 2015. www.exaqtworld.com

exaqtwoRld – hidden high tech innovAtion


a

our attitudes to shopping are changing and the internet has a lot to answer for. Figures from the Organisation for

Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) show that 60% of British adults are now buying products such as food, clothing, music or holidays online. This is twice the average of the OECD’s 34 member states, which include France, the US, Germany and Australia.

Consumer expectations around what is possible and what is to be expected when it comes to the delivery of online purchases presents a number of challenges to both retailers and the companies that transport the goods. The whole supply chain – and its workforce – is forced to adapt to meet our shifting cultural demands.

Fulfilling demand and the need for agile workforces English law currently allows businesses to bring in staff on a short-term basis, typically from their bank of previous hires, enabling them to call on an agile and reliable workforce to meet surges in consumer demand. Black Friday is a good example of how retailers such as John Lewis are able to flex their workforce by as many as 2,000 staff to meet the day’s demands.

As both retailers and logistics companies strive to provide consumers with ever more choice, with a number of retailers now offering same day delivery, there is an unwillingness from UK businesses to give up the right to work their staff over 48 hours per week. However, there is growing concern for the health of our nation’s shift workers: research findings increasingly suggest a link between changes in sleep patterns and fertility to work involving overnight shift patterns.

As of March 2015, larger businesses also now need to look at whether the flexibility of their supply chain meets the standards of the UK’s Modern Slavery Act. They have to publish the steps taken to ensure that slavery and human trafficking is not taking place in any of its supply chains wherever in the world those parts are located.

Managing the relationship between retailers and logistics companies The white paper produced by Thomas Eggar’s Sarah Birkbeck in 2014 explored the issue of how increased customer demand can impact the relationship between suppliers and logistics companies. The white paper was informed by interviews with leading retailers and logistics companies:‘Mark Robinson, Director of Customer Delivery Operations at retailer John Lewis, notes that there is no reason to expect customers to be aware of the full extent of the logistical challenges of making speedy deliveries. So, while a significant number of those consumers may have a clear idea of what

they want and when they want it, they may not actually know whether or not their wishes can be realistically achieved.

“I think customers probably see it as the responsibility of the retailer and the carrier to make sure that that can be accommodated. So, however challenging it may be, the onus should be on the retailer and carrier to work out how best to meet changing consumer delivery demands, including speedy deliveries, if that is what the customer demands,” Robinson suggests.’

There is a clear need for retailers and their suppliers to work together to produce solutions that meet the consumers’ ever-evolving delivery requirements. It is no longer a case of implementing simply a logistics solution, an item of software or IT services, in glorious isolation; now all these separate services need to be considered holistically.

One of the key ways to do this effectively is to ensure that retailers and their suppliers (and, potentially, their sub-contractors) have appropriate legal contracts in place. Any such contract should seek to eliminate any grey areas in the particulars of the relationships and responsibilities it covers, for instance:• Do the terms and conditions of the contract provide all parties with comfort around issues such as termination, liability (especially loss or damage to goods carried), ownership of any intellectual property rights (particularly in any tailored solution that may be developed), the application of TUPE (Transfer of Undertakings {Protection of Employment} Regulations) on the start and end of the contract, and force majeure/disaster recovery? • Have all parties in the supply chain fully described the ‘service’ they are contracting to deliver? Do they all have an effective change management mechanism that enables changes to be made to the services during the term of the contract?

Undoubtedly, there are further issues not explored here that will only be exposed as our relentless demand for convenience from both retailers and logistics companies continues and evolves. I

How can retailers and logistics companies respond to consumers’ ever-increasing demands to have things ‘now’? Melanie Stancliffe, Partner at law firm Thomas Eggar, discusses some of the issues facing both industries

deliveRy on deMand

Mark Robinson, Director of Customer Delivery operations at retailer John Lewis, notes that there is no reason to expect customers to be aware of the full extent of the logical challenges of making speedy deliveries


The age-old problemAs consumers, we have all shared the frustration of purchasing something from an online retailer, only to be left feeling completely underwhelmed (or extremely frustrated) by the poor delivery service. This dissatisfaction most often stems from spending a day under house arrest, waiting for a parcel that may or may not actually materialise. However, what often exasperates the frustration is the disappointing experience provided by the inefficient courier company and their indifferent members of staff. It is so often the case that the positive experience offered by shopping online, is undone by the consumer anxiety relative to how the product actually arrives at its final destination.The retail and logistics industries are aware that, as consumer behaviour evolves and retailing advancements are made, delivery experiences such as these are no longer going to be acceptable and there are some evident examples of real progress to combat this. The logistics providers themselves have made strides, with DPD, part of La Poste’s GeoPost group of companies, being leaders in the field. Their improved technologies have seen Predict, the one-hour delivery window service, give more control back to the consumer, putting an end to the waiting in all day for a parcel to arrive. A move to offer evening and weekend delivery as well as selectable timeslots further empowers the consumer and are certainly welcome additions.

However, the added operational headache this causes to the logistics providers, combined with their historical failure to make robust change, means that the chances of success for other players in the market are somewhat slim.

Innovation and progress Retailers can look to the likes of River Island, Next and AO.com

as examples of market leading propositions, offering next-day delivery as late as 11pm. These businesses have worked closely with their logistics partners to capitalise on the trend of late-night Internet browsing and generate sales at the most captive time of day. Savvy retailers will combine well-executed operational strategies, delivered by existing logistics providers with a broad but select range of value-adding alternatives. This will provide the necessary variety to help boost basket conversion rates.

Amazon and Smiths News have ensured the Pick-Up Drop-Off (PUDO) model is now well

established with the launch of Pass-My-Parcel in 2014. This is the latest move in a growing trend; the path having been paved by CollectPlus, MyHermes and DHL Delivery Point. It’s a great idea in principle and definitely well received on the whole, however, the customer experience can often leave something to be desired. Stores are not that convenient to attend and the staff are ill-equipped to provide a dependable service in line

PAcKing A PUnch: how RetAileRs cAn cURe the deliveRy dileMMa

With the escalation in online shopping has come the delivery dilemma: how to deliver the goods faster, better and more conveniently for customers, who are increasingly demanding. Jessica Kelly, Manager Digital and Strategy at business consultancy firm BearingPoint, looks at the myriad ways companies are dealing with this and some of the innovations that could spell the future for the all-important last mile


The imperative is firmly upon retailers to meet the challenging consumer demand for flexibility and affordability in final mile logistics


with the retailer’s expectations. Lockerbox solutions have been successful in other corners

of the world, and InPost are at the forefront of the expanding market. This should be a dream for the logistics outfits, who benefit from the single delivery point for multiple consignments. The convenience element for customers and the green credentials of reducing delivery footprints should further see this trend grow. For the truly personalised touch, Net-a-Porter pretty much got it spot on. Use their Premier service and you get a lovely, well-dressed person on your doorstep who hands over your beautifully packaged purchase with a smile. This is not scalable and does not come cheap, but is a wonderful niche for a high-end retailer. Similarly personable offerings can be found from apps Jinn and Quicup, who will collect the item from the retailer and deliver to the door. They are gathering pace and it will be interesting to watch their development as they seek a growing market share of the sector.

What is lacking with all of these newer in-app purchase options, however, is real integration with the retailers. Building and fostering relationships with them, having the option for customers to choose exactly when they want something delivered, and where, as an option on the retailer’s website is what will really make a difference to that all important post-purchase consumer satisfaction.

What next…? A genuine market-leading alternative is making waves in Stockholm. urb-it is a brand new concept combining the business model of taxi service Uber with omni-channel retailing to create a whole new customer experience. Using specially selected delivery people, urb-it integrates with retailer websites as a bespoke delivery option, allowing the consumer to stipulate

exactly what they want, when they want it. Answering to universal eco pressure, it is completely green and sustainable, with their delivery specialists only using public transport, bicycles and walking to get the product home. Their employees are all licensed and insured and go through a rigorous selection process before being invited to join the team. On behalf of the retailer, their product service supports the continuation of the store’s brand identity throughout that all-important last mile.

ConclusionIs this the future of delivery? Our very own personal shoppers, or is it drone

delivery within 30 minutes? It remains to be seen. What is clear, however, is that the imperative is firmly upon retailers to meet the challenging consumer demand for flexibility and affordability in final mile logistics. Utilising well-managed contracts, with leading logistics providers, alongside value-adding alternative delivery options, will best-position retailers to maximise their e-commerce potential. I

JANUARY – MARCH 2016

V I P E X P E R I E N C E S

Immerse yourself in the enchanting world of Amaluna with a VIP hospitality experience at the world-famous Royal Albert Hall

BOOKING NOW [email protected]

royalalberthall.com


Cirque du Soleil returns to the Royal Albert Hall with the UK premiere of Amaluna, a spectacular acrobatic show in celebration of 20 years of Cirque performances at

the Hall. This beautiful new show is a celebration of love and a tribute to the work and voice of women.

Featuring a predominantly female cast, Amaluna is set on a mysterious island ruled by goddesses. Queen Prospera causes a storm and a group of young men wash up on the isle, triggering an epic love story between Prospera’s daughter and a brave young suitor.

For the first time ever, the Royal Albert Hall’s acclaimed and very popular VIP Rouge Experience will be elevated to the Gallery overlooking the iconic auditorium, giving guests an awe-inspiring view of the world-famous stage and impressive set

from a spectacular balcony setting. After the luxury reception, guests will be shown to their premium stalls seats for an ntimate viewing of the breath-taking performance.

Guests can also enjoy the ultimate Cirque du Soleil Experience from the comfort of their own private box, followed by exclusive Behind-the-Scenes access. The experience will offer an exquisite menu of Champagne, canapés, luxury bowl dishes and desserts combined with the finest views of the performance. At the end of the show, guests will be escorted backstage to gain a rare glimpse into the world of Cirque du Soleil, meeting some of the cast and visiting the unseen costume, dressing room and training areas. I 16 January to 6 MarchFor further information, please call 020 7959 0607 or email [email protected]

LIFESTYLE - cIrquE du SoLEIL

CIRQUE DU SOLEIL returns to the Royal Albert Hall with Amaluna


LIFESTYLE - EXHIBITIoNS

Compiled by Melissa Hattabi

‘Power Stations’ – the inaugural exhibition at Damien Hirst’s Newport Street Gallery – is the first major survey of John Hoyland’s work since 2006. Renowned for his intuitive manipulation of colour, form, line and space, Hoyland emerged at the forefront of the abstract movement in Britain in the early 1960s, and remained an energetic and innovative force within the field, until his death in 2011. The show spans a pivotal period in the artist’s career, which included his first solo exhibition at the Whitechapel Gallery in 1967 and his defining retrospective at the Serpentine Gallery 12 years later. Simultaneously monumental and poetic, the works presented in ‘Power Stations’ are, above all, sensory experiences. I Until 3 April / Open Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 6pm / Free admission

John Hoyland: Power Stations Paintings 1964 –1982

NEWPORT STREET GALLERY, LONDON

‘Visions of Paradise’ provides the rare opportunity to view up close the altarpiece that bewildered scholars for centuries. Francesco Botticini’s Assumption of the Virgin is surrounded by centuries of debate about its misattribution to Sandro Botticelli. The painting is shown alongside related paintings, drawings, prints, manuscripts, ceramics and sculpture for the first time, and focuses on the fascinating life of Matteo Palmieri who commissioned the painting made especially for the funerary chapel San Pier Maggiore in Florence. I Until 28 March / Open daily from 10am to 6pm, until 9pm on Fridays Free admission

Visions of Paradise: Botticini’s Palmieri Altarpiece

THE NATIONAL GALLERY, LONDON

Tate Modern presents the genius behind kinetic sculpture with ‘Alexander Calder: Performing Sculpture’. Inspired by his original training as an engineer, Calder made the journey to Paris in the 1920s, where he began creating dynamic works, bringing to life the avant-garde’s fascination with movement. This exhibition is the first major UK retrospective of the American sculptor and showcases a selection of his most significant sculptures from museums around the world, revealing how he drew on movement, choreography and sound to fundamentally transform the principles of modern sculpture. It also features his collaborative projects in the fields of film, theatre, music and dance. I Until 3 April / Open Sunday to Thursday from 10am to 6pm and until 10pm on Fridays and Saturdays / Full price £18

TATE MODERN, LONDON

Alexander Calder: Performing Sculpture

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Presented in collaboration with the Lee Miller Archive, this incredible selection of more than 150 photographs, objects, works of art and ephemera reveals the scope of Lee Miller’s unique talent. This exhibition is the first to focus specifically on her vision of gender during the Second World War, examining the vital role women played throughout the period and the sizeable impact it had on their mobilised position in society. The Imperial War Museum presents Miller’s rise to accomplished photojournalist beginning with a very personal introduction. This show is as much a biography of Miller as it is the women she commemorates and condemns. I Until 24 April Open daily from 10am to 6pm / Full price £10

Lee Miller: A Woman’s War

IMPERIAL WAR MUSEUM, LONDON

Presenting over 100 spectacular items from the Al Thani private collection of jewels, the Victoria and Albert Museum explores the broad themes of tradition and modernity in design and craftsmanship

in Indian jewellery. Highlights include Mughal jades, a rare jewelled gold finial from the throne of Tipu Sultan, and pieces that reveal the dramatic changes that took place in Indian jewellery design during the early 20th century. The exhibition also examines first-hand India’s influence on jewellery made by leading European houses in the 1920s and shows contemporary pieces by modern masters, still drawing on those Indian traditions today. I Until 28 March / Open

daily from 10am to 5.30pm, until 9.30pm on Fridays / Full price £10

Bejewelled Treasures: The Al Thani Collection

VICTORIA AND ALBERT MUSEUM, LONDON

LIFESTYLE - EXHIBITIoNS

The Barbican Art Gallery celebrates the exceptionally influential post-war modernist designers with ‘The World of Charles and Ray Eames’. This husband-and-wife team moved fluidly between the fields of photography, film, architecture, exhibition-making and furniture and product design. This exhibition, structured thematically, boasts more than 380 works and includes not only the designs for which they are best known, but provides an insight into the lives of the Eameses, the Eames Office – a self-styled laboratory – and the breadth of their pioneering work, bringing their ideas and playful spirit to life. Highlights include the first moulded plastic chair created by the duo, a range of prototype furniture and even the moulded plywood nose cone of a military aircraft. I Until 14 February / Open Saturday to Wednesday from 10am to 6pm, and until 9pm on Thursdays and Fridays / Full price £14.50

The World of Charles and Ray Eames

BARBICAN ART GALLERY, LONDON

The World of Charles and Ray Eames, Barbican Art Gallery

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LeRestauRantdePauL Tower42,groundfloor,25OldBroadStreet London,EC2N1HQThere is a distinctly retro vibe

to PAUL’s second restaurant in London at Tower 42 on Old Broad Street. Muted lighting and dark, graphic tiling contrast with shiny brass fittings and pops of red, royal blue and emerald green on 1950s style chairs and rugs. The effect is intimate but stylish, a modern take on the French brasserie that is quite different from PAUL’s more traditional look and feel. Yet the PAUL DNA is still there – from the framed black and white photos depicting its bakery origins to the menu, which to a large extent has preserved the French classics, albeit with a twist. And, of course, it wouldn’t be PAUL without an on-site bakery producing fresh bread for the restaurant.

At first glance, amidst the charcuterie, fromages, entrées, viandes and poissons, burgers seem a bit out of place, and unusually for a French menu, outnumber the salads, but these burgers have Gallic charm, with homemade brioche buns, homemade relish and French cheeses, and are perhaps a nod to the trendy London burger scene. Although French in name, many of the dishes do have British references, or at least ingredients, making for a delectable Franco-British experience. We tried the Côtelettes d’Agneau, made in the traditional French way, but with British lamb sourced from Donald Russell, butchers by appointment to HM the Queen, and the Colombo de Cabillaud, line-caught cod in a light curry sauce (curry being a

British national dish!). Donald Russell sirloin steaks are also used for the Entrecôte, Brixham scallops for the Coquilles St Jacques Meunière and salmon from the traditional Severn

& Wye smokery for the Saumon Fumé. There is even an Arnold Bennett Omelette – that rich smoked haddock, egg and cream concoction that a French chef, Jean-Baptiste Virlogeux, created for the English writer at the Savoy Hotel in 1929. You can hardly get more Franco-British than that!

The wine list is, of course, French: a small but well chosen selection from independent growers, and in true brasserie tradition there are bières and cidres from French brewery Meteor as well as an English beer, Curious Brew, made by Kent winemakers Chapel Down. The cocktail bar is a first for PAUL, offering an enticing mix of old favourites with, of course, French flair. With plenty of room to sit at the bar, and comfortable stools, it is a tempting proposition to work your way through the list, accompanied, of course, with a plateau ou deux.

Save room for desserts. PAUL’s patisserie is a well known comptoir of delights, and there is more – brioche perdue, profiteroles, crème brulée and that old English favourite, a crumble – naturally pomme et mure. The most dangerous option is a Mousse au Chocolat à Volonté (bottomless in English), which will either leave you replete and sweet or swearing off chocolate for a long time! I KF

AT TOWER 42PAUL


LIFESTYLE - EAT, drINK, STAY

Vranken Pommery Monopole is continuing its tradition of supporting the arts by sponsoring the latest exhibition at Saatchi Gallery, London. ‘Champagne Life’ is a spectacular collection of works from the best contemporary female artists. Selected from Charles Saatchi’s own collection, it features pieces from world renowned artists such as Tracey Emin, Paula Rego and Jenny Saville.

This follows on from the company’s long-standing involvement with Frieze Art Fair, held annually in London and New York, at which they sponsor the Stand Prize for the most innovative gallery with their flagship brand, Champagne Pommery. Vranken Pommery Monopole’s involvement in the arts isn’t limited to sponsoring events as the company has its own exhibition at their beautiful Art Nouveau estate called Villa Demoiselle, with part of the extensive art collection of Henry Vasnier, who headed Pommery until 1907. I www.vrankenpommery.com

Vranken Pommery Monopole puts ‘Champagne Life’ on show

Mequitta Ahuja, Rhyme Sequence: Wiggle Waggle 2012 Oil, paper and acrylic on canvas

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Taillevent Paris, the Gardinier family-owned group behind the iconic two-Michelin starred Le Taillevent, has opened the doors to Les 110 de Taillevent London, a unique 70-seater food-and-wine matching brasserie, in Cavendish Square. Featuring 110 wines by the glass, paired with contemporary and seasonal French dishes, the brasserie gives guests the opportunity to experience the spirit of Le Taillevent in a relaxed setting. Bringing French art-de-vivre to Londoners, the wine list features rare and singular wines, carefully curated by Pierre Bérot, Director of the Wine Department for Taillevent Paris.

The Chamber will be organising a Diner des Chefs at Les 110 de Taillevent on 21 June with two chefs from their Michelin-starred restaurant coming over from Paris to cook for our guests. I www.les-110-taillevent-london.com

Les 110 de Taillevent opens brasserie in London

Chic French patisserie house Ladurée has launched special limited-edition boxes of macarons especially for Christmas. World-renowned for its baked goods, the brand is also famous for its special-edition collectable macaron boxes and has previously collaborated with designers including Matthew Williamson and Lanvin. The three boxes are the ‘Pierrot’ box decorated with an impressive clock and the famous character of ‘Pierrot’ awaiting midnight with impatience‘, the ‘Christmas macaron’ composed of two macarons shells filled with an ivory ganache flavoured with Vanilla of Tahiti and the online exclusive ‘Noël’ box adorned with red and gold motifs to celebrate the Christmas spirit. I www.laduree.com

Emois Gourmands, a provider of boutique wines and artisan products, hosted a wine-tasting dinner for 20 in November at Aubaine’s private vault room in Mayfair, pairing three courses with French wines. The company is looking to develop future partnerships with Chamber members, whether hosting events or providing exceptional French boutique wines and artisan products for their clients. I www.emoisgourmands.com www.aubaine.co.uk

Emois Gourmands hosts wine-tasting dinner at Aubaine restaurant


LIFESTYLE - cHEESE & wINE prESS

RIGOTTE DE CONDRIEU by La Cave à Fromage

The Condrieu terroir, on the right bank of the Rhône, is known for its white wines and is the northern white wine appellation in the Rhône Valley. Traditionally, where there are vineyards, very little dairy farming takes place, but from the 19th century, Rigotte was produced around Condrieu by the women who looked after the goats and became known as ‘women’s purse’ because they made the cheese to give themselves some ‘pocket money’ on market days.

This goat’s cheese is a small disc shape, reminiscent of a coin, and derives its name from the rigots (streams) that come down from the Pilat massif to the Rhône. Taking eight days to produce, and at its best after two or three weeks, Rigotte is as rich in aromas and sensations as the famous Condrieu wine. I by Eric Charriaux

E: [email protected]: +44 (0)845 108 8222W: www.la-cave.co.uk

YOUR IDEAL WINE WITH RIGOTTE DE CONDRIEU by Wine StoryCondrieu is arguably the northern Rhône’s most distinctive wine appellation. It covers white wines made exclusively from Viognier. This appellation originated in 1940, and today over 40 growers produce wine from just over 100 hectares of vineyards, whereas in 1965, the appellation covered only eight hectares. The vineyards are located on a winding section of the River Rhône and are characterised by south- and south-east-facing granite slopes rising steeply from the riverbanks where the average vine age is around 50 years old.

The wines from Condrieu are dry with a wonderful floral nose of peaches, apricots, violets and pears, and a relatively low level of acidity. These wines are best drunk young to enjoy their freshness and delicate fruit flavours.

The Viognier is authorised in blends of Côtes du Rhône white such as the fresh Vin Gourmand Blanc from Dauvergne & Ranvier, which is a perfect pairing with a long matured and dry Rigotte de Condrieu. I by Thibault Lavergne

To buy youR cheeSe, viSiT LA CAVE A FROMAGE SHOPS24-25 cromwell Place, 148-150 Portobello Road, 34-35 Western Road, Kensington, London SW7 2LD Notting hill, London W11 2DZ hove, brighton bN3 1AF

To oRDeR MicheLiN-STyLe WiNeS To DRiNK AT hoMe, coNTAcT:E: [email protected]: +44 (0)7921 770 691W: www.wine-story.co.uk


After leaving the shimmer of colonial Delhi, we progress to Agra, where the moving curves and delicate forms of the Taj

Mahal set the tone for the artistic beauty of our journey ahead. Gently, Agra gives way to the rose sandstone architecture of Jaipur, imagined long ago by a princely astronomer Maharaja. We wander through the busy alleyways amidst bungalows and bazaars, which contrast with the silent mashrabiyas of the Palace of Winds where the women of the court found shelter in days gone by. Our poetic interlude continues at the Taj Lake Palace, floating like a mirage of marble on the waters of Lake Pichola. This palace of yesteryear reveals to us a fusion of vegetation and embossed inner courts. At first light, we travel to Udaipur, the city of dawn, which houses the City Palace, an ancient winter residence with glass-embedded walls. Increasingly charmed by the intense alchemy of Rajasthan, we fly towards the blue-tinged settlement of the Brahmins of Jodhpur. Narrow lavender-hued alleys, overlooked by the imposing royal Mehrangarh Fort, throng with merchants in shimmering turbans and elegantly veiled women, processing in an undulating wave of silk. A chai served in the luxurious salons of the Taj Umaid Bhawan Palace, deliciously quenches our thirst before the desert crossing…

Under a fierce sun, at the edge of the Thar dunes, we admire the citadel of Jaisalmer, its havelis decorated with intricate stonework above the steppes. Then, following the trail of ancient caravans, we head towards Serai camp, whose white canvas suites offer welcome respite.

Our journey ends in Bombay’s Dhobi Ghats, where hundreds of laundrymen set about their business, barely visible beneath an intriguing mosaic of laundry drying in the wind…

The best season to discover Rajasthan is from October to the end of April. I

Top left: the intense colours of RajasthanTop right: The Taj MahalAbove: projecting oriel windows covered in lattice work, known as mashrabiyas, adorn buildings all over JaipurLeft: immaculately dressed school girls with Sophie Arbib, founder of Exclusif Voyages

DREAMSOfRAjASThANTo buy youR cheeSe, viSiT LA CAVE A FROMAGE SHOPS24-25 cromwell Place, 148-150 Portobello Road, 34-35 Western Road, Kensington, London SW7 2LD Notting hill, London W11 2DZ hove, brighton bN3 1AF

ByEXCLUSIF VOYAGES

E: [email protected]: +44 (0) 7931 099 269W: www.exclusifvoyages.co.uk

This column brings inspiringtravel and destinationstories from our membersin the industry. Thistime, Exclusif Voyagestakes us to exotic India...


LIFESTYLE - BooKS

Propelled by illness, addiction, drink and drugs to abandon sculpture, Modigliani is a man for whom painting is a struggle, a painful obsession even. Despite his peers Picasso, Matisse and Soutine already flirting with consecration, his first one-man exhibition at Gallery Weill provokes outrage, and his nude paintings are taken off the walls. Modigliani is as paradoxical as his paintings; passionate but inconstant, his love for his wife undermined by his nights with beggars. Even his friend and patron Leopold Zlobowski, deep in admiration of his talent, despairs.

Fabrice Le Hénanff’s exceptional artwork is very realistic. He heightens his atmospheres with snow and rain, or warmer colours, the shades of the South of France. He gives life to places of the past, faces, perfumes and tactile sensations. It is never easy to reanimate icons, but Fabrice Le Henanff and Laurent Seksik meet the challenge by revisiting and illuminating the last year of Modigliani’s life. I

MOdiGLiAniby Fabrice Le Hénanff and Laurent SeksikPublished by Salammbo PressTranslated by Joel Anderson and Stéfane Houssier

THESE BOOkS, RECENTLY PUBLISHED IN ENGLISH, WERE SELECTED BY THE fRENCH INSTITUTE

ThE GREAT SwindLEby Pierre LemaitrePublished by Maclehose PressTranslated by Frank Wynne Original title: Au revoir là-haut

October 1918: the war on the Western Front is all but over. Desperate for one last chance of promotion, the ambitious Lieutenant Henri d’Aulnay Pradelle sends two scouts over the top, and secretly shoots them in the back to incite his men to heroic action once more.

And so is set in motion a series of devastating events that will inextricably bind together the fates and fortunes of Pradelle and the two soldiers who witness his crime: Albert Maillard and Édouard Péricourt.

Back in civilian life, Albert and Édouard struggle to adjust to a society whose reverence for its dead cannot quite match its resentment for those who survived. But the two soldiers conspire to enact an audacious form of revenge against the country that abandoned them to penury and despair, with a scheme to swindle the whole of France on an epic scale.

Meanwhile, believing her brother killed in action, Édouard’s sister Madeleine has married Pradelle, who is running a little scam of his own…

The Great Swindle is political as much as it is picaresque. I

From New York to Paris, from the up-scale neighbourhoods of the French Capital to the wastelands of the periphery, Karine Tuil takes us on a humorous odyssey through society.

What drives Sam Tahar to keep going? Money, luxury goods, a lovely marriage to the daughter of a powerful man, success with women, recognition from the New York State Bar, where this fearsome lawyer practices, or his numerous appearances on TV? Sam has got it all… so what more does he want? To forget, maybe. Because his success is based on a lie: he made his fortune by ransacking the life of his once best friend, Samuel Baron, a failed writer, son of Jewish intellectuals, who slowly wastes away in an explosive inner city, and whose only consolation is the beautiful and gentle Nina, a model for department store catalogues.

These three were close friends 20 years ago. And when they meet again, after the suspense pulls the reader through to the last page, everything explodes.

An international bestseller and finalist for the Prix Goncourt, France’s most prestigious literary award, The Age of Reinvention is a suspenseful Gatsbian tale. I

ThE AGE Of REinVEnTiOn by Karine TuilPublished by ScribnerTranslated by Sam Taylor Original title: L’invention de nos vies

For the first time, the famous French guide for bistros and gastropubs is listing the best places to eat well not only in Paris but also in London.

Written in French and English, this restaurant guide is a must-have for gourmandises on both sides of the Channel. With 200 addresses listed, you won’t run out of inspiration! I www.librairielapage.com

LEbEy GuidE Published by La Page

Le meilleur moyen de s’adresser à la communauté francophone de Londres

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Nouvelles rubriquesNouveau design

www.ici-londres.com

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Retrouvez chaque mois


Happy New Year from the Board, the Advisory Council and the team of the Chamber!

We saw out 2015 with a flurry of events, most of them packed into the last few weeks. These ranged from our 19th Annual Financial Lunch to a very successful Franco-British Digital Conference. Of note was an inspiring debate between our President Estelle Brachlianoff and Helena Morrissey, Founder of the 30% Club. It was a pity that so few men attended as the issues they discussed don’t just concern women, and it has prompted a rethink of the ‘Women, Inspiration and Leadership’ title of this event – watch out for its more man-friendly entitled successor later this year!

Congratulations go to the two companies that emerged from close competition as the winners of the 16th Franco-British Business Awards – La Belle Assiette and Decathlon - while Societe Generale was recognised for its long-standing commitment and contribution to the Chamber with the Jury Award.

In preparation for their 2016 programmes, the Chamber’s Forums and Clubs held brainstorming sessions, but there were a couple of particularly relevant presentations, most notably RIchard Brown CBE’s talk at the Climate Change Forum on extreme weather adaptation which came just a week or two before Storm Desmond caused devastating flooding. His checklist for businesses is a must-read. The Luxury Club had breakfast in the gorgeous Maison Assouline while learning about the latest trends in tourist luxury spend.

We ended the year with a record number of Corporate members, topping 100 for the first time. This issue records seven of the latest to join alongside a new Patron member – London Philharmonic Orchestra, and 13 new Active members.

Our year begins with a promising programme, starting in good French tradition with La Galette de Rois at PAUL’s new Tower 42 restaurant (reviewed in this issue on p 50), followed by Breakfast with Jacques Attali on 11 January and the reprise of our Cross-Cultural Quiz, aptly held in conjunction with the presentation of our Intercultural Trophy, on 14 January. If last year’s questions are anything to go by, I would suggest you spend time brushing up on your cross-cultural general knowledge! I FG

WISHES YOU ALL THE BESTfOR 2016

THE fRENCH CHAMBER


cHAMBEr HAppENINGS - SHorTIES

David Akers

ELISABETH PrOUST has been appointed Managing Director of Total E&P UK. An engineer by profession, she has held a number of senior posts within Total including Vice President for Development Engineering, Managing Director of Total E&P Indonesia and also Managing Director of Total E&P Nigeria. In her new role she is responsible for leading Total’s upstream business in the UK as it becomes the country’s largest offshore oil and gas operator. www.total.co.uk

New main representatives

DAVID AkErS has been appointed as Resourcing, Talent, Compensation & Benefits Director for EDF Energy. He joined EDF Energy in 2006 as the Senior HR Business Partner for Nuclear Generation before progressing to become HR Director for the Generation business in 2009. His current role brings together the company-wide activities of talent management, strategic resourcing, performance management and compensation and benefits. David takes over from Dimitri Hovine, who was appointed Director of HR and Safety in Customers in July 2015. www.edfenergy.com

ESTELLE BrACHLIANOFF, Senior Executive Vice President of Veolia UK & Ireland, and President of the French Chamber, has been named Sustainability Leader of the year at the 2015 edie Sustainability Leader Awards. Organised by edie.net, these awards celebrate the individuals and organisations that are setting the standard when it comes to doing business better and 88 finalists were whittled down by the panel of judges to 14 separate winners, with categories ranging from Energy and Water Management through to Sustainable Supply Chains, Employee Engagement and Product Innovation. Estelle was praised by judges for her passion and commitment to bring others along their sustainability journey. www.veolia.co.uk

Hats off to...

NICOLAS PETrOVIC, Chief Executive Officer of Eurostar was recently awarded the Chevalier de la Légion d’honneur, the highest honour that the French government can bestow, by Finance Minister Michel Sapin at Bercy. Nicolas became CEO of Eurostar in April 2010. He joined as Director of Customer Services, London, in August 2003 before spending almost four years as Chief Operating Officer. Prior to his tenure at Eurostar, Nicolas worked for SNCF as the Secretary General for Direction Grandes Lignes and Operational General Manager for the Paris Saint-Lazare area. In addition to his extensive experience in the transport industry in both the UK and France, Nicolas gained an MBA from INSEAD in 2003. www.eurostar.com

The 2016 Franco-British Trade Directory should be landing on the desks of all members soon. This practical reference tool lists more than 2,000 contacts and allows searches by sector, company name or representative’s name. The Directory also includes many useful contacts in both the UK and France. The online version, which is updated regularly, can be accessed at www.ccfgb.co.uk/membership/search-for-members

The 2016 franco-british Trade directory is out!


cHAMBEr HAppENINGS - NEw MEMBErS

7 NEW CORPORATE MEMBERS

1 NEW PATRON MEMBER

LONDON PHILHArMONIC OrCHESTrARepresented by TIMOTHY WALkEr AM, Head, Chief Executive and Artistic Director | wwww.lpo.org.uk

The London Philharmonic Orchestra is one of the world’s finest symphony orchestras, balancing a long and distinguished history with a reputation as one of the uK’s most adventurous and forward-looking orchestras. As well as giving classical concerts and opera performances in the uK and internationally, the Orchestra also records film and video game soundtracks, has its own record label, and reaches thousands of people every year through activities for schools and local communities. Resident at Southbank Centre’s Royal festival hall, as well as Glyndebourne festival Opera, the Orchestra performs under the baton of Principal Conductor, Vladimir Jurowski.

JEAN PAUL VIGUIEr Uk LTD - Architecture/Urban Design/Interior Design/Landscape | Represented by JEAN-PAUL VIGUIEr, Presidentwww.jeanpaulviguier.com Jean Paul Viguier UK Ltd is the London based office of Jean Paul Viguier et Associés (95 professionals and 13 different nationalities led by Jean Paul Viguier, a graduate of l’Ecole des beaux Arts and harvard university GSd). internationally renowned for its architecture, urban planning, interior and landscape design, the practice has, over the last two decades, placed its clients’ needs at the heart of every project to deliver innovative, unique and elegant design solutions (Majunga Tower, Néo Brussels, etc.)

OrANGE BrAND SErVICES LTD - Telecommunications Services Provider | Represented by FLOrENCE NJAMFA, Global Creative and Brand Communications Directorwww.orange.com Orange is one of the world’s leading telecommunications operators with sales of €39 billion in 2014 and 157,000 employees worldwide at 30 September 2015. Present in 28 countries, the Group has a total customer base of 263 million customers worldwide, including 200 million mobile customers and 18 million fixed broadband customers. Orange is also a leading provider of global IT and telecommunication services to multinational companies, under the brand Orange business Services.

EPTICA - Software for an improved customer experience | Represented by OLIVIEr NJAMFA, CEOwww.eptica.com Eptica’s multichannel and multilingual customer engagement software is designed around a central knowledge base, powerful workflow and advanced linguistic capabilities that enable organisations to quickly understand the tone, sentiment and context of digital interactions. This improves engagement with customers, increases efficiency and drives sales, all through their channel of choice. Available worldwide, Eptica is located in London, Paris, boston and Singapore.

PEOPLEDOC - Cloud-based HR service delivery solution | Represented by kArINE rIVOIrE, Uk Country Manager www.people-doc.com Adopted by many of the world’s top companies, Peopledoc empowers employees to quickly and easily access relevant hR information, and enables hR to get more done with fewer resources. Peopledoc’s cloud-based hR Service delivery platform is the only comprehensive suite that can automate processes in all stages of the employee lifecycle, from hire to retire.


AkOYA Consulting - human capital strategywww.akoyaconsulting.comRepresented by Antoine Aubois, Partner

Barnes International - international luxury real estate www.barnes-international.com Represented by Albane dehen, Marketing director

Be The 1 Uk - Quality recruitment consulting/retail and luxury www.bethe1.com

Represented by Emmanuelle Thomas, uK Manager

Brann Translations - Translations and proofreading in all languages www.branntranslations.com

Represented by Charlotte brann, director

Davron Ltd - Translation, interpretation & education www.davronltd.co.ukRepresented by Anne-Cécile Bourget-Davron, Managing director

Distech Controls SAS - Energy management solutions/ building management services & technologies www.distech-controls.com Represented by Martin Villeneuve, Vice-President Europe/ Managing director SAS

Everience - iT, business & end user services www.everience.com

Represented by nicolas Schütz, international business developer

Galeforce TV - Producers of high-end corporate video content www.galeforce.tv

Represented by Alain Gales, founder & Creative director

London School of International Communication

intercultural, communication and leadership training www.lsictraining.com Represented by Cathy wellings, director

Molydal Lubricants Limited - industrial lubricants www.molydal.com

Represented by Jean-Louis Pauphillat, CEO

ON5 Company Ltd- Energy efficiency company www.on5company.com

Represented by Anne-france Kennedy, director

Powwownow - fastest growing telecoms providerwww.powwownow.fr Represented by hollie bennett, European Marketing Manager

Talan Consulting Uk Limited - Consultancy services www.talan.fr

Represented by Marjane Mabrouk, director

13 NEW ACTIVE MEMBERS

PIAGET - Luxury watchmaker and jeweller | Represented by LOrENzA CAVALLI, Uk Brand Directoren.piaget.comFounded in 1874, Piaget cultivates a spirit of luxury while emphasising its creativity and its fully integrated watchmaking and jewellery expertise. With its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland and 80 boutiques around the world, the Swiss luxury jeweller and watch brand is renowned for its ultra-thin and high jewellery watches. Piaget craftsmanship is known to create unique luxury watches and refined jewellery pieces. Their painstaking attention to detail is one of the keys to Piaget’s success.

STACk OVErFLOW - The home of the world’s developers | Represented by ANGELA NYMAN, Marketing Director, EMEA stackoverflow.comHaving run the largest community of professional programmers in the world since 2008, we know a lot about developers. With nearly 30 million monthly visitors, we have unparalleled insights into how developers think, what matters to them and what gets them excited. we use our knowledge to help employers understand, attract and engage with the world’s technical talent via Stack Overflow Careers – our technical hiring platform.

TEADS LTD - Online video advertising company | Represented by CHrISTOPHE PArCOT, Chief Operating Officer www.teads.tvTeads is the inventor of outstream video advertising and a global monetisation platform for publishers. Publishers work with Teads to create brand new video inventory and manage their existing inventory through programmatic buying, their own sales force, or third parties. Teads’ outstream solutions encompasses a series of formats inserted deep into media content. it is changing the game within the video advertising market by creating unprecedented levels of premium inventory. brands and agencies can access this top-tier, premium inventory, available on the web and on mobile, through programmatic or managed services.


Societe Generale is a French credit institution (bank) that is supervised by the European Central Bank (‘ECB’) and the Autorité de Contrôle Prudentiel et de Résolution (the French Prudential Control and Resolution Authority) (‘ACPR’) . This document is issued in the U.K. by the London Branch of Societe Generale, authorized by the ECB, the ACPR and Prudential Regulation Authority and subject to limited regulation by the Financial Conduct Authority and Prudential Regulation Authority. Details about the extent of our authorisation and regulation by the Prudential Regulation Authority, and regulation by the Financial Conduct Authority are available from us on request. © Shenghung Lin Photos / Getty Images - FRED & FARID

FROM ADV ISORY TO F INANCING AND INVESTMENT TO RISK MANAGEMENT, OUR EXPERTS DELIVER CUSTOMISED SOLUTIONS TO MEET YOUR BUSINESS NEEDS

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SOCIETE GENERALE CORPORATE & INVESTMENT BANKING

CIB_INFO_MAG_197,4x279,18_PONT.indd 1 19/10/2015 11:58


cHAMBEr HAppENINGS - 5 November

You could say this event has come of age,’ Ian Fisher, Societe Generale Chief Country Officer and Head of Coverage &

Investment Banking UK commented as he opened the 19th lunch the bank has sponsored. ‘We sponsor it because of the great importance we place on this event and the extraordinary work the Chamber does in supporting and furthering UK-French relations.’ He introduced guest speaker Lorenzo Bini Smaghi, a renowned economist, former member of the Executive Board of the European Central Bank (2005-2011) and since earlier in 2015, Chairman of the Board of Societe Generale.

‘Looking ahead for Europe’ was how Lorenzo framed his insights on the perspectives and challenges for growth in Europe.

Differentiating between the views of economists and those of the markets, he judged the market view of Europe as being quite benign. The perception is that it is not particularly exciting but still sound and gradually picking up. There are good reasons for that – oil prices, a rebalancing of growth based on domestic demand and increased purchasing power thanks to lower commodity prices. Financial tensions have subsided, spreads are back to minimal levels and the Euro is stable if not too strong. This relatively positive stance of the market begs the question, are markets being too short-sighted or incorporating factors that economists are not?

From an economist’s perspective, Europe’s problems have not been fully resolved. Some of its institutional shortcomings have been addressed, but others have not. Policies are moving in the right direction – monetary policy is very accommodative, fiscal policy is a bit more relaxed and some progress has been made on structural policies, albeit not enough in Italy and France. And Europe is not yet done with the Greek crisis – it has

just been kicked down the road with another €80bn package and no clarity on whether Greece would be able to stand on its own two feet in another two or three years. The banking union has been implemented, but it is still only half way there, and a capital market union is very far from being achieved. Europe is also facing new challenges, migration being top of the list. Although things look better than they did a few months ago, the situation is not stable.

So what gives the markets such optimism? The lesson they seem to have learnt is that Europe was built out of crisis, and although at times it looks lost, it always finds last minute redemption, so betting against Europe has proved costly. Whether it will continue to work is another question.

To be a true monetary union with a fiscal capacity to protect the union against shocks, fundamental transfers of sovereignty will have to happen and many see this as a huge step that Europe may not have the strength to take. Yet, Europe has already taken major steps of monetary and banking union, which were inconceivable not so long ago. These changes were made through democratic processes when people were convinced that the existing system was not working. Managing by crisis is inherent in our democracies, and it is not exclusive to Europe, as US history testifies. Change comes when people are confronted and see it as the right way to go. In the end, Europe is fragile by design, but the world would be unthinkable without it. Perhaps this is what the markets have understood.

A Q&A session followed, moderated by Peter Alfandary, Senior Vice President of the French Chamber. Thanks go to Vranken Pommery for the Champagne at the pre-lunch reception, as well as Les Vins du Médoc and Les Vins de Pessac-Léognan for providing the wines served at lunch. I KF

ANNUAL fINANCIAL LUNCH: Looking ahead for Europe

In what has now become a time-honoured tradition, members of the Chamber’s financial and business community gathered at The Berkeley for the Annual Financial Lunch, sponsored by Societe Generale, which was addressed by Lorenzo Bini Smaghi, Chairman of the Board of Societe Generale

Sponsored by


Helena Morrissey is optimistic about the opportunities ahead for women in the workplace. As founder of the

30% Club, a cross-business initiative aimed at achieving 30% women on UK corporate boards, she has kept a close eye on the progress being made in raising the proportion of women on boards – from 12.5% in 2010 to 26.1% in FTSE 100 companies today. There are now no all-male boards in the FTSE 100, while amongst the smaller FTSE 250 companies, the number has dwindled from 131 to 15 in five years. ‘That is a dramatic shift and it has all been done, not with quotas, but through voluntary business-led change,’ she says. There is, she admits, still much to be done, particularly in senior management levels. ‘I have to remind myself that there are twice as many men called John as CEOs or Chairs of FTSE 100 companies than there are women with all the names!’

Helena’s interest in this stems from personal experience and a career path she describes as ‘unconventional’. An early awareness of the issues was formed at school, when as the only girl taking A Level Maths and Physics, she found herself in a very male-dominated environment in which she initially struggled, but gradually found the dynamic shifted a bit towards her, from dysfunctional to more collaborative. Helena was later shocked to discover the world of work was not the equal opportunity place she had envisaged as a University of Cambridge graduate. Aged 25, she was passed over for an expected promotion because, as she was told, having a baby had put her commitment in question. Her response was to move to a smaller, more entrepreneurial firm where she ‘created opportunities to sit at the table’, although she admits having to adapt her behaviour to fit in with the prevailing status quo. Within seven years she became CEO – an indication, she says, of how important it is for women to find the right cultural fit in order to progress. With no managerial experience and a busy home life with a growing family, ‘it was,’

she says, ‘not so much a case of “leaning in” as diving in.’ As the head of a company that manages £50 billion and now

with nine children, aged 24 to 6, Helena could be said to have cracked combining career and family, although she does concede that having a job that is not transaction oriented and a husband who opted to become a stay-at-home freelancer did help. But more and more young women were asking her how she managed it. ‘Having had a few knocks along the way, I felt I not only had a responsibility but also a desire to help them if I could,’ Helena says. She set up a women’s development network but found that despite the inspirational talks and networking, little had changed

after four years. So realising that objectives had to be set and change had to start from the top, Helena founded the 30% Club in 2009 to push for voluntary business-led change. ‘For me, it is all about men and women collaborating towards a goal we believe in.’ Unwittingly, she found the key to success was having male champions of

change: ‘Instead of women talking to each other, it was men – the majority white, heterosexual and middle-aged – saying that they wanted to see more women at the board table that helped shift it from being a women’s issue to being everybody’s issue.’ The 30% Club, which now has chapters in 10 countries, has evolved into supporting initiatives from school room to board room in order to ensure that change is sustainable and meaningful, including cross-company mentoring schemes involving 44 companies and with two-thirds of the mentors being men.

Estelle Brachlianoff can relate to Helena’s start in a male-dominated world. She graduated from Ecole Polytechnique and then as an engineer from Ecole Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées in a cohort where women comprised only 8%. Yet, even 10 years ago, she admits that she would never have agreed to speak at an event about women’s issues. ‘Now I perfectly understand why this should be tackled,’ she says. Estelle spent a decade as

Only days after the publication of Lord Davies’ 5-year summary report on Women on Boards, the French Chamber hosted its second annual debate between two women leaders on the prevailing issues that women face in business and progress in overcoming them

HELENA MORRISSEYFounder of The 30% Club, Chief Executive Officer of Newton Investment Management

...itwasmen...sayingthattheywantedtoseemorewomenattheboardtablethathelpedshiftitfrombeingawomen’sissuetobeingeveryone’sissue

WOMENinspiration & Leadership

Women in the workplace:


a civil servant building highways, motorways and tramways, as well as holding a cabinet office position, before joining Veolia where she has held three CEO positions, working across waste management to facility management before taking charge of Veolia’s UK and Ireland business, which spans dismantling oil rigs to collecting Westminster’s waste. How she has made her way in this almost completely non-female environment comes down to three factors: never quitting; asking ‘why not’, instead of ‘why’ when the opportunity arises; and picking a good husband (another thing she has in common with Helena).

‘Many might think that having a woman in this position as a role model is a good thing, but it is not enough,’ Estelle says. ‘One female on a board is a start, but a critical mass works better.’ In the UK, she has a much more diverse board than the one she inherited, not only in terms of gender balance but nationality, profile and professional background. For her, diversity is not just gender. Other factors she identifies as helping to bring about change include engaging top managers, having KPIs ‘because if the boss does not care about measuring progress, nothing will happen’, and empowering women through mentoring, coaching and managing the process, for example rooting out criteria in HR processes that would naturally exclude women. ‘Now 38% of graduate applicants are women, double what it was two years ago, and 83% stay after maternity leave.’ These are figures to be proud of, but, she admits, ‘we are not there yet. What remains to be tackled is culture and bias, which is less about action and more about mindset.’ Having been there herself, Estelle is only too aware that men and women tend to be different at work in terms of behaviour, interaction and the way they react, and that being conscious of this enables you to leverage on it. ‘Being a woman in an organisation is exactly like being a different nationality,’ she says.

One of those differences is the career cycle: in their 20s, women emerge from the same education system as men, get their first jobs, have ambitions and don’t understand why they would have to choose between a career and having children; in their 30s, comes the culture shock of everything happening at once, when they are judged not only on quantity of work

and results but also ability to connect and influence people, i.e. the old boy’s network, and it is at this time when women are supposed to be high flyers that they are likely to be having children – a stressed time when it is now or never on all fronts; the 40s bring more freedom and fun, but the problem is that many women are lost to professional life by this stage.

‘The Davis Report says there are six reasons why we should have more women on boards, from performance to reputation. I would add another one – it’s fun! More diversity brings more innovation and creativity,’ Estelle concluded.

Moderator Marc Roche, London correspondent for Le Point, kicked off the Q&A which raised questions on quotas, company cultures and women being obstacles to women. On quotas, Helena was unequivocal: ‘We have achieved more than a doubling of the representation of women on boards without a quota. I think it is more real than a quota. It has to be more

than just the appearance of change.’ Whereas Estelle revealed she had had a change of heart: ‘I used to be against quotas because I was raised in a French meritocracy. The problem is, you need a critical mass,

but it is taking too long to get there, so there may be a need for temporary quotas.’

As for women being their own worst enemy, Helena noted that some women do feel they would be marginalised or negatively perceived if they were seen to be helping other women to make their way to the top, while others don’t believe in helping women because no one ever helped them, ‘but it’s not about getting a few women at the top to fly the flag, it’s about bringing about change,’ she said. Estelle added that many women want to be seen for themselves, for their own achievements rather than as women. ‘But increasingly change is happening not because it is morally right or trendy but because there is a business argument,’ she stated. She advocated role models ‘so that women think it is possible’, but also turned the tables slightly: ‘A lot of women are now saying yes I can do it, but are questioning, do I want to?’

The event was held at the May Fair hotel and sponsored by Chanel, which presented every participant with a bottle of perfume. I KF

ESTELLE BRACHLIANOFFSenior Executive Vice-President, UK & Ireland of Veolia,

President of the French Chamber of Great Britain

Whatremainstobetacklediscultureandbias,whichislessaboutactionandmoreaboutmindset

WOMENinspiration & Leadership

perils and progress


small meets big

The Franco-BriTish

conFerence 2015

T he aim of the conference was to bring together the big beasts of the digital industries and the nimble, disruptive start-ups, and the mood was one of collaboration – from

the off, the French Ambassador, HE Ms Sylvie Bermann, who introduced the conference, stated that 95% of French start-ups want to work with big businesses.

The day began with the views from the leading figures in government on both sides of the channel: Axelle Lemaire, French Secretary of State for Digital Affairs, and Ed Vaizey, British Minister of State for Culture and the Digital Economy. Both said that investment in infrastructure was a priority for their respective governments, but that private companies had to play a key role.

‘The French are massively internet-savvy,’ said Axelle Lemaire. ‘But more investment by SMEs is needed.’ Ed Vaizey stressed that public funds for broadband and mobile roll-out should only

be used where the market and private finance won’t go. The UK is one of the first countries to put coding on the national curriculum.

A tale of two citiesFrom this Franco-British perspective, the agenda moved to the view from the two capital cities. First up was Gerard Grech, CEO of TechCity which began in the tech cluster around Shoreditch in London in 2010, and has since spread its influence across Britain. Grech highlighted London’s notable strengths in financial tecnnology (FinTech), data management and analysis, marketplace, ecommerce, software development and the creative industries, but he stressed that the influence of the digital revolution stretches beyond the capital, with 1.46 million people employed in the tech industry across the UK.

The first ever Franco-British Digital Conference, organised in partnership with the French Embassy, the Franco-British Council and FrenchConnect London, offered a unique opportunity to hear major digital players in France and Britain – both large companies and innovative start-ups – discuss their successes, their common obstacles, and the latest best practice in surviving and thriving in a fast-moving industry

Top left: karine Bidart gives her presentation on Paris&CoLeft: Mycoocoon was one of the exhibitors; the first panel debates digital transformation


cHAMBEr HAppENINGS - digital Conference - 12 november

Then it was the turn of Karine Bidart, Deputy Manager of Paris&Co, the economic development and innovation agency of Paris. Paris&Co is the biggest incubator in Europe, with 200 start-ups on 10 sites across the city, covering everything from sport to social entrepreneurship. Karine Bidart raised the importance of providing an environment in which start-ups can experiment, as well as facilitating connections with corporate clients (a need that was echoed by the audience).

Offering a personal perspective on launching and running a start-up in each of the cities were Julien Callede (co-founder and COO of Made.com) and Greg Marsh (co-founder and CEO of onefinestay). Callede was born and studied in France, and pointed to access to expert investors as the main reason his start-up was founded in London. Onefinestay began in London and expanded to New York before taking its high-end service to Paris at the end of 2013. Marsh highlighted that practice made perfect on their roll-out method, but also that the consistently positive coverage from the likes of Le Monde and Le Figaro helped raise the company’s profile.

Start-ups working with big companiesA major area of interest for the conference audience was how start-ups could better engage and work with large corporate clients. Jonathan Chippindale, Co-founder and CEO of ‘augmented retail solutions’ start-up Holition (see interview on p 30), was not afraid to point out the obstacles in their area. Key amongst these is the need to educate companies about the fact that they need to fundamentally change their approach to engaging with their audience, rather than expecting a new piece of technology to rescue them. ‘Brands do not call the shots any more,’ Chippindale said. ‘They need to get a digital attitude.’

A case study of a highly successful collaboration came from Lionel Benbassat (Head of Marketing and Brand, Eurostar) and

Jean-Baptiste Bouzige (founder and CEO, Ekimetrics). Ekimetrics works with Eurostar on interpreting their data to provide greater insight into marketing initiatives. Benbassat estimated a 15% increase in marketing efficiency since the collaboration began, while Bouzige stressed that Ekimetrics were not simply providing a product – the context and interpretation that the start-up provides help create the compromise between the complex data and simple recommendations.

Digital transformation and the big playersFor large, established companies, adapting to the new digital landscape can bring its unique challenges. While there are benefits in having scale, it can be difficult to change direction or launch initiatives quickly. And while these companies may be keen to work with start-ups, they are aware that these new entrants to the market may also be a source of competition.

To explore these issues, the conference convened a panel comprising Christophe Chazot (Group Head of Innovation, HSBC), Andrew Humphries (Co-Founder, The Bakery & UKTI Global Entrepreneur, Dealmaker), Tom Swanson (Chief Digital Officer, Atos) and Pierre Peladeau (Partner at PwC Strategy & Digital).

A common theme of the discussion was that for all companies – large or small – it’s the interaction with the end customer that can and should be improved by a move to digital. ‘Customer experience is the critical core of digital transformation,’ said Swanson.

But while all the panelists recognised the benefits of working with start-ups, there were several common barriers to achieving this. There were nods of recognition from both the audience and panel when Peladeau highlighted the positive and negative themes raised by start-ups when asked about working with big companies. On the positive side were hackathons, POCs, open data and APIs. On the negative were decision governance,

...theoverridingthemeoftheday[was]thatbusinessrelationshipsarebetweenindividualpeople.“thehumanchemistryiskey.Ifyoucan’tplayasateam,youfail”

Ed Vaizey, Uk Minister of State for Culture & the Digital Economy Axelle Lemaire, French Secretary of State for DIgital Affairs


The Chamber would like to thank all those who made the conference possible: the sponsors: Atos, HSBC, PwC, London & Partners and Tramonex; its partners: The French Embassy, the Franco-British Council and FrenchConnect London; the exhibitors who had stands at the venue: Atos, Good Angel, HSBC, linkfluence, mycoocoon, OVH.co.uk, Pwc, Tramonex, Tridelity and Wisembly, which also facilitated the live audience interaction during the conference; and the moderators Alan Rutter and Alexandre Sagakian, President of FrenchConnect London.

procurement processes, payment terms and – something that was an ongoing theme of the day – finding the right entry points to initiate projects. When questioned by the audience on how to find the best entry point into larger companies, the panelists recommended intermediary organisations (of which both The Bakery and Atos have examples), and the importance of personal relationships.

View from the start-ups The afternoon sessions began with Pascal Cagni, Founder and CEO of C4 Ventures, and former General Manager and Vice President of Apple Europe, Middle East, India and Africa, in conversation with Alexandre Sagakian, co-founder of FrenchConnect London. Cagni is a giant in the digital world, and he hit a suitably epic tone – stating both that 73% of Europe’s population admire entrepreneurs, but that ‘we’re hardly leaving the era of the digital bronze age’. He discussed the more recent adaptation of luxury brands to the digital world – with Net-A-Porter as a great example – and stressed that support for start-ups has to go beyond the mere financial: ‘The new VC game is all about operational support’. This was music to the ears of the audience.

In the next panel discussion, another key theme of the conference emerged: the disruption that is often discussed in relation to digital never ends, and there is always somebody gunning for yesterday’s big start-up. The message: only the paranoid survive! The notion of ‘scale-ups’ was introduced – start-ups that have made the leap from inception to expansion. Nicolas Brusson, co-Founder and COO of hugely successful ride-sharing start-up BlaBlaCar, explained that they had tackled their need to expand into the European market by hiring teams in other countries.

Taking audience questions, both Marie Ekeland, President of France Digitale, and Rachel Delacour, co-founder and General Manager of BIME Analytics, highlighted the lack of experienced angel investors in the European market as a reason why start-ups look to the US. Ekeland did say that start-ups can be a key force in helping large companies to innovate: ‘It can be difficult for companies to distract their best people to look at innovation’.

Nicolas Debock, investor at Balderton Capital, who brought the views of the VCs, echoed the fact that big companies can use strategic acquisition to foster innovation, and reiterated that investment is made in people rather than elaborate and

optimistic business plans. ‘The real results tend to be either worse, or better, than the business plan predicted,’ he said.

A human industryThe closing keynote came from Pierre Chappaz, founder and Executive Chairman of hugely successful adtech company Teads. Although he had much insight to give on the technological and financial hurdles that must be overcome to succeed as a start-up in Europe, he also returned to the overriding theme of the day: that business relationships are between individual people. ‘The human chemistry is key,’ he said. ‘If you can’t play as a team, you fail.’ Between the wisdom of the speakers and panels, the networking that took place in the coffee breaks, and atmosphere of Franco-British collaboration, this conference should have gone a long way to fostering exactly those kind of valuable human connections. I by Alan Rutter, Co-Founder of Clever Boxer, and a moderator at the conference

Pascal Cagni, Founder and CEO of C4 Ventures, and former General Manager and Vice President of Apple Europe, Middle East, India and Africa (2000-2012)

small meets big

The Franco-BriTish

conFerence 2015

Supporting SponsorsMain Sponsors


cHAMBEr HAppENINGS - rEcENT EVENTS

S.T. Dupont

T he Chamber organised a Business Club Cocktail for S.T. Dupont, which took place at the French

Residence. A chance to network extensively with 160 fellow members and learn more about S.T. Dupont, the French manufacturer of luxury goods, were the key ingredients of this event.

Sharon Flood, Chairman of S.T. Dupont and Alain Crevet CEO, were there to welcome guests, and Alain gave a very interesting presentation on the history of the brand and its particular know-how, cultivated since 1872. With its rich tradition of crafting for the elite, the host explained how S.T. Dupont creates exceptional products that are designed to stand the test of time.

To demonstrate this craftsmanship, there was a display of some of S.T. Dupont’s best pieces, among them refined lighters, pens and leather goods. But the star of the show was the new limited edition James Bond Spectre Lighter, the creation of which posed a particular challenge when it came to incorporating the iconic gunbarrel hole in the middle of it!

For all those present, it was a pleasurable, sophisticated evening, enjoyed in a relaxed atmosphere. www.uk.st-dupont.com I MH

B ringing a taste of Paris to London’s financial district, the new PAUL restaurant on the ground floor of Tower 42 played host to 50 Chamber members. Guests were invited to taste cocktails from PAUL’s first bar and a selection of PAUL specials including mini-

croissants, macaroons and petit-fours, as well as charcuterie and cheeses. With a DJ set playing all evening, the atmosphere was fun and friendly, and everyone left happy, hands full of delicious meringues. (For a review of the restaurant, see page 52). I MH

REndEZ-VOuS ChEZ - 21 October

F or this special event, 20 Patron members gathered at the elegant Royal Opera House for an exclusive evening watching a Royal Ballet rehearsal. Organised thanks to the Chamber’s

longstanding partnership with the ROH, the night started with a private backstage tour led by Margaret Andraos, Senior Philanthropy Manager. Guests then enjoyed a Champagne reception in the Royal Retiring Room, where Kevin O’Hare, Director of The Royal Ballet introduced his work and the evening’s rehearsal programme. With the auditorium to themselves, the guests were in a privileged position to watch the rehearsal and the final adjustments of the intense Viscera, led by choreographer Liam Scarlett, a British talent who was appointed as the Royal Ballet’s first artist in residence. Our thanks to Florence Siebert, Head of Business Relationships, for her precious help in organising this visit. I MHRoyal Opera House: Bow St, Covent Garden, London WC2E 9DD t: +44 (0)20 7304 4000 www.roh.org.uk

French flair in the City

PATROn EVEnT - 15 October

A night at the ballet

buSinESS CLub COCKTAiL - 13 October


Organised by the French Chamber under the high patronage of HE Ms Sylvie Bermann, French Ambassador to the UK and HE Sir Peter Ricketts,

British Ambassador to France, the Awards were presented at a dinner, which took place at the May Fair hotel in London, attended by over 120 guests.

Estelle Brachlianoff, President of the French Chamber and Senior Vice President of Veolia UK & Ireland, opened the event with a tribute to the Franco-British relationship, which had found expression in the solidarity shown in the wake of the Paris attacks almost two weeks before. ‘It is for this reason that I believe this year’s Franco-British Business Awards, which are a showcase for our cross-Channel innovation, are more important than ever,’ she said, noting that the standard of entrants had been exceptionally high, making the jury’s decision extremely difficult. She thanked all the companies that had entered for the creativity and business acumen they had shown.

In what was her first contact with the Franco-British community since the Paris attacks, the Ambassador spoke movingly of the messages of support the Embassy had received from the authorities and business sector. ‘In these difficult times, as François Hollande and David Cameron said, France and the UK stand more united than ever. Tonight’s ceremony is another symbol of this unity. As you know, business is at the very heart of our bilateral relations. To give only two examples, in 2014 France was the UK’s second-largest foreign investor. At the same time, France was the number one destination in Europe for British investment.

These figures owe much to the creativity and dynamism of both French and British entrepreneurs. It is fitting that we should pay tribute to them tonight.’

Despite having their work cut out for them with the high level of entries, notably including a number of innovative start-ups for the first time, the Jury had come to a decision. The winners on the night were La Belle Assiette for the SME/Entrepreneur Award and Decathlon for the Large Corporate Award. The Jury Award, which is given to a member of the French Chamber that has significantly contributed to the Chamber through its commitment and participation, was presented to Societe Generale.

La Belle Assiette SME/Entrepreneur AwardLa Belle Assiette is reforming the traditional restaurant industry by working with over 200 professional and creative chefs across the country. Their chefs bring the restaurant experience to your home; they buy the ingredients, cook in your kitchen, serve and even clean up before leaving, making entertaining guests at home enjoyable and hassle free.

Accepting the Award, Founder and CEO Stephen Leguillon said: ‘It is in La Belle Assiette’s DNA to be an international company. We have the ambition to disrupt the catering industry on a world scale. Winning this award is a huge milestone for us because the UK was our first international market. We now have the confirmation that our expansion from France to the UK has been a success. It will be a driving force for our team in the future, both in the UK and internationally. We now have proof it is possible. It is also a

The Franco-British Business Awards brought together the Franco-British community for the 16th year running to celebrate the achievements of French and British start-ups, SMEs and blue-chip companies, and applaud the overall winners

ThefRANCOBRITISHBUSINESSAWARDS

2015


great reward for all the hard work and energy the team has put into growing the UK for La Belle Assiette since its launch here.’

Decathlon Large Corporate AwardDecathlon is a network of innovative retail outlets and sports brands, employing 60,000 employees who share a strong and unique company culture with the common purpose of ‘making the pleasure and benefits of sport accessible to all’ underpinned by values of vitality and responsibility.

‘I’m happy and proud to have received this award. I’d like to thank the whole Decathlon team for transforming the company every day and delivering the best experience to our customers,’ Thibaut Peeters, Chief Executive of Decathlon UK said. John Butcher, Corporate Manager, Business Solutions, added: ‘We are delighted to accept this award from the French Chamber of Commerce as recognition of our work to accelerate massively our presence in the UK market. We are proud to have opened six stores in the last 18 months as well as have successfully launched a new concept here, the click and collect store, which has now been duplicated in many countries internationally. We are also proud this year to have launched DECATHLON for business, which has been created to enable British companies to celebrate success through sport, as it is proven that fit and healthy employees perform better and generate improved business results. Our mission

is to make British companies more active and vibrant places to work, with more team members practising more sport, more often.’

Societe Generale Jury AwardSociete Generale has been present in the UK for 150 years and its loyalty and commitment to the French Chamber runs deep, with its long-running sponsorship of the Annual Financial Lunch – 19 years and counting, its ongoing advertising in INFO since its launch in 1979 and its presence on the Chamber’s Board. Ian Fisher, Chief Country Officer and Head of Coverage & Investment Banking UK, said: ‘We are absolutely thrilled to have received this award. The French Chamber plays a significant role in enhancing and developing business relations between the UK and France, and at Societe Generale we are very pleased to be able to play an active part in helping to further promote and develop business relations between our two countries.’

We would like to thank Eurostar and Mazars for being the main sponsors of the event; Business France and Colas Rail for being supporting sponsors; our press partners: the Financial Times, French Radio London and Ici Londres; Vranken Pommery for providing the Champagne for the reception and Les Vins du Médoc and Les Vins de Pessac-Léognan for the wines accompanying the dinner. I KF

From left to right: richard Fostier (Colas rail); David Herbinet (Mazars); Estelle Brachlianoff, President of the French Chamber; Stephen Leguillon (La Belle Assiette); Ian Fisher (Societe Generale); Thibaut Peeters (Decathlon); HE Ms Sylvie Bermann; Delphine Merlot (Eurostar); Patrick Manon (Business France)

Main Sponsors Supporting Sponsors Press Partners

WINNERS2015

SME/Entrepreneur Award: La Belle Assiette

Large Corporate Award: Decathlon

Jury Award: Societe Generale


WWW.INSTITUT-FRANCAIS.ORG.UK


ForuMS & cLuBS - EcoNoMIc updATE - 25 November

What is behind Cisco’s endorsement of France?John Chambers’ words were backed up with an announcement that Cisco had increased its planned investment in France of up to $300 million in 2016, comprising an operational expense commitment as well as $200m equity investment in start-ups. This compares to the $150m it is investing in UK start-ups at the same time. One of the reasons behind this is Cisco’s belief that Europe is back on the innovation scene and experiencing a renaissance in terms of both quality and quantity of its entrepreneurs, the depth of its ecosystem and the level of its venture capital funding. All this is being fuelled by an increasing amount of money from both financial and corporate investors in the US, as well as from Russia, China, the Middle East and elsewhere. For these reasons, having made no start-up investments in Europe from 2004-12, Cisco has now put Europe back into its investment agenda.

Why is France attractive for start-ups and investors?One key asset is a good education system, especially in science, technology, engineering and business. Also, whereas in the past, most French entrepreneurs only considered France as their market, this mindset is changing and they are thinking global from day one. Another factor is the large pool of available talent in France. In comparison, Silicon Valley has become overcrowded and has difficulties attracting new talent because of high costs. This talent war puts France at an advantage.

But there are some challenges too. France lacks a culture of risk taking and entrepreneurship and needs to improve on this. It also needs a larger European market: the European initiative to create a Single Digital Market is a clear advantage that could be leveraged in the future. And in a country where public services represent 56% of GDP, there is an opportunity for modernisation if the government were to open the door not only to large companies but also small ones. What is also missing

is marketing of France itself, as it is not clear to investors what its strengths are. One way of achieving this is to emphasise different regional specialisations. Finally, France needs to provide a better administrative environment in terms of laws and taxes, as well as a better financing environment.

How does France compare to the Uk?The UK has already set up a good administrative and financing environment, so it is one step ahead. For this reason, Cisco committed to a $500m investment in the UK five years ago, and has spent $5bn on acquisitions. There is an ambition to make the UK the technological centre of Europe, and as Sherry Coutu reported in ‘The Scale Up Report’, government policies, industry structure, geographical placement and talent supply put the UK in a good position. However, it identified that the UK does less well on growing and scaling up start-ups: those that do well are acquired early, relocate, or they simply can’t scale. The gaps that need to be addressed include evidence – the right companies need to be identified; skills – marketing and business development, for example; leadership – a good entrepreneur is not necessarily a good leader, able to take the company to the next stage; exportation – requires best practice that can be taught; finance – needed at the growth stage; and infrastructure. If the UK is able to help companies go through this journey it will see more and more companies scaling up.

The difference between the US and Europe40% of companies will die because they are not able to embrace digital transformation, but there is a unique opportunity to make Europe the best in terms of digitalisation. The US has been extremely good in first generation Internet transformation – Amazon, Google, Facebook and Twitter are examples of which Europe has no equivalent. But this could change with the Internet of Everything. The Internet used to be about customer-facing transformation, but the Internet of Everything addresses the digitalisation of everything else – business, security, education, healthcare, government regulation and policy, connecting machines not only to machines but also to business processes, people and data. Any business will be an IT business before anything else. And Europe is in a good position to gain a competitive advantage in this. I KF

How do the UK and France scale up their start-ups? Is France the new Silicon Valley?The catchy title of the latest Economic Update took its cue from John Chambers, Executive Chairman of Cisco, who, during a recent trip to Paris, remarked: ‘I see a start-up generation that will make France a digital leader of the future. I have the impression of seeing Silicon Valley in France’. Coming from the boss of a Silicon Valley giant, worth around $50 billion, which designs and sells networking technology, it was no throw-away statement. So what was behind this remark and how does France compare to the UK when it comes to scaling up its start-ups? Answering these questions at the forum was Frédéric Rombaut, Head of Corporate Development – International, Cisco UK.


ForuMS & cLuBS - cLIMATE cHANGE ForuM

The UK has opened a new door to help achieve a reduction in global emissions via a proposed tidal lagoon industry

that will harness energy from the rise and fall of the tides. The Government has awarded a Development Consent Order for a ‘proof of concept’ project in Swansea Bay, Wales, developed by UK company, Tidal Lagoon Power. With 320MW of installed capacity, it could power over 155,000 Welsh homes and be a precursor for a fleet of six lagoons which could deliver approximately 8% of the UK’s total electricity demand.

Renewable energy, societal benefits and positive public supportLocal support for the Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon has been overwhelming. This is because, as well as offering a clean and secure energy supply for 120 years, and a relatively quick build time, the project will deliver jobs, a European supply chain with a UK core and, more than anything, hope. Tidal Lagoon Power has worked with a broad range of local stakeholders to define a shared dream for the future and, as a result, the lagoon will also provide a range of societal benefits. Part power plant, part public amenity, it will include, amongst other things, a public walkway, an education centre and a major water sporting arena, as well as ecological benefits including a saltmarsh and mariculture centre. As a scaleable blueprint for the future, it could be a game changer, creating scope to transform the industrial economy and the UK’s energy mix.

Second lagoon offers immediate economies of scale With Swansea Bay consented and private investment in place for its development, work is also already underway on a proposed second lagoon, in Cardiff, which entered the planning system in March 2015. With 2,700MW of installed capacity, it offers immediate economies of scale and would effectively pave the way for the rest of the UK fleet, with European and international opportunities in its wake.

Tried and tested technologyGenerating power from the difference in height between high and low tides is not new. There were tidal mills in the Middle Ages and modern technologies, many of which originate from the hydro industry, are thoroughly tried and tested.

The commercial feasibility is also well established, not least via France’s own 240MW La Rance tidal barrage. Operational for almost 50 years, the excellent performance of the turbine technologies deployed in the marine environment is well demonstrated and the site has also delivered operations and maintenance learning that is highly relevant to future tidal lagoons.

Significant French opportunityThe key requirements for the deployment of a tidal lagoon are a high tidal range and shallow coastal waters. In France, two regions meet these criteria: the Western Cotentin Peninsula and la Baie de Somme, spanning Normandie and Nord Pas-de-Calais Picardie regions. Tidal Lagoon Power has identified potential for at least 15GW of installed capacity across these areas which could meet approximately one-sixth of France’s total household demand. As well as presenting a significant new opportunity for clean energy in France, this would make a major contribution to the French Government’s 2030 climate change objectives including 40% of electricity production to be delivered by renewables.

Time is short... but we have the right tools The energy trilemma – to continue to deliver a secure supply of energy, to meet demand, at an acceptable cost, while reducing carbon emissions – leaves us no choice but to change the energy landscape very quickly. We must deliver significant change immediately to meet climate change objectives and, more importantly, to reduce human impact on climate change before it becomes irreversible.

While there’s no denying the challenge ahead, we have the technical solutions and, collectively, the worldwide knowledge to make the transition, and European collaboration on a future tidal lagoon industry could play a significant role in achieving it. The prospect of developing a truly European industry with international deployment potential, centred on the significant tidal resources of the UK and France is an exciting and inspiring challenge that Tidal Lagoon Power has fully embraced. I

Tidal Lagoon Power - a new solution to an immediate problemPaul Leslie, Development Director Northern France at Tidal Lagoon Power discusses plans for a tidal lagoon industry that could transform the UK’s energy mix and help achieve a reduction in global emissions


ForuMS & cLuBS - cLIMATE cHANGE ForuM

What climate change means for extreme weatherGlobal warming is already starting to change weather patterns, but in the future we can expect these to become more intense and frequent. It is all down to the physics: warm air holds more moisture, so more intense rainfall events are likely, producing surface water and ‘flash’ flooding. What were 1 in 125 day events in the 1960s/70s are now 1 in 85 day events. More prolonged periods of rainfall are also expected, making winters wetter and summers drier. This will produce river flooding and ground saturation, as was seen in the UK in 2013/14 when the Thames flooded and swathes of South West England were under water for weeks. Other risks include dam bursts, reservoirs overtopping, embankment slips and sink holes. Strong winds and storms are likelier; 2013/14 will go down as the UK’s stormiest winter for 20 years. Coastal storm surges are also predicted to increase because of rising sea levels with the combination of high spring tides, low pressure and onshore winds. But the biggest impact will be an increase in summer heat waves. By 2040, over half of summers are projected to be warmer than 2003 when the UK recorded its highest temperature of 38.5°C.

resilience of transportThe impact of this kind of extreme weather on the UK’s transport systems is obvious – extensive and prolonged disruption to road and rail systems and airports due to flooding, wind and heat as well as to ports as a result of tidal surges. Transport can never be made totally resilient to extreme weather but there are ways of building in adaptation and resilience. One is to invest in remedial measures such as better drainage so that transport systems can keep people and goods moving. Just as important, for those systems that cannot be completely protected, recovery processes can be put in place to restore normal operations as quickly as possible. And increasingly, particularly for public transport, ensuring effective and timely communications to users and passengers can help minimise the impact of disruption, particularly as consumer expectations of the way these events are handled are higher than ever.

The UK’s transport networks are amongst the most intensively utilised in the world. For example, Heathrow is the busiest two-runway airport in the world in terms of aircraft movements and operates at 98% of capacity, so the slightest perturbation because

Over the winter of 2013/14, the UK experienced some of the most extreme weather seen for many years, which had a considerable impact on transport systems. Richard Brown CBE, former Chairman of Eurostar, Chairman of the Department for Transport Franchise Advisory Panel and Chair of the Chamber’s Climate Change Forum, led a review into the resilience of the transport network for the government, which was presented to Parliament last year. Drawing on the findings of this Transport Resilience Review, he gave a presentation to the Forum on what the impact, challenges and implications of extreme weather are for transport as well as business in the wider context

Climate change adaptation: the case of uK transportation

of weather or anything else causes extended disruption. Similarly, the UK’s train networks are on a par with the Dutch as the most intensively used per track kilometre. With everything operating close to capacity, the slightest hiccup causes problems. Just-in-time operations, particularly for freight and supply chains, are increasingly prevalent, and therefore susceptible to transport disruption. In addition, an increasing dependence of transport operations on IT means that electricity failures can have extensive repercussions, so the location of IT servers can be crucial, as Gatwick Airport discovered when its North Terminal electricity sub-stations were flooded, causing Christmas Eve chaos in 2013. Current levels of extreme weather are already disruptive, so any increase will pose a real challenge for transport networks.

Checklist for businessThe UK Environment Agency’s statutory obligations only extend to homes and wildlife, so it is up to businesses to put in place their own safeguards against extreme weather. Every industry that has any sort of vulnerability needs to review its standards. Those with very sensitive installations should be building for a one in 1,000 year event. At the most basic level, businesses should have an awareness of their own vulnerabilities so they can take measures to ameliorate them or build in resilience. For flooding risk, Environment Agency flood risk maps and Local Authority flood risk management strategies can be consulted, but local knowledge is also worth tapping into. Checks can be made on drainage conditions and capacity, and the location of sensitive equipment such as servers, switchgear and sub-stations – anything that can be put out of action if it comes into contact with water – should be reviewed. Other considerations are road access for employees and supply chain vulnerabilities.

Wider impacts of climate changeThe impact of climate change on transport is entirely manageable, albeit costly. But there are wider strategic implications of climate change – human migration, spiralling adaptation and recovery costs as well as market disruption, species migration causing ecosystem disruption and risks to food supply – that will pose much more of an existential threat to business and society. I KF

Rescue workers evacuate residents from a flooded street in Carlisle, Uk, following Storm Desmond on 6 December 2015


ForuMS & cLuBS - croSS -cuLTur AL dEBATE - 9 November

Cultivating the art of cultural understanding

The annual Cross-Cultural Debate usually puts the interaction between French and British cultures under scrutiny, but

this time there was more of a cultural melange with Warner Rootliep, the Dutch General Manager of Air France-KLM for UK & Ireland, and Tanuja Randery, the Indian-born, US-educated Zone President UK & Ireland of Schneider Electric, providing some fresh, multi-faceted perspectives on the intersection of national culture, multicultural work environments and corporate culture.

As moderator, Peter Alfandary, Chair of the Cross-Cultural Relations Forum and Senior Vice President of the French Chamber, provided context with his insights into cultural intelligence. He began with observations on the ‘myth of globalisation’ and the misunderstandings often caused by the widespread use of English in the world of business, which has made it easy to fall into assumptions that we understand each other. ‘There is still a lot to learn from each other,’ he said, ‘but it is useful to think about who we are more than who others are.’

One of the strongest points to come out of the debate, which took place under the Chatham House rule, was that companies themselves may even on occasion create ‘uber’ cultures that transcend national cultures, where there is an acceptance of difference overarched by a common goal and mutual values. Although there are very few truly global companies, those that are ‘glocal’ – operating with both global and local dimensions – tend to be more successful. Leadership was singled out as being key because it is responsible for breaking down barriers. Communication styles, concepts of hierarchy and attitudes to risk-taking and failure were all discussed, with the consensus that

different cultures can be complementary in a business situation, and striking a balance between them benefits the company.

The key messages were the importance of self-awareness – being conscious of how people perceive you, combined with a deeper understanding of different cultural norms. The impact of embracing diversity in all its forms is huge and makes for culturally aware and capable companies.

Commenting on the evening, which was hosted by the French Ambassador, HE Ms Sylvie Bermann, at the French Residence, Peter Alfandary said: ‘Top speakers, a full house in a prestigious setting and a subject of increasingly critical importance – this was again the Chamber at its best.’ I KF

ForuMS & cLuBS - LuXurY cLuB BrEAKFAST - 26 november

Members of the Luxury Club breakfasting in the beautiful Maison Assouline, surrounded by the sophisticated book collection and carefully curated décor and furnishings that define the brand’s savoir vivre, could easily

have imagined they were in the library of a stately home. Described as ‘a temple to considered taste’, Maison Assouline occupies a building on Piccadilly, designed by Sir Edward Lutyens in 1922, which was once a bank.

Paul Lorraine, UK General Manager Longchamp and President of the Regent Street Association, chaired the event on this occasion. The guest speakers were Gordon Clark, VP Head of Commercial UK & Ireland at Global Blue, who gave a presentation on luxury traveller shopping trends globally, and Nick Pope, Fashion & Luxury Lead at Deloitte UK, who spoke about the trends, challenges and opportunities presented by overseas luxury consumers in the UK (see the article on page 35). Both gave facts, figures and fascinating insights into the luxury shopping habits and preferences of different nationality profiles, where they are spending their money and why. Luxury spend dampeners, such as the decline in Russian spending, foreign exchange rates, visas and even the impact the Paris attacks might have on the world’s number one shopping destination, were addressed, including the chance that France might opt out of the Schengen agreement. Despite these headwinds, there are still good prospects for the luxury market in Europe and opportunities in the UK include making more of the transit channel, tapping into the Chinese graduate market, the American traveller and the expatriate population.

Our thanks to Aida Bayoud, Vice President Global Retail and Marketing at Assouline Publishing, for hosting the breakfast , giving a private tour of Maison Assouline and providing every one with a goodie bag. I KF

warner Rootliep and Tanuja Randery discuss cross-cultural challenges and successes


ForuMS & cLuBS - SMES & ENTrEprENEurS cLuB

If the UK were to leave the EU, one significant advantage which is often cited (by those who wish it to leave) is the recovery of control over its own employment law. Throughout the history of the UK’s membership, the influence of EU legislation and case law has steadily grown. A ‘Brexit’ would, on the face of it, leave the UK free to reshape a significant proportion of its employment legislation. However, in practice, the position may not be nearly so clear and simple.

How long would it take?The first practical point is that there could be few immediate changes: realistically a Brexit could not take effect in fewer than three years from the date of the Referendum, and a large number of technical issues would need to be solved first, and new legislation put in place.

What would the Uk’s relationship with the EU look like?Much will depend on whether the UK would join the European Economic Area (like Norway) and/or the European Free Trade Association (like Switzerland). As part of these, the countries’ negotiated arrangements for access to the EU single market, each had to agree to grant free movement of EU nationals and comply with EU employment law. The UK, as a larger economy, might be able to negotiate different arrangements, but it also opens up the possibility that the UK could suffer the worst of all worlds: having to remain bound by EU employment law, and without the benefit of the (limited) opt outs which it enjoys at present.

Possible targets for reformHigh on the list would probably be the Working Time Regulations. Employers have found the obligations to keep records burdensome and unnecessary. There is continued concern that the UK’s opt out from the 48 hour maximum average working week will eventually be removed, which survey evidence suggests would be deeply unpopular with a majority of the workers it claims to protect. Brexit would also enable the UK to limit the accrual of holiday entitlement during long periods of sick leave, including the right to carry it forward each year.

The complicated and unpopular TUPE Regulations would also be a target, making it easier and simpler for employers and workers to harmonise terms and conditions after employers have changed or combined – but it is interesting to reflect that the UK has in some respects passed legislation which has gone further than the EU Directive requires of it.

Changes to discrimination law would be highly sensitive – and it is important to remember that the UK had much discrimination law in place even before it joined the European Community (as it was then). One possible change after Brexit would be to re-impose a maximum cap on damages awarded in discrimination cases – a cap which was ruled unlawful by the European Court of Justice.

Of course, at this stage, we can only speculate what the effect of a Brexit might be: my own best guess is that, whatever the politicians’ rhetoric may be, the practical effect of any changes made to employment law in the aftermath will be fairly limited. I

breakfast in a bookshop: members of the Luxury Club convene in Maison Assouline

What would bREXiT mean for UK employment law?Gary Freer, Partner and Head of the Employment Team at Bryan Cave considers how employment law might change if Britain were to leave the EU


PA CLUB AT PAUL Uk where: At Le Restaurant de Paul, Tower 42, 25 Old Broad Street, Ground Floor, London EC2N 1HQ dress code: Lounge suitOrganised exclusively for Personal Assistants – by invitation only – free of charge

Indulge in wine and canapés at the new PAUL restaurant which recently opened in the City of London. This event will be the perfect opportunity to network with your professional counterparts whilst sampling a selection from the restaurant menu as well as their corporate catering menu, designed for office deliveries and large events.

Contact Anne-Claire Lo Bianco at [email protected] or 0207 092 6643

13Jan

18.00 - 20.00

HR Forum - By application only Chair: Michael Whitlow, Human Resources Director, Europe at International SOSwhen: 21 January, 8.30am – 10.00am Theme: ‘The Great Generational Shift: why the differences between generations will reshape your workplace’Speaker: Alexis de Bretteville, CEO Europe, Hudson and Tim Drake, Head of Talent Management, Hudson

Climate Change Forum - By application only Chair: Richard Brown CBE, former Chairman & CEO of Eurostar, Chairman, Department for Transport Franchising Advisory Paneldeputy Chair: Jean-Philippe Verdier, Managing Director, Jefferies International.when: 9 February, 10.00am – 12.00pm Theme: TBC

All sessions take place at the French Chamber

ForTHcoMING ForuMS & cLuBS

Legal Forum - By application only Chair: Olivier Morel, Partner, Cripps deputy Chair: Ken Morrison, Legal Director, Eurotunnel when: 10 February, 9.00am – 12.00pm Theme: ‘The outsourcing chain of supply’Speaker: Melanie Stancliffe, Partner at Thomas Eggar part of Irwin Mitchell and another speaker TBC

Finance Forum - By application only Co-chairs: Rob Guyler, CFO at EDF Energy and John Peachey, Managing Director - CFO Global Markets, HSBC Bank Plc when: 2 March, 8.30am – 10.00am Theme: ‘HR Management for a CFO: challenges and best practice, off-shoring from a HR perspective’

cHAMBEr HAppENINGS - ForTHcoMING EVENTS

BrEAkFAST WITH JACQUES ATTALI where: At the Four Seasons Hotel at Park Lane Guest speaker: Jacques Attali, President of Positive Planet Cost: £40+VAT per person; £60+VAT special price for 2

Jacques Attali will comment on current events and present the work of Positive Planet

About Jacques AttaliProfessor, writer, Special Advisor to the President of the Republic of France from 1981 to 1991, founder and first President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development in London from 1991 to 1993, Jacques Attali is the co-founder of PlaNet Finance, now called Positive Planet, and has been President since 1998. He also founded Action Against Hunger in 1980.

He is the author of 65 books, translated into more than 20 languages with 8 million copies sold around the world, including essays (on subjects ranging from mathematical economics to music), biographies, novels, children’s stories and theatre plays. Jacques Attali has a Ph.D in Economics, and is a graduate of l’Ecole Polytechnique, l’Ecole des Mines, l’Institut des Etudes Politiques and l’Ecole Nationale d’Administration.

Contact [email protected] at [email protected] or 0207 092 6642

11Jan

08.00 - 10.00

neWdate!


cHAMBEr HAppENINGS - ForTHcoMING EVENTS

CrOSS-CULTUrAL QUIz EVENING - sponsored by PwCwhere: At PwC Embankment Place Offices

Announcement of the winner of the Intercultural Trophy - sponsored by AXA Cost: £800+VAT for a table of 10; £80+VAT for individualsdress code: Smart casual

A chance to impress friends and colleagues with your cultural knowledge or to gain a better understanding of our different cultures whilst building your network and having fun!

This quintessentially Franco-British event will feature a standing reception followed by a Franco-British-themed buffet seated dinner, a live quiz and the announcement of the 2016 Intercultural trophy winner.

Book a table for your French and British staff and/or clients to increase your odds of winning on the night! It is the ideal team-building activity!

Contact [email protected] at [email protected] or 0207 092 6642

14Jan

19.00 - 22.30

BrEAkFAST AT CHrISTIE’S where: Christie’s London, King Street, Saleroom, 8 King Street Hosted by Patricia Barbizet, CEO and Chairwoman of Christie’s

Organised exclusively for Patron Members (main representatives only)

This exclusive breakfast at Christie’s will be followed by a private view of the Post-War and Contemporary Art Evening and Day Auctions, with an introduction by Edmond Francey, Head of Department, Post-War & Contemporary Art, London. Contact Anne-Claire Lo Bianco at [email protected] or 0207 092 6643

8Feb

08.00 - 10.00

The 18th

will be awarded on the night

sponsored by: sponsored by:

CROSS CULTURAL QUIZ EVENING 2016

Momentum, last year’s winning team

neWdate!

PATrON EVENTS

CIrQUE DU SOLEIL AMALUNA where: The Royal Albert Hall, Kensington Gore, London SW7 2AP

Organised exclusively for Patron Members (main representatives only)

The French Chamber of Great Britain and The Royal Albert Hall are delighted to invite Patron members to an unforgettable performance of Cirque du Soleil’s Amaluna.Contact Sonia Olsen at [email protected] or 0207 092 6642

11Feb

18.45 - 22.00


LONDON BRANCH

Patron Members of the French Chamber in Great Britain


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CONSTRUCTING A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE

At VINCI Construction Grands Projets, we engineer solutions that are not only financially competitive, but also work in a way that is sustainable for the planet.

Sustainability goes beyond the care we take in protecting our people and our environment. It’s also a commitment to offer new solutions to our clients and stakeholders.

We nurture Innovation.

Every two years, the VINCI Innovation Awards get increased entries, reaching 2,075 in 2013. These awards reflect the core values of the group and we are proud at VINCI Construction Grands Projets that the Lee Tunnel project (Thames Water) was awarded the Grand Prize in the UK & Ireland.

To learn more please visit www.vinci-construction-projects.com/british-isles

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