Info recoding retail

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

FRENCH CHAMBER OF GREAT BRITAIN  www.frenchchamber.co.uk

B U S I N E S S MAY / JUNE 2018

RECODING

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:

Five minutes with Vincent Tourette, Managing Director, Groupe Renault UK & Ireland; Insight and analysis with Helen Dickinson, Chief Executive of the British Retail Consortium; Retail Minister Andrew Griffiths MP; Sir Ian Cheshire, Chairman of Debenhams and much more...

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EDITORIAL

Estelle Brachlianoff President, French Chamber of Great Britain Senior Executive Vice President of Veolia UK & Ireland

W

hat is the future for British retail? How are consumers changing? What will re-generate the high street? These were just some of the burning questions which started our discussions about the

Chamber’s Retail Conference 2018.

The event marks the sixth time that we have hosted a major sectoral conference. In the past we have focused on topics such as Energy, Digital Innovation, and Transport. This conference follows of the success of our London Luxury Think Tank in 2017, which we launched in partnership with Walpole.

This year, we are delighted to bring together major French and British retailers, large companies, transversals and start-ups in order to share knowledge and best practices regarding how consumers are driving the future of retail.

I am pleased to welcome you to this year’s conference, and to introduce this issue of INFO, an edition specially commissioned to accompany the event. In these pages you will find insight and expertise on a range of retail-specific topics, including from industry insiders from Universal Music, Alibaba Group, Debenhams, the British Retail Consortium, the UK government and more.

I would also like to extend a thank you to the sponsors of the event for making it possible. Our gold sponsors are CBRE, Econocom, HSBC and PwC. Our silver sponsor is Browne Jacobsen, and the conference partners are HEC Paris and L’Oréal Luxe.

This is also a good opportunity to remind you of the other great activities ongoing at the Chamber. As we enter the summer season, we are looking forward to our Annual Gala Dinner at the Landmark London on 21 June, where our guest of honour will be Lionel Barber, Editor of the Financial Times.

Also, do not miss our AGM at the offices of Reed Smith on 12 June, where we will detail another successful year of operation of the Chamber.

Let me conclude by wishing you a productive conference – and an enjoyable read. I look forward to seeing you at a Chamber event soon. I

info

- may / june 2018 - 5

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CONTENTS

RECODING

8 INFO

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

8

10 16 26

50 52 53

Five minutes with...

Vincent Tourette, Groupe Renault Brexit: Analysis and Key Dates Business News & Analysis Reports and research

FOCUS | R ECODING R E TAIL

28 Introduction 30 A Bright Future for Retail

Helen Dickinson, BRC 32 The Word from Westminster

Andrew Griffiths MP 33 A Brexit Deal for Retail

Josh Hardie, CBI 34 Two Nations of Shopkeepers

Sir Ian Cheshire, Debenhams 36 UK Retail: Success or Failure

Mercier & Dunn, Boston Consulting Group 37 Tackling Staff Turnover

Cédric Voix, L'Oréal 38 Competing for Shoppers' Habits

Sue Rissbrook, PwC 39 Online/Offline

Sébastien Badault, Alibaba 40 A 'Brand' New World

Olivier Robert-Murphy, Universal Music 41 The New Retail Workforce

Sophian Nacer, Deloitte 42 The Evolution of the Sector

Sian Doyle, CBRE 44 Investing in Retail

Julien Callede 45 Eye in the Sky

Third Eye Labs 46 A Supply Chain Closer to Home

Jean Louet, Andros UK 47 Consolidation in the Retail Sector

Eniga de Montfort & Coralie Oger, FPTA 48 Protecting Against Counterfeit

Giles Parson, Browne Jacobson 49 Flower Power

Bloom & Wild

Culture: What's on Book reviews Wine Story Thibault Lavergne

AT THE CHAMBE R

55 Introduction by Stephen Burgin 56 New Members 58 Chamber News FORUMS & CLUBS

59

60

61

62

63

64

65

Finance Forum Cryptocurrency: money of tomorrow Start-up & SME Club How to do business with the British Climate Change & Sustainability Forum Health and air quality HR Forum Taking your leave Retail Forum What to do with old stock Digital Transformation & Innovation Forum The scope of AI Forthcoming Forums & Clubs

67

68

69

74

Women, Inspiration and Leadership Yana Peel and Rachel Johnson Ambassador's Breif HE Jean-Pierre Jouyet Past event highlights Breakfast with Katherine Bennett; Cross-cultural Quiz; Breakfast at Sotheby's; RVC Vanessa Seward Forthcoming events

CHAMBER EVENTS

MAy / JUNE 2018

CULTUR E AND LIFE S T YLE

RECODING RETAIL

BUSINE S S WOR LD

MAY / JUNE 2018

RECODING

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:

Five minutes with Vincent Tourette, Managing Director, Groupe Renault UK & Ireland; Insight and analysis with Helen Dickinson, Chief Executive of the British Retail Consortium; Retail Minister Andrew Griffith MP; Sir Ian Cheshire, Chairman of Debenhams and much more...

Editor: Jakob von Baeyer Cover & Graphic Design: Katherine Millet Sales Manager: Suzanne Lycett Contributors: Helen Dickinson, Andrew Griffiths, Josh Hardie, Ian Cheshire, Sian Doyle, Sébastien Badault, Cédric Voix, Olivier Robert-Murphy, Razwan Ghafoor, Pierre Mercier, Samantha Dunn, Sophian Nacer, Julien Callede, Aron Gelbard, Sue Rissbrook, Coralie Oger, Eniga de Montfort, Jean Louet, Giles Parsons, Thibault Lavergne, Geraldine Fabre, Helen Conybeare Williams, Suzanne Lycett

Advertise in INFO: Please call our sales team on +44 (0)207 092 6651.

Alternatively, please email: advertising@ccfgb.co.uk INFO is published every two months Printed by: CPI Colour Distribution: French Chamber members, Franco-British decision makers, Business Class lounges of Eurostar, Eurotunnel and Air France in London, Paris and Manchester

INFO is published by: French Chamber of Great Britain Lincoln House, 300 High Holborn London WC1V 7JH Tel: (020) 7092 6600 Fax: (020) 7092 6601 www.frenchchamber.co.uk Managing Director: Florence Gomez

info

- may / june 2018 - 7

Five minutes with...

Vincent Tourette Managing Director Groupe Renault UK and Ireland

INFO meets the director of Renault’s UK and Irish operations to speak about innovation and challenges in the automotive sector What are your priorities for Groupe Renault in the UK?

What are some of the challenges facing the automotive

Groupe Renault – which comprises of the Renault, Dacia and

industry in the UK?

Alpine brands – has a clear mid-term global business plan,

Balancing rapid technological change whilst interacting

‘Drive the Future’, which takes us through to 2022.

with customers who are increasingly more connected, in a

In the UK, our plans link directly to this and our priority

24/7 environment. Customers visit showrooms less, yet are

will be to differentiate us through excellent customer

better informed than ever, which is why the strongest online

service, along with a focus on brand image in an increasingly

presence is crucial. However, people still buy from people, so

competitive market.

traditional customer service has to be at the highest level, as

The group has sold five million Dacias worldwide to date, so with Dacia celebrating five years in the UK this year, there

well.

Examples of how we do this are the development of My

is strong growth potential for this brand, particularly with the

Renault Connected APP and Dacia-online. The My Renault

introduction of the new Duster this summer. We can also add

Connected APP is the first step towards introducing a

to this the launch of the stunning Alpine A110 sports car later

customer journey that is connected between the customer’s

this year.

mobile device and their car, making the customer’s life easier and giving the customer more control. The customer can

You have worked with the company in different

send the location of their next meeting in their diary to their

capacities for the last 24 years. What are the biggest

car, or click to request a service booking or contact Renault

changes you have seen in the industry?

for help.

Renault celebrates its 120th anniversary this year. It has

At Dacia we like things to be easy and hassle free in our

witnessed enormous change over the years. The mainstream

online store, which we feel is the easiest and smartest way to

car market is now the most competitive sector, with the

buy a new car. We only sell the cars we have in stock so we

premium brands expanding through smaller models and

can guarantee customers an ‘easy’ delivery within two weeks

emerging brands moving up the scale, which, in itself,

at the dealership of their choice, or directly to their doorstep.

provides a real opportunity for Dacia.

The biggest changes have been in recent years due to

You have spoken about the need to focus on retail and

the incredibly fast pace of change itself. The arrival of electric

SME sales – why is this the best strategy for the UK

vehicles was the start. Renault has been the European leader

market?

in electric vehicles since 2011, and now sophisticated mobility

Selling to private and small business customers’ has always

services along with connected and increasingly-autonomous

been critical. Renault has a diverse range, from small cars to

vehicles are shaking everything up once again.

crossovers, EVs to vans, so our range lends itself perfectly to

8 - info - may / june 2018

FIVE MINUTES WITH... VINCENT TOURET TE

Customers visit showrooms less, yet are better informed than ever, which is why the strongest online presence is crucial. However, people still buy from people, so traditional customer service has to be at the highest level

both private and business markets.

Our most popular retail and SME vehicles are Clio and Captur. Captur is the best-selling Renault car in the UK overall.

Clio is our best-selling car in France.

market, introducing a line-up of fully electric, zero emissions , vehicles as early as 2011.

More than 100,000 all-electric ZOE superminis have been manufactured to date and it currently has the best-in-class range of any mainstream electric vehicle at 186 real-world

What affect do you anticipate that Brexit will have on

miles. Our commitment is to sustainable and affordable

your business?

mobility for all, and within the period of our mid-term plan

Since the referendum, forex has been a challenge to a great

we will expand our fully electric and electrified line-up,

number of businesses. I think it’s too early to say what the

with a continued emphasis on enhanced connectivity and

exact outcome of Brexit will be but we have plans in place to

autonomous vehicles.

adapt our business to any opportunities or challenges that present themselves.

What does being a Patron member of the French Chamber mean to Groupe Renault UK?

What are Groupe Renault’s ambitions/targets for zero-

Renault celebrates its 120th anniversary this year and has

emissions and electric vehicles?

been in the UK for 115 of those. Being a member of the

Renault is the number one electric car and electric van

French Chamber is a valuable asset that gives us access to

manufacturer in Europe and has been a pioneer in the EV

events, forums and briefings, plus allows us to exchange ideas across industries. I Interview by JVB

RENAULT UK - BY THE NUMBERS • Dealerships: 160 • Number of staff: 220 • Vehicles sold (2017): 114,000

• Brands: 3 (Renault, Dacia, and Alpine) • UK Market position (2017): Renault cars 12th; Renault vans 7th; Dacia 16th

• Turnover: £1,380,071,100

info

- may / june 2018 - 9

Analysis and look ahead INFO looks at the latest news on Brexit and its impact on the Franco-British community

T

he customs union is the issue now at the forefront of

that ‘fresh thinking’ is need to avoid a hard border at all costs.

the negotiation process, in Brussels and most notably

This is after another perceived set-back in parliament.

at Westminster. In April, a group of MPs tabled a motion in

The government was defeated in the Lords on the issue of

parliament to keep the UK in a customs union. The signatories

parliamentary involvement in the Brexit process. Some say this

consisted of ten select committee chairs, including three

prepares for a scenario where ministers are sent to Brussels to

conservatives, showing signs that an internal rebellion on Brexit

renegotiate on behalf of the country, should MPs vote down the

might be on the cards for the Prime Minister.

withdrawal deal this autumn.

There is pressure on the leave side, too. A group of sixty

The recent shake up in the Prime Minister’s Cabinet, with

pro-Brexit MPs from the European Research Group provided

the Home Secretary Amber Rudd resigning over an immigration

the Prime Minister a report opposing the ‘customs partnership’

scandal, has also created questions. Rudd was known as one

model, currently favoured by the PM.

of the most ardent remainers in the party and a strong voice

Early May saw Michel Barnier on an official visit to Ireland.

in the Cabinet. And while her replacement, Sajid Javid, also

According to the Guardian, ‘the problem of the border between

voted remain, he is seen as not as enthusiastic about the EU

north and south remains the most significant obstacle to the

and could tilt the balance of May’s front bench toward the pro-

successful completion of a withdrawal agreement.’ Barnier has

Brexit camp. I

urged the UK to re-consider its red lines on the issue, saying

Key dates Transitional arrangements

EU budget

Deadline for Article 50 agreement

(May-June 2018)

(May-June 2018, Brussels)

(October 2018)

The UK and the EU will negotiate to agree

The first post-Brexit budget for the EU will

The UK has provisionally accepted the

transitional arrangements to avoidWa

be proposed, and will include reforms in

deadline for an Article 50 agreement to

Brexit ‘cliff-edge.’

both spending and revenue.

be reached by the autumn.

We have always said we will have a customs agreement that has the minimum of frictions.

That is crucial

I do not expect the solution to be an extension of the customs union. I would view that on my part as a failure

GREG CLARK, Business Secretary, defending the call for a customs partnership with the EU, 6 May

DAVID DAVIS, Brexit Secretary, on his position as lead negotiator, 25 April

10 - info - may / june 2018

Sponsored by

Will Brexit stall UK vehicle manufacturers?

UK vehicle manufacturers have adopted a wait and see approach, but the costs of Brexit could be a major challenge for the industry

T

he session was co-chaired by Neil Sherlock, Partner and

British parts, with the rest sourced from the EU or Asian

Head of Reputational Strategy of PwC and by Angela

markets.

Hepworth, Corporate Policy and Regulations Director of EDF

Depending on the EU-UK negotiations, new tariffs and

Energy. Ian Henry, Director of AutoAnalysis shared his thirty

customs arrangements could heavily impact the cost of

years of experience in the automobile industry and spoke

vehicles, as increased cash spent on parts are passed on to

about the challenges faced by the industry in the context of

customers.

the Brexit negotiations.

UK vehicle manufacturers would like to increase UK sourcing, but there are significant challenges to consider,

The end of a cycle

including supplier confidence in the UK market. Furthermore,

In 2017, 1.73m cars were produced in the UK. This was

manufacturers do not keep large volumes of stock. The current

70,000 fewer compared to the previous year. Henry argued

supply model is optimised to a ‘just in time’ model, where parts

that the fall in numbers is not directly linked to Brexit yet it

are delivered only when they are needed. Manufacturers may

demonstrates an industry going through turmoil.

need to consider warehousing stock, when this optimised

Issues that led to the downturn include the diesel controversy, the end of life decline acceleration for the Toyota

supply model is no longer possible post Brexit.

Another key supply chain issue is in the growing eclectic

Auris and the Range Rover Evoque, and the disappointing sales

car market. Supply chains for an electric vehicle are vastly

of traditional saloon cars.

different from traditional vehicle, and new relationships and

Henry also reported that investing by vehicle manufacturers has also dropped. Between 2015 and 2017

supply models will need to be established if the UK is going to compete in the market.

investments decreased from £2.5bn to £700m.

Yet for some vehicle manufacturers, it is still clearly

The consequences of a ‘hard Brexit’

‘business as usual,' with some positive activity by several

According to Henry, a ‘hard Brexit’ would heavily impact the

manufacturers. Honda recently launched the global Civic;

UK car manufacturers and the UK market. Also costs would

Nissan confirmed new Qashkai and X-Trail soon after the

increase because of new taxes and operational costs. (For

Brexit vote; and Mini electric vehicles will be made in the UK.

instance, the standard duty for goods imported from outside Europe is ten percent, which would likely be added to a new

The supply chain in trouble Henry reported that supply chains are the main focus of

import duty and cost of sale.)

New distribution channels would b needed, generating

Brexit uncertainty for manufacturers. Globally, vehicles are

new costs, and pushing up the average price of a car. In some

built with parts come from outside the country in which they

some cases, from as much as £3,700 to £5,600. A hard Brexit

are assembled. In the UK, vehicles contain roughly 30 percent

may lead to some hard questions for the industry. I

The current supply model is optimised to a ‘just in time’ model, where parts are delivered only when they are needed. Manufacturers may need to consider warehousing stock, when this optimised model is no longer possible post-Brexit

info

- may / june 2018 - 11

Is opportunity knocking for the new international chamber of the Paris Court of Appeal?

Helen Conybeare Williams, Counsel at Haynes Boone, explores the launch of a new venue for international commercial arbitration in the context of Brexit

O

n 7 February 2018, a new specialist International

give written evidence on which they may (in addition to

Chamber within the Paris Court of Appeal was launched

questioning by the judge) be cross-examined at the hearing,

by the French Ministry of Justice together with the Paris Bar

as well as in relation to the production of documents by

Association. The chamber is intended to deal with international

allowing certain document requests (but not going so far as

commercial matters governed by French as well as foreign

US discovery or English court disclosure)

law, and the use of English as well as certain common law procedures will be permitted.

Paris has long been positioned as a leading centre for

e) A strict procedural timetable will be fixed up to and including the date that judgment is to be issued, although this can be modified in limited circumstances, which is

international commercial arbitration disputes, but the French

intended to reduce procedural delays and promote a swift

Government has expressed its clear intent to capitalize on the

and timely resolution of disputes

forthcoming departure of the UK from the EU by announcing several initiatives to strengthen Paris’ attractiveness as a financial centre. These include the development of a

f) The judgment will published in French together with a sworn translation in English English law has long been the preferred choice of law

specialized international chamber within the Paris Court

for international commercial and financial transactions,

of Appeal as a way to boost the attractiveness of its own

and English is globally used as the language of international

courts to English-speaking litigants engaged in cross-border

commerce, and will likely remain so for some time given the

transactions.

many factors which make English law attractive to international

The salient features of the new Paris International

business. The UK’s legal market is currently the largest legal

Chamber, which will be competent to determine appeals of

services sector within the EU (the commercial law market

international commercial disputes decided at first instance

is worth around ÂŁ14 billion) being some six times the size

by the international division of the Paris Commercial Court

of the French market, operating both as a global centre for

and actions against international arbitration awards including

international commercial transactions and disputes, as well

exequatur or registration procedures of international arbitral

as the European hub for legal services enjoying as it still does

awards for all actions commenced after 1 March 2018, are as

the advantage that judgments are currently freely enforceable

follows:

within the EU.

a) Such cross-border disputes will relate to international

However, the enforceability of English judgments once

commercial contracts, carriage of goods, competition, and

the UK no longer has access to the EU regime for recognition

financial instruments and securities

of judgments in the EU is at present uncertain and still being

b) Disputes may arise under international commercial

worked on in the negotiations between the UK and the EU.

contracts where the parties have chosen French law as the

As it is generally expected that some part of the banking and

governing law but where a foreign law is applicable to the

financial services sector, which has traditionally litigated in the

dispute (generally this will be cases under the common law

courts of the historical financial sectors such as London, may

and in English)

have to relocate from London, its users may need to consider

c) The written pleadings and submissions are to be in

alternatives to litigation in London following Brexit. However,

French, but in order to avoid the costs of translation or

the international arbitration market in London is expected to

interpreters, documentary evidence may be submitted in

remain attractive to its users since awards rendered in this

English without translation, and the parties, their counsel,

jurisdiction will continue to be enforceable across the EU, and

witnesses, and experts may all also be heard in English (or

this may also be the case in the banking and financial services

another foreign language)

sectors where there is a recent trend towards the use of

d) The procedure adopts common law approaches, in that the parties may call witnesses and experts to

12 - info - may / june 2018

international arbitration for the resolution of disputes.

Against the uncertainty of Brexit for the UK, competitor

The Paris legal market already has a significant presence of English and US law firms, as well as numerous French law firms with an international dimension, and a significant number of lawyers at the Paris bar are both dual-qualified and English speaking

jurisdictions in the EU, such as the Paris International

International Chamber are able to deal with these cases

Chamber, are now seeking to offer alternative courts where

under a foreign law, in particular the common law, and in a

parties can litigate their English language and/or English law

foreign language, and that they are supported by appropriately

disputes combined with the certainty that their decisions will

qualified assistants.

be freely enforceable across the EU. The rules and practices of

The Paris legal market already has a significant presence

common law or the English commercial court are not intended

of English and US law firms, as well as numerous French

to be transposed into the French court system, but the latter

law firms with an international dimension, and a significant

is seeking to develop a system within the French legal tradition

number of lawyers at the Paris bar are both dual qualified and

suited to international commercial contracts. This objective

English speaking, including a large number presently practising

brings with it some considerable uncertainty for parties,

in London, so such expertise may be readily available.

because the outcomes may be less predictable and difficult to

Nevertheless the immense concentration of business (in

assess than litigation in the English courts.

particular financial business) and legal competence in London

A significant consideration for parties when deciding on

will likely mean that London maintains its position in legal

jurisdiction clauses and contemplating where to litigate their

market for the foreseeable future, but the developments in

disputes is whether the expertise to decide English law cases

Paris will no doubt be keenly followed from across the English

exists in competitor jurisdictions. It may take some time,

Channel in the current uncertain climate of Brexit, especially

resources, and training to ensure that the judges dealing

when the first cases start to be heard in the Paris International

with international and financial disputes within the Paris

Chamber, as will the initiatives in other jurisdictions. I

info

- may / june 2018 - 13

Cyber security in the European retail sector The potential loss of European digital security regualtion could have important consequences for online marketplaces, says Geraldine Fabre, Partner and Head of the French Group at Sherrards Solicitors LLP

O

n 12 March 2018, the European

1. Where a digital service provider

Commission published a notice

(DSP) is established in the Union,

on the consequences of Brexit in

the DSP is subject to the jurisdiction

the field of security of network and

of the Member State where it has

information systems (NIS). Subject

its main establishment, which in

to any transitional arrangements

principle corresponds to the place

contained in a possible withdrawal

where the provider has its head

agreement, EU rules on NIS will stop

office in the Union.

applying to the UK from the date of

2. Where a DSP is not established in

its withdrawal from the EU in 2019.

the Union but offers digital services

At that point, the UK will become a

into the Union, it must designate

‘third country’ in respect of the EU

a representative in the Union. If

regulation.

the DSP is broadly in breach of the

This will have important consequences for online shopping

General Data Protection Regime (GDPR) or the NIS rules, the

centres and online market places selling goods and providing

designation of a representative shall be without prejudice to

services (non-financial) across the border, as well as all other

legal actions which could be initiated against the digital service

‘online digital services’ such as search engines, Software as a

provider itself, across jurisdictions.

Service (SaaS), and cloud computing service providers.

3. If the DSP‘s main establishment was in the UK before the withdrawal date, and:

Rapid development

3.1 If it maintains one or several establishments in the EU

According to the European Commission, the retail sector is the

27-member states, it will be deemed to be under the jurisdiction

biggest sector in the EU non-financial business economy in

of the EU 27 resulting in a change of competent authority (for

terms of number of enterprises and persons employed. Retail

example: the CNIL in France).

is also closely linked to other sectors of the economy such as

3.2 If the DSP is no longer established in the EU27 but offers

wholesale, manufacturers, farmers as well as transportation

digital services into the EU27 member states, it will be subject

and logistics, and other business services. With the rapid

to the obligation to designate a representative in an EU27

development of e-commerce, the security of the sector which

member state.

brings goods and services from around the world to EU and

4. If a DSP is neither established in the EU27 nor in the United

non-EU consumers is essential.

Kingdom but subject to the jurisdiction of the United Kingdom

Alongside this, the digitalisation of processes in the retail

before the withdrawal date because it had designated a

sector are not only influencing the way consumers shop, but

representative in the United Kingdom, that DSP will, as of the

are also modifying offline and online shopping. This includes

withdrawal date, be subject to the obligation to designate a

shopping platforms for the sale of goods (such as Amazon or

representative in an EU27 Member State where services are

Shopify), and market places for suppliers of services, such as

offered by that DSP.

freelancers in the media, computing, and the arts (like Upwork

As retailers and suppliers of services accumulate vast

and Guru). It also includes tradesmen and facility services (such

amounts of valuable personal information on their customers,

as Uber, Airbnb, MyBuilder, and Rated People) who advertise

the risks involved in data breaches are increasing in the retail

and sell their services digitally to ever more trusting consumers.

industry.

In the UK, the NIS Directive will be implemented into

Safety at stake

law on 9 May 2018 and the General Data Protection Regime

The consequences of the withdrawal date are as follows:

(GDPR) will be implemented into law on 25 May 2018. I

With the rapid development of e-commerce, the security of the sector which brings goods and services from around the world to EU and non-EU consumers is essential 14 - info - may / june 2018

INNOVATION OR

INVASION

Don’t settle for black and white For the full perspective, turn to the FT Visit FT.com

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More than 20 eminent male scientists have joined ‘Male Champions for Women in Science.’ Among the leading figures are Professor Alain Fuchs, Chairman of the Université Paris Science et Lettres, and Professor Serge Abiteboul, Research Director at the École Normale Supérieur. I

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collection during Paris Men’s Fashion Week in January 2019. I

Coty introduces new Marc Jacobs fragrance

Marc Jacobs International and Marc Jacobs Fragrances, a division of Coty Inc, announced that for the first time in over four years, the brand will be introducing a new fragrance line into the Daisy Marc Jacobs franchise, Daisy Love Marc Jacobs. The global advertising campaign will feature model Kaia Gerber in her continued partnership with the brand. I 16 - info - may / june 2018

BUSINE S S WOR LD – NE WS AND ANALYSI S

Edenred invests in payments and monitoring start-up

Eurostar introduces first commercial service to Holland

The Edenred Group, via its venture capital

Eurostar, the high-

structure Edenred

speed rail service

Capital Partners, has

connecting the

acquired a stake in

UK with mainland

the American start-up

Europe, launched a

Candex, specializing in

new service direct

vendor monitoring and

from London to

payments, as part of a $3.5m global fundraising campaign.

Rotterdam and

This investment intends to finance Candex's growth and

Amsterdam, with the

enhance its solution. It will also allow Edenred to explore

first customers departing from St. Pancras International. The

the entrepreneurial ecosystem in the area of corporate

arrival of Eurostar’s new service marks a step change in the

payments, in line with its open innovation strategy. Candex

expansion of international high-speed rail, transforming the

is an online marketplace, facilitating interactions between

connection between London and the Netherlands. For the

companies and tail service vendors, and connecting

first time, passengers can travel from the heart of London

thousands of companies to vendors in more than 50

direct to Rotterdam in 3h01 and Amsterdam in 3h41, at a

countries. I

speed of 300kph. I

Saint-Gobain acquires Micro Hydraulics

Saint-Gobain’s Performance Plastics Life Sciences business has acquired the pharmaceutical business Micro Hydraulics, Ltd., a Dublin, Ireland, based supplier and manufacturer of single-use components and systems for the pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical industries.

SPIE wins health and safety award

SPIE UK received Gold in the internationally-renowned RoSPA Health and Safety Awards, the longest-running industry awards scheme in the UK. SPIE UK will continue to build the safe practices and behaviours, as well as promote its ‘No One Gets Hurt’ ethos, to ensure that the safety culture is embedded throughout the business.

BNP Paribas Group acquires Raiffeisen Bank Polska

BNP Paribas Group and Raiffeisen Bank International have reached an agreement for the acquisition of the core banking operations of Raiffeisen Bank Polska, to be combined with the Polish subsidiary BGZ BNP Paribas.

Euronext launches an inaugural €500m bond issue

Euronext, the leading pan-European exchange in the Eurozone with more than 1,300 listed issuers, launched a €50m, 7-year inaugural bond issue, rated by S&P “A”, with an annual coupon of 1 percent and listed on Euronext Dublin.

Veolia launch new online marketplace for organic resources in the UK

As part of the drive to increase the circular economy, global resource management company, Veolia, is launching an online trading platform that makes it easier to sell and buy organic resources.

info

- may / june 2018 - 17

NE WS AND ANALYSI S – BUSINE S S WOR LD

AQUIND has been awarded PCI status by the European Commission The European Parliament approved the latest PCI project list featuring AQUIND Interconnector in March 2018. PCIs are key energy infrastructure projects that address the three challenges of the European energy policy: affordability, security of supply and decarbonisation. AQUIND will make a valuable contribution towards achieving these goals by providing more interconnection within the priority Northern Seas offshore grid corridor.

Airbus announces repeat order for fuel-efficient aircraft

SAS Group, has signed a firm order for 35 A320neo aircraft. SAS will also lease 15 additional A320neos from leasing companies.

AccorHotels acquires restaurant management platform

This important new strategic commitment will result in SAS becoming an all Airbus operator with the fuel-efficient A320 family for its mainline European operations, as well as for its extensive domestic services in Scandinavia.

These new A320neos will join the airline’s existing Airbus fleet of 56 aircraft (eight A340s, eight A330s and 40 A320 Family aircraft). The engine selection will be announced by the airline at a later date. SAS has been an Airbus customer since 1980. I

AccorHotels has completed the acquisition of table reservation system, ResDiary. Established in Glasgow in 2004, the company now has more than 100 staff based in 6 countries, and has a footprint in 60 countries globally, seating 166m diners a year in over 8,600 venues.

Estée Lauder partners with Nature Research on Global Award

Nature Research and The Estée Lauder Companies have launched two global awards today that seek to put a spotlight on exceptional achievements of female scientists and those working to promote greater inclusiveness.

18 - info - may / june 2018

Fenestron celebrates 50th anniversary On the 12th of April 1968, the first Fenestron, invented by Paul Fabre and René Mouille, took to the skies on the second prototype of the Gazelle. It has since become emblematic of Sud Aviation, Aerospatiale, Eurocopter and now Airbus helicopters with the H160 carrying this sound-reducing, safety-enhancing technology into the next generation of rotorcraft.

The idea behind shrouding the tail rotor was initially developed to provide additional safeguards for workers on the ground but also to protect the tail rotor in forward flight and in complicated operational environments, such as working around high-voltage power lines. I

Willis Towers Watson expands cybersecurity services with IBM Security

Willis Towers Watson announced an expansion of the company’s global advisory services aimed at addressing risk related to cybersecurity. As part of the broader service offering, Willis Towers Watson will begin integrating IBM Security’s suite of services – from security testing and technical assessments to incident response and cyber resiliency services – to help clients assess, protect and recover from cybersecurity threats. This collaboration will provide clients a more integrated and holistic view of their cyber risk, enabling an effective risk transfer and overall capital allocation strategy. I

Proud to be the UK’s largest producer of low carbon electricity Feel better energy To find out more about our low carbon nuclear generation visit www.edfenergy.com/energyfuture. Character under licence from BeatBots LLC. EDF Energy is a trading name used by EDF Energy Customers Ltd, Reg. No. 02228297 whose Registered Office is at 90 Whitfield Street, London, W1T 4EZ, incorporated in England and Wales.

BUSINE S S WOR LD – SME PROFILE

Customer Experience 2.0 The London- and Paris-based CXB Hub helps established and emerging companies improve how they serve their customers and employees. INFO speaks to co-founders Alexis Grabar and Claire Bonniol What does CXB Hub do?

data plays a critical role in addressing

We work in tandem with strategic

these demands, for example: cloud data

providers to deliver timely insights and

can be used to retain brand seamlessness

solutions to customer and employee

whilst simultaneously personalising the

experience-related

customer’s interactions.

business

issues.

Currently, our strategic providers under contract are KPAM and Hiveworks

What are your top tips for businesses

(ex-Orange Digital). We work also in

seeking to ensure a continual high-

partnership with Live Journey, Klaxoon and Aktan.

level customer experience? through

our

partnership

with

For

well

established

businesses:

As a team, we have over 40 years

LiveJourney, which uses algorithms and

enhance your digital and technological

of experience dealing with blue chip

data visualisations to identify and rectify

capabilities. Big data is no longer a

companies

inefficient business practices.

visionary ideal, it is crucial to building

in

their

customer

and

employee experience journey. We are

New technologies are integral to

present in the UK/US, French, Russian

our future and immediate-to-long term

interaction. For emerging companies,

and Romanian markets.

growth. We conducted an internal

defining who their customer voice is and

competitive analysis report which found

creating user-centred design features to

Tell us how the concept for your

that our traditional competitors agree.

accompany their brand.

business arose.

Accenture, CapGemini and Ernst &

When we first moved to London with

Young have made targeted acquisitions

What are the most common areas in

Academie du Service and experienced

of technology and big data-focussed

which improvements can be made?

the innovation-driven market here we

companies

Firstly, they need to isolate the customer

knew we had outgrown the traditional

capabilities.

to

enhance

their

own

a

holistic

experience

consultancy model. CXB Hub created a

and

seamless

from

employee

brand

and

customer

experience,

product/service

bridge between solutions providers and

How

influencing

experience, so as not to lose sight the

fast-growing/fortune

how businesses approach their CX

complexity of the customer experience

Our vision is grounded in the power of

activities?

journey as it currently is today. Secondly,

customer and experience management

CXB Hub has a deep appreciation of

they need to address shortcomings in

centricity

the customer voice and how influential

the organisational culture and structure.

it is in shaping CX activities. In B2B

Transformational

and B2C spheres, the customer voice

be made when you have visionary

How are new technologies, such as

is

leadership,

big data and digital tech, impacting

comes to fast response times to issues,

what you do?

interacting with knowledgeable staff and

We incorporate data-driven practices

experiencing brand seamlessness. Big

for

500

enhancing

companies.

company

performance.

are

consumers

increasingly

demanding

when

it

changes

rather

than

can

constantly

fighting fires. I

TOP CX TRENDS ‘In 2018, and beyond, the top trends are personalisation, greater use of cloud data for ‘decisioning’ and augmented reality. Cloud data is no longer just a marketing tool but a way of leveraging all types of customer information. This will help personalise customer interactions better and ensure more efficient ‘decisioning.’ Without integration, ours and customer’s most precious 20 - info - may / june 2018

only

commodity, time, will be wasted. With regards to augmented reality, the sensory experience of the customer will become far more enhanced and give an accurate prediction of what the customer should expect. Underlying all of this is the importance of the organisational culture and structure.’ - Alexis Grabar & Claire Bonniol

BUSINE S S WOR LD – SME NE WS

Delville Management grows team in automotive, aerospace and healthcare

A

fter a strong 2017 that saw turnover double to £11.5m, Delville Management has made five new hires to increase the team to 30 people, with the objective of achieving 40 percent growth in 2018 and confirming our position in the top tier international interim management firms. After focussing primarily on Private Equity in the UK, Delville Management is expanding its UK focus to Automotive, Aerospace and Healthcare companies. I

Mondassur partners with Qare online doctor consultation

TheHouseShop.com expands into rental management with Experian

M

T

ondassur continues to develop its services in London to offer the most suitable medical insurance for the French living in the United Kingdom, announcing a partnership with Qare to offer our policyholders online doctor-consultation services at a reduced cost. Mondassur offer access to French-speaking doctors. I

he

tech

Microsoft

programme

giant for that

has

RentScore handles all aspects of rent collection, but crucially also registers tenant’s rental payment data with Experian’s Rental Exchange. Sebastien Goldenberg, Co-founder of TheHouseShop, says: ‘RentScore effectively gives individual private landlords the same power as big financial institutions to incentivise on-time rent payments from their tenants.’ I

ON5 launches energy savings workshop

O

launched

Startups, aims

that will help landlords to incentivise on-time payments

from tenants. The new ‘smart rent collection’ service called

Microsoft announces new programme for start-ups

T

heHouseShop announce new partnership with Experian

to

a

bring

N5 Company UK, has launched an innovative energy savings programme created to help employees

save energy in their homes through engagement online

technology and marketing expertise

and

to startups and that includes a co-

workshops, Energy100 educates employees with quick

onsite.

Through

30-minute,

awareness-raising

selling program that allows startups

and easy energy-savings tips for their homes, helping each

to piggyback on Microsoft’s existing

employee to save up to £100 on their home energy bills.

sales force. In addition, Microsoft is tweaking some of its existing

Workshops are complemented by the Energy100 Hub, a

programs to better support the startups in its ecosystem – in

digital platform that utilises gamification techniques and

total committing $500m over the course of the next two years

rewards to incentivise people to take action to reduce

to run joint sales engagements and offer to startups access to

their gas and electricity consumption. I

technology and community spaces. I

Early Metrics partners with PwC in Insurtech

S

F

rench kitchen manuMobalpa

facturer

tart-up rating agency Early Metrics have teamed up with accounting giant PwC

and

Mobalpa showroom opens in Reading

international

opportunities

to

to

by

started opening

10 th

Franchise showroom in

business-to-

Reading. Representing

business Insurtech firms. The PwC Scale |

a

Insurtech

Mobalpa

Programme

2018 its

commercial

provide

fast-growing

has

features

revenue-

300K

investment, Reading

is

generating scale-ups with a validated product

the latest store to join

for companies approaching Series A financing or

their growing network.

beyond. Running for 10 weeks, the programme

Based on Watlington Street, the 170sqm showroom features seven kitchen,

will enable Insurtech companies to connect

bathroom, wardrobes and living displays. Designed to display a modern way

with industry executives, thought leaders, and

of living, the space has open-plan areas, storage solutions and finish, colour

investors through private events. I

and handle selections displayed in a real setting. I

info

- may / june 2018 - 21

BUSINE S S WOR LD – S TART- UP PROFILE

True Colours Co-nekt, an agency that specialises in colour and its applications to brands, consumers and retail spaces, speaks to INFO about the influence that colour can have on consumers What does your agency do?

We are a premier colour brand experience agency. We

give another dimension to the relationship brand/customer, to

empower brands with the development of meaningful colour

be able to re-enforce and assist the client at every stage of this

experiences. We design a series of innovations as well as

sensorial marketing.

interactive and multi-sensorial communication concepts. By capturing this sensitivity, we capture key information on what

What is the most surprising thing you have learned about

builds the personality, the profile and the specific customer’s

colour?

tastes.

The power of colour. As a universal language conveying emotions, colour speaks to the sensibility of everyone with

Who are some of your clients?

a direct influence on the state of mind, the mood and what

L’Oréal, WGSN, Bloomingdales, The Conran Shop, PANTONE,

we feel.

Louis Quatorze Paris , The Set Hotel, and more.

What kind of results have you achieved for your clients?

Where did the idea for an agency that specialises in colour

The colour sensorial marketing offers the opportunity for a

come from?

brand to interact with the ability to advise, propose, orientate,

Colour has been our field of expertise and is part of our DNA.

direct each client, influence his behaviour, and reassure him,

We are the original creators of the PANTONE consumer brand,

making him feel comfortable, identify and create a purchasing

PANTONEUNIVERSE.

desire based on non-intrusive and meaningful relationship.

Why is colour important for companies and branding?

What are the priorities for the development of the

Colour’s power influences mood and evokes feelings that can

business?

make a significant impact on purchasing behaviour. For a long

The goal is to prioritise human relationships. We want to create

time, colour played an important role in trends prescribing/

spaces where the dialogue between brands and their clients

forecasting and its updates.

Today, new colour usage offers

is optimised. We do this by creating unique colour-immersive

new perspectives in establishing relationships of proximity,

and multi-sensorial experiences, which will deliver a new type

trust and loyalty. Managing colour offers the opportunity to

of behavioural analysis and colour emotional data. I

The power of colour influences mood and evokes feelings that can make a significant impact on purchasing behaviour

IN D US T RY I N S IG H T : THE I MPAC T OF COLOU R In a recent article, the Industry London underlined the five emotional triggers to help increase sales, including the power of colour. Colour’s powerful influence on our mood can evoke feelings that can make a significant impact on customers purchasing behaviour. They found that: 93 percent of purchasing decisions are based on visual appearance.

85 percent of consumers cite colour as the primary reason for choosing a product.

Source: Co-nekt / Industry London

22 - info - may / june 2018

E DUC ATION – NE WS

Arts & Métiers alumnus receives award Renaud Million, alumnus of Arts & Métiers ParisTech, was awarded young actuarial professional of the year by InsuranceERM for Spixii, an insurtech company working with global insurers to enhance their digital customer journey, with the mission of making insurance more accessible. Developed using behavioural economics, Spixii equips insurers with powerful and innovative technologies to rethink their relationship to their customers by transparently providing them with better protection and added value. I

Ecole Jeannine Manuel Paris ranked best high school in France for 2018 Ecole Jeannine Manuel in Paris has been ranked best high school in France by l’Internaute (alongside the Lycée Henri IV) for the sixth year in a row and second best high school according to the Figaro (between Henri IV and LouisLe-Grand). According to Head of School Elisabeth Zéboulon, ‘These results are all the more remarkable given that all of our students take the International Option of the French Baccalaureate (OIB), the most prestigious course of study offered in the French education system.’ I

HEC Paris hosts AfricaDays 2018 The second edition of AfricaDays, hosted by HEC Paris, put the spotlight on agriculture in Africa.

Africa’s main economic actors met on campus to discuss the most

Grenoble Ecole de Management announces recruitment programme for students with Aspergers

pressing issues in African agriculture

Grenoble Ecole de Management has partnered with

and the solutions needed to answer

C3R (Centre Ressource de Réhabilitation pyscho-sociale

the challenges they pose. ‘HEC Paris'

et de Remédiation cognitive) to create a new data program

commitment to Africa is a long-term

designed for Asperger profiles and companies that wish to

one. We are a partner of African economies, providing our

recruit students from the program. The goal is to facilitate

expertise and contributing to the training of future decision-

job employment for Asperger profiles by meeting growing

makers in Africa and its Diaspora,’ said François Collin,

demands for employees with data skills. The program is

International Director of HEC Paris. I

expected to open in January 2019. I

EM Normandie launches Digital Sales specialisation

ESCP Europe partners with Bain

EM Normandie will open a new specialisation on its Dublin

Company is a strategic partner for the recently established

Campus: Digital Sales. Open to final year students of the

Master's programme in ‘Strategy and Digital Business’ at

Grande Ecole Programme, this new specialisation option will

the ESCP Europe Business School in Berlin. Bain supports

train specialists in Digital Sales, able to work in international

the programme by offering its expertise in digitalisation and

environments.The objective is to enable students to

strategy, which results in an ideal combination of teaching and

master those e-business technologies which generate

practical experience. Applications welcome until early August

competitiveness, to be able to define new business models

2018. I

The international management consulting firm Bain &

and deploy their marketing and social media strategies. I

info

- may / june 2018 - 23

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

RETAIL in Hauts-de-France: B2B on 12 June 2018 in Lille Retail and e-commerce in Hauts-de-France, two historically dynamic sectors turned towards innovation • 160 e-merchants representing 10,300 jobs and 65bn euros of sales: Amazon, Showroomprivé, Egencia, Booking.com, Conrad, and more • The retail business generates 204,000 jobs in more than 71,250 businesses and accounts for one 1/3 of total distance sales • 1 unique competitiveness cluster in France for 'tomorrow’s commerce:' the PICOM • 1 incubator dedicated to e-commerce: 'Blanchemaille by Euratechnologies' • Numerous logistic platforms representing over 13m square metres of warehousing

T

he HAUTS-DE-FRANCE Region gave birth to the pioneers of

together the main French players in retail, e-commerce and customer

Distance Selling and today hosts giants in the retail business:

relations in order to anticipate 'Tomorrow’s Commerce.'

Auchan, Decathlon, Leroy Merlin, Boulanger, Norauto. At the forefront

Do you wish to establish sustainable and innovative business

of technology in this field, it has succeeded in transforming the sector

relations? The Hauts-de-France Region is the ideal close-to-home

and moving it on to e-commerce and enable the establishment here of

destination for British firms. Young and enterprising, the Region

big names such as Amazon or Showroomprive.com.

is enriched with the diversity of its companies and proud of the

With over 71,000 businesses accounting for 204,000 jobs, the retail

quality of its workforce: dynamic small businesses, young start-

sector in Hauts-de-France is at the forefront of technology, thanks to

ups, multinationals, incubators or accelerators in the retail sector, all

its competitiveness cluster, unique in France, the PICOM, that brings

partnerships are possible.

You find it hard to make plans because of the uncertain future? No problem. Welcome EU! The Hauts-de-France Region welcomes you and facilitates the development of your business.

For every question you have, we provide an answer: • Are you looking for the right contact person or body?

• Do you wish to arrange a meeting in Lille with a customer, partner

The website www.welcom-eu.com is your starting point for any

or prospect? Or simply have a workspace available to you free of

economic undertaking for partnership or establishment in Hauts-de-

charge opposite Lille Europe Station a stone’s throw away from the

France.

Eurostar?

The Business Lounge is a space specially dedicated for you. Located

• Do you wish to meet a partner in the UK?

in the Euralille business district, it welcomes you from Monday to

No problem either. The Hauts de France office in London is an open

Friday on the premises of the Hauts-de-France Chamber of Commerce

door for you! It is located at 300 High Holborn, Lincoln House, London.

and Industry, 299 boulevard de Leeds in Lille. http://www.welcom-eu. com/blog/en/2017/10/27/see-business-lounge-hauts-de-france-lille/

• Do you need to share, exchange or set up a network? Ensure or develop your trade with the Continent?

• And supposing, at the end of the day, we really did do business?

Welcome to 'Channel Hub,' a Franco-British business information

It’s possible on 12 June in Lille! The event is for people who are

and experience sharing club for French companies that export to the

seeking or offering innovative solutions or technologies in the fields

UK and British firms located in Hauts-de-France. Join the experts!

of E-commerce & retail, Cyber Security, Fintech, Video games, Virtual reality, film shoots, Internet of Things or Smart city.

See you on 12 June in Lille for the 1st Franco-British business convention in the digital sector in France.

Come and meet your future Hauts -de-France partners. You are perhaps just what they are looking for!

The B2B is free. Register now! https://linklille.b2match.io/ HAUTS-DE-FR ANCE: WELCOME EU!

B2B Matchmaking Event - Digital

Take the oppportunity to connect with future customers, suppliers and key partners, in Tech sectors, during this Franco-British event !

12 June 2018 - Lille - France Main Topics • • • •

E-commerce & retail Cyber Security Fintech Video games, virtual reality, film shoots • Internet of Things • Smart city

linklille.b2match.io Free admission but registration is required

R E PORT S & R E SE ARCH – BUSINE S S WOR LD

A selection of research papers and reports produced by Chamber member companies and partners

Deloitte: Global Powers of Retailing Global Powers of Retailing identifies the 250 largest retailers around the world based on publicly available data for FY2016 (fiscal years ended through June 2017), and analyses their performance across geographies and product sectors. It also provides a global economic outlook and looks at the 50 fastest-growing retailers and new entrants to the Top 250.

This year’s report focuses on the theme of ‘Transformative change, reinvigorated commerce,’ which looks at the latest retail trends and the future of retailing through the lens of young consumers. To mark this 21st edition, there will be a retrospective which looks at how the Top 250 has changed over the last 15 years.

Deloitte: Global powers of retailing – 2018 Available at: https://bit.ly/2FL94mo

KPMG: Retail survey For the fourth year running, KPMG have analysed consumers’ buying patterns and spending habits to gain insight into the experience of shopping with many brands in the UK. Their Retail Survey revealed that there are a range of dynamic trends re-shaping the retail landscape which have been brought to light over the Black Friday and Christmas shopping period in 2017.

KPMG surveyed over 1,600 KPMG employees in their capacity as consumers over a five-week period, from 20 November to 22 December 2017. The findings incorporate consumer interactions with 297 UK retailers, across 30 product categories. The data was collated through KPMG’s digital analytics and visualisation tools. Our insights are broad-reaching, covering every stage of the retail cycle including purchase, transaction, collection, delivery and returns.

KPMG Retail survey – 2018 Available at: https://bit.ly/2jirUaq

PwC: Retail Outlook PwC reports that 2017 was a challenging year for retailers. Cost pressures have mounted due to a combination of Sterling weakness, cost inflation, business rates increases, the National Living Wage and other staff costs.

While consumers have continued to open their wallets, they’ve done so more judiciously, for example diverting their spending towards nondiscretionary categories and own label products.

Retailers are now on tenterhooks waiting to see what this Christmas will bring. Orders have been placed, stock is filling stores and warehouses, promotions have been planned, ad campaigns are about to be revealed. But will consumers continue to spend, or will the squeeze in real earnings and expected hike in interest rates come home to roost?

PwC: Retail Outlook – 2018 Available at: https://pwc.to/1SJBsIn 26 - info - may / june 2018

info

- march / april 2018 - 26

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We pioneer a range of preventive programmes strengthened by our in-country expertise. We deliver unrivalled emergency assistance during critical illness, accident or civil unrest.

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24/7 access to travel security reporting, analysis and expert advice from our security consultants, analysts and tracking experts around the world.

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RECODING

T

he newspaper headlines talk about UK retail heading into challenging times – store closures, questions about the future of the high street, and the uncertainty of Brexit loom large.

KPMG’s annual retail survey showed that non-food sales were at an all time low, retuning to 2011 levels when the aftershocks of the global financial crisis were being felt.

But this isn’t the whole picture. In addition to the challenges that it faces, there are green shoots across the industry, where retailers are adapting to meet the needs and expectations of consumers.

As you will read in this FOCUS section, our contributors make the argument that now is the time for innovation in the sector – uncertainty can also mean opportunity. From the rise of third-party platforms like Alibaba and Amazon to enterprising start ups, retail activity is catering to new priorities: choice, ease of delivery and concern about sustainability are just some of the issues at the forefront of the mind of the consumer in 2018.

28 - info - may / june 2018

One important trend is the confluence of physical and digital retail. As one contributor notes, the dichotomy between shopping in-store and online is rapidly becoming irrelevant, as consumers see retail as holistic of both online and offline experiences. The question is: how will retailers adapt to this new way of shopping?

New thinking is needed in the industry that is the UK’s largest private sector employer. According to the British Retail Consortium, the sector’s leading industry organisation, retailers are making considerable investment in technology and innovation. They are also looking to the back office, finding new and better ways to recruit, train and retain staff across their operations.

Our aim in this section is to provide a snap shot of where the sector is, and where it is going. Payment, technology, business models and consumers are some of the key themes that are explored in this pages – we wish you an enjoyable and informative read. I

info

- may / june 2018 - 29

A Bright Future The future of retail looks positive, but there is much to be done to fulfil our potential, says Helen Dickinson, CEO of the British Retail Consortium

R

etail is a dynamic and diverse industry and as the UK’s

Reflecting these changes, we have a vision for better retail

largest private sector employer, it is a driving force in our

jobs in the future which will improve productivity and provide

economy, touching the lives of millions of us every day.

quality employment opportunities for people across the UK.

But take a walk down any UK high street and it’s easy to see

Our members are investing considerable sums to increase

that the industry is in the midst of a period of considerable

the skills of their employees and this improvement in the

transformation.

digital literacy of the workforce will have substantial positive

On the one-hand some of this is healthy and reflects positive reinvention as retailers invest in technology and innovation to improve the customer experience. On the other hand, the industry is facing rising operating costs and continued pressure on consumer spending.

implications across the whole of the UK economy.

The future is bright for retail but there is much that we must address if we are to realise this positive vision.

The current business rates system for example is acting as a barrier to new businesses taking over leases in empty premises.

We know that this period of change will be with us for some

As the larger retailers consolidate their store portfolios this is

time yet, but as the industry navigates its way through it, we

preventing new investment in our high streets and getting in the

must not lose sight of the fact that the future is bright for retail.

way of regeneration. Start-ups are being put off taking on new

We have a world leading industry, showing other countries

leases when the potential rates bills threaten to cripple their

how to deliver for customers in new ways. Retailers are making

enterprise before it even gets off the ground.

considerable investment in technology and innovation which

For every £1 retailers pay in corporation tax they pay £2.30

are transforming the retail experience for customers. Online

in business rates on average. Retailers alone are responsible for

transactions currently account for 15% of retail sales and this

£7bn in business rates annually, or a quarter of the overall total,

figure looks set to grow as barriers to growth are overcome by

despite making up a much smaller proportion of the economy.

innovation, enabling latent customer demand to be realised.

We need a new, more creative and flexible approach from

Consumers are interacting with brands in different ways, with retailers offering an integrated shopping experience across

government to rebalance taxes and attract investment which will lead to greater productivity and improved living standards.

stores, internet and mobile giving consumers greater choice

It’s not only the business rates system which requires

in how, where and when they shop. This means that there

reform. Retailers are committed to creating jobs that are higher

will be fewer stores and that they are more likely to focus on

skilled, with clear progression routes that lead to higher wages.

experience, convenience or fulfilment.

Apprenticeships are one important way to achieve this but the

Retailers are responsible for £7bn in business rates annually, or a quarter of the overall total, despite making up a much smaller proportion ot the economy

30 - info - may / june 2018

R ECODING R E TAIL – FOCUS

for British Retail current system isn’t working; the number of apprenticeship

makers must play their part in addressing this by allowing more

starts is falling and the Apprenticeship Levy is not flexible

flexibility in how Apprenticeship Levy funds can be spent.

enough to allow retailers to make the most of it. The retail

It’s clear that retail in the future will look very different to

industry’s contribution to the levy is significant – up to £180m

today. Policy makers must play their part, as retailers are, in

per year. On top of this retailers are required to find up to

ensuring that the future is a bright one. I

20 percent more to run apprenticeship programmes. Policy

BREXIT : ONE YEAR TO GO BUT A LONG ROAD AHEAD As one-year countdown to leaving the EU has begun, recent breakthroughs in the negotiations logjam couldn’t have come soon enough. The agreement on a framework for a standstill transition period is something we’ve long argued is vital to avoid a cliff-edge by giving businesses and government time to adjust, plan ahead and invest.

Another encouraging development comes from both the UK and EU-27 negotiators appearing committed to a tariff-free deal, which is important for consumers. This is particularly important for food as around 20 per cent of products sold in a supermarket are imported from the EU and adding high tariffs would have a significant

impact on hard-pressed consumers.

The BRC also led calls to put the trade deals that the EU has negotiated with third countries, from which the UK benefits from zero or low rate tariffs on various imports, on a more secure footing for the transition phase. With the UK and EU working together, and goodwill from the third countries involved, there is every sign that this will be achieved too.

These bilateral deals enable retailers to source products, namely food and clothing, at preferential rates, so they must be transferred in time to ensure UK consumers don’t lose out.

– Helen Dickinson, BRC

info

- may / june 2018 - 31

The word from Westminster

INFO speaks with Andrew Griffiths MP, the UK’s Retail Minister and co-chair of the newly-founded Retail Sector Council What is the importance of the British

How was the Retail Sector Council

How will the Council operate?

retail sector to the country?

created?

Government will co-Chair the Council

The UK’s retail sector is a driving force in

The Council is the first industry-led

as part of its Industrial Strategy to

the economy and essential to our high

sector council for retail and was

improve the Government’s interaction

streets, local and regional communities.

launched on 7 March by myself and

with the sector and work in partnership

It is also is a high employment sector

Richard Pennycook, Chairman of

to tackle the industry’s issues. Senior

(3.2 million jobs across the UK). In 2016,

Fenwick, The Hut Group and Howden

management from Boots, Amazon and

the retail sector added a gross value of

Joinery Group. We are both co-Chairs of

other renowned retailers will also sit

£94.6bn to the UK economy.

the council.

on the Council as well as the British

Given the fast structural changes

Retail Consortium. Our government

Could you elaborate on the

in the sector and the current operating

has a history of successfully bringing

goverment's recent launch of the

environment, retailers and government

sector players together via small,

Retail Sector Council?

are now in agreement that the time is

strategic sector councils and working

The Council aims to discuss the

right to establish a Council.

in partnership to improve the sector’s

challenges the sector faces, provide

The formation of the Council follows

performance e.g. the automotive, agri-

expert advice to the sector and

other government action to create

contribute to its future direction. It will

a Britain fit for the future including

At the moment, the Council is

review how best retailers can adapt

the government’s response to the

defining its work plan, but ways to

to changing consumer behaviour and

independent Taylor Review, which

boost sector productivity and grow its

changing business environment. It

ensures employment law and practices

economic health have been identified

will review opportunities such as the

keep pace with the modern ways of

as priorities. It will meet regularly to

development of new technologies to

working, and its ambitious Industrial

discuss the challenges the sector faces.

improve customer service, and growing

Strategy which sets out a long term plan

skills through a push on high-value

to boost the productivity and earning

How will Brexit affect the sector?

training and ways of working. Lastly, it

power of businesses and people

EU exit negotiations continue. The

will devise a strategy to boost sector

throughout the UK.

Government is looking for a deal that is

productivity and economic health.

tech and construction sector.

in line with retailer’s interests. I

Our new collaborative Retail Sector Council will bring government and industry together to look at how best to ensure the industry adapts to meet the changing demands of consumers 32 - info - may / june 2018

R ECODING R E TAIL – FOCUS

A Brexit Deal for

RETAIL

Josh Hardie, Deputy Director General of the CBI, explores how Brexit can deliver what the UK retail industry needs now

T

here is no other part of the economy that is at the front

transferred further up the supply chain.

and centre of the public consciousness as much as the

From Camembert to Chianti, the EU is the largest and most

retail sector. Accounting for around 9 percent of jobs

important market both for the import and export of retail

in the UK – from Christmas jobs on the high street to full-time

goods. Where the UK does not produce items itself, it heavily

management of retail distribution depots – nearly everyone

relies on imports - for example, 98 percent of UK demand for

has some experience working in, or with, the industry. It is also

clothing is from the EU and the rest of the world.

one of the economy’s most innovative sectors and is often at

For food retail, frictionless trade is especially important – the

the vanguard of adopting disruptive technologies and business

EU alone accounts for 29 percent of the food on the shelves in

models.

the UK. The solution to the Irish border question will also be

But despite these strengths, retail faces serious potential

particularly fundamental to the sector, as 41 percent of the

challenges with the UK’s departure from the EU. Retail is a key

Republic of Ireland’s food exports go to the UK, in trade worth

example of why it is important

€4.bn. The UK regularly acts as a

to get the right Brexit deal, in

trade hub for non-EU imports to

terms of immigration regulation,

enter the EU. For example, one

and customs. While things are

consumer goods CBI member

moving in the right direction in the

manufactures

negotiations, this is the moment

products in Asia then ships them to

for businesses in the retail industry

hubs in the North East of England

to make their priorities clear on

and from there, the company

both sides of the Channel.

coordinates distribution across the

Ensuring that retailers and

all

its

clothing

UK, Ireland and Northern Europe.

their supply chains continue to

One of the answers to achieving

have access to the right talent and

as frictionless trade as possible in

workforce after Brexit is crucial for

a post-Brexit world is to have high

the sector. Beyond the shop floor, EU citizens work throughout the supply chain. From farm workers, to lorry drivers, to accountants, a significant part of the workforce that supports the industry are EU citizens. For it to thrive in the future, continued access to labour and skills form the EU is therefore absolutely vital.

A hard-headed look at the economic evidence shows that some form of customs union, alongside high regulatory alignment and a deep relationship with the single market, is necessary to ensure frictionless trade and no hardening of the Irish Border

Crucially, in the new economic

regulatory convergence with the EU. The CBI’s latest report Smooth Operations found that the vast majority of UK sectors are seeking a deep regulatory relationship with the EU – including consumer goods and food.

A hard-headed look at the economic evidence shows that some form of customs union, alongside

relationship between the UK and

high

regulatory

alignment and a deep relationship

EU, safeguarding frictionless trade is particularly important

with the single market, is necessary to ensure frictionless trade

for retail. With retailers acting as the consumer facing outlet

and no hardening of the Irish Border.

for many different sectors that sell into it, such as food and

Business is 100 percent committed to making a success of

drink, goods constantly move around from supply chain to

Brexit. The next six months will be crucial in the negotiations

manufacturer to retailer at pace.

and the experience of companies will be essential in the months

To protect the deeply interconnected supply chains of the

ahead. The negotiators must listen to the evidence – and the

retail industry, trade must be as easy and frictionless as possible

CBI is working with them to secure the best possible outcome

or costs will inevitably be passed on to the consumer or simply

for both the UK and EU. I

info

- may / june 2018 - 33

Two Nations of

SHOPKEEPERS? Sir Ian Cheshire, retail expert and Chairman of Debenhams and Maisons du Monde, reflects on the character of Anglo-French retail and the challenges facing the sector

H

aving had the privilege of running one Anglo-French

I would argue for three themes:

retailer, Kingfisher (the owner of B&Q and Castorama/

1) real complementarity of skills between the two

Brico Depot), I am now chairman of another French

countries;

retailer, Maisons du Monde, and a UK one, Debenhams, who

2) real differences; and

are providing Maisons with their launch pad into the UK. My

3) real opportunity when we work together.

personal perspective over twenty years of cross-channel retail is based on a deep belief in the opportunities created from working together – despite the challenges of Brexit.

A nation of shopkeepers

In my experience, both nations have different skill sets, but ones which can be complementary.

1. Complementary skills It may be a cliché to talk about French design skills, but they

The phrase 'a nation of shopkeepers' is usually, and wrongly,

really do stand out. I am reminded of two notable examples.

attributed to Napoloen. It was in fact used as an insult by

First, when we brought Castorama products to B&Q; and

revolutionary France in 1794, and was first developed as a

recently, with Maisons du Monde selling chic and affordable

positive idea by the economist Adam Smith in his ‘Wealth of

French homeware around the world.

Nations.’ The irony of this phrase is that France has developed

Equally, the UK is the most developed e-commerce market

a world-leading retail industry, both pioneering global mass

in the world, and has capability to accelerate the development

market retailing through brands such as Carrefour, Decathlon

of the increasingly mobile commerce market in France. In

and Auchan, as well as dominating the world of luxury retail

the back office area, my belief is that we have seen more

through brands such as Louis Vuitton, Chanel and Hermes. So

sophisticated supply chain and warehouse management

what do we see when we compare the UK and French retail

systems in the UK. However in other areas of IT, the French

landscapes?

industry has led the way, especially in electronic shelf edge

Once we understand each other better – though it does take time – I have seen the combination of strong French and British teams is the way to win in global retailing

34 - info - may / june 2018

R ECODING R E TAIL – FOCUS

For brands like Maisons du Monde or Decathlon, there are real opportunities in the UK market – especially by testing online first, before committing to the complicated world of UK retail property

price labels. The ability to pick the best of both worlds was a real plus for us at Kingfisher.

2. Vive la différence There are some deeply important differences which mark the two industries. Firstly, France is huge relative to the UK, with much lower rental costs, and a more dispersed population, which makes the last mile of e-commerce quite a challenge and has led to more small franchisees running stores than the chains who dominate the UK. Also, labour costs and labour laws are massively

there are real opportunities – especially by testing online

different in France. President Macron is trying to address

first, before committing to the complicated world of UK retail

this – the social costs of employment in France are nearly

property.

four times higher and there is less flexibility, which means less employment for younger workers.

On the plus side for France, it doesn’t have long leases

Conversely, many UK retailers have struggled in France, including M&S and Carphone Warehouse. It does seem harder to have a green field start in France, but once established,

and business rates, and costs are lower. These are some of

French retailers have excellent business models and are highly

the factors which make UK retailing so inflexible. In France

effective. For example, many French retailers have world

you can adapt your store estate much more quickly than in

leading sales densities and return on capital, such as Auchan,

the UK. Differing business models have developed reflecting

Leroy Merlin and Decathlon. Perhaps acquisition might be the

these economics, including the drive-pick-up format in French

safer option?

grocers, as opposed to more home delivery in the denser UK populations.

3. Working together

When the two cultures combine, such as at Kingfisher when we created global expansion plans, then the future is even brighter. It is notable that in markets such as Russia, Poland and China, the French have been more successful than

Finally, I am certain that there are opportunities in both

American retailers like Walmart. Success there was all about

directions, and across the world, when the two cultures are

being able to develop a strong local platform.

combined. Retailing continues to globalise and new electronic trading platforms will continue to proliferate.

The UK is one of Europe’s biggest, if most competitive, markets. For brands like Maisons du Monde or Decathlon,

Once we understand each other better – though it does take time – I have seen that the combination of strong French and British teams is the way to win in global retailing. And I remain convinced of this to this day. I

info

- may / june 2018 - 35

UK RETAIL:

On the Brink of Success or Failure Retailers need to acknowledge the key challenges that lie in wait, argue Pierre Mercier and Samantha Dunn of The Boston Consulting Group

U

K retail continues to face turbulent times. Already, 2018

they want and leave the store without ever stopping to

has been beset by store closures and job losses, with

pay for their items. In Burberry, sales associates armed

retailers such as Toys R Us, Maplin, and New Look going

with tablets, detailing purchase history can make better

into administration or a Company Voluntary Arrangement

recommendations about what to buy. Others (e.g.

(CVA).

Lululemon yoga and Runners World Running club), are

Current inflation, sluggish growth, and Brexit uncertainty are only part of the story. Retailers have been slow to adapt to technology advancements and changing customer

creating more experiential reasons to visit, increasing footfall and combating pricing pressure.

Investing in behind the curtain capabilities, to support

expectations. Shoppers are increasingly shunning the high

the customer who expects to shop anytime, anywhere

street, in favour of more competitive, convenient on-line

must not be forgotten. Progress in artificial intelligence,

channels. The result, several categories like clothing and

analytics, robotics and sensors etc. can help retailers better

sporting equipment, travel or toys are now predominantly

predict sales, improve inventory visibility, increase product

shopped on-line.

availability (on-line / instore), and shorten the order to

Time to wake up

delivery time. A few examples. Argos and Home Depot, offer a range of same day delivery options. Burberry, uses

Retailers must act now or risk going out of business. Cost

RFID technology to know where products are and display

reduction initiatives, so often turned to in the past, will not in

product information in store.

isolation, turn the tide. To survive, three core step changes are needed:

• Understand and truly adapt to customers, not the

• Develop new Talent

Whilst digital and technology are having a disruptive impact, people matter too. It’s estimated that by 2035,

reverse

technology will automate a third of all work activity, with

Retailers have to be more innovative in acquiring

almost three quarters of jobs substantially impacted.

customers. A more tailored shopping experience, with

Remaining roles, whether in store, at head office or in the

customized products or services is the new normal.

warehouse will require individuals to be more analytical,

Under Armour (UA), is doing just this. Transformed

better at solving problems, and managing risks.

from a company that only sells sports shirts and shoes

In an environment where competition for talent is

to the world’s largest digital fitness brand, it links retail

fierce, companies must develop internal candidates whilst

transactions to customer behaviour. With 200+ million

looking externally for new pools e.g. data scientists from

subscribers to its ‘Connected Fitness Platform,’ UA

start-ups. Additionally engagement, recruitment, retention,

can selectively target new customers, based on data

and reward strategies must be tailored to the different

(geospatial, exercise, sleep patterns, nutrition) collected

generational cohorts. For example, eliciting, retaining and

from apps. Its ‘wearables’ brand, Gemini running shoes

sharing the critical know-how of the ‘Baby Boomers’ should

and Healthbox fitness system automatically tracks and

be a priority as retirement looms, whilst for Generation

synchronizes your fitness activity.

‘Y’ whom are tech savvy, mobile between jobs, attention

•

Re-think stores – both in front and behind the

should be on maximizing the return on investment from graduate, and ongoing development programmes.

curtain Leading retailers are revolutionising the in store

Retailers cannot afford to stand still. They must ‘wake up

experience. Some, for example, Apple, Burberry and

and smell the coffee’ if they are going to survive and reap the

Amazon Go’s ‘walk in, walk out store’ are digitising the

rewards from this new era. I

store. Scanning the Amazon Go app, shoppers pick what

Retailers must act now or risk going out of business.

Cost reduction initiatives, so often turned to in the past, will not in isolation, turn the tide 36 - info - may / june 2018

R ECODING R E TAIL – FOCUS

Tackling staff turnover Cédric Voix, HR Director of L’Oréal Luxe UK & Ireland, used innovative new techniques to confront the perennial problem of staff turnover in the retail service sector

W

hen Cédric Voix arrived

the next step in their career with the

at L’Oréal UK to run their

company. Secondly, respondents said

HR division, he inherited

that counter-productive management

a pervasive problem: every year the

styles motivated their departure. The

beauty giant had a massive turnover

third-most cited reason, was a lack of

of their in-store advisors, the beauty

work-life balance.

sales assistants who are the face of the

An action plan was created, with

brands for consumers.

the goal to retain all new joiners to

Across the country, L’Oréal employs

the company, as two thirds of leavers

more than 3,200 beauty advisors – and

had been hired in the last 6 months.

their annual staff turnover was just over

Now the company invests in new

45 percent. (The most recent XpertHR

and different ways to on-board new

figures suggest that the industry average is roughly 25 percent, just ahead of hotels, catering and leisure at 46 percent.)

‘If you look at it this way, we were losing nearly half of our staff ever year,’ says Voix. ‘It was a potential disaster.’

Voix and his team set out a comprehensive program to tackle the

We managed to reduce turnover to 36 percent annually. And we are on target to bring this down to 33 percent by the end of the year

problem, re-thinking both the way that

joiners with a personal touch. Uniforms have been updated; their first year is celebrated with the receipt of a beautifully handwritten note from the managing director; pay, while not the make-or-break, has been raised 2 percent above the competition.

Each beauty assistant was seen to have potential for development in the company. Managers were equipped

L’Oréal UK was recruiting staff and how

recruitment, migrating much of the

with the tools and ability to better

they were working to retain their current

process online. They set up an online

engage and motivate their teams and

employees. Since changes began, the

test to assess applicants’ strengths,

their bonuses were linked to their

company has made significant strides.

particularly in relation to customer

staff retention. They also introduced

service, regardless of their background

talent tracks to allow creative career

or experience.

progression for staff across brands and

‘We managed to reduce turnover to 36 percent annually,’ says Voix. ‘And we are on target to bring this down to 33

The process enabled fast and

roles.

percent by the end of the year – and we

effective pre-screening for some 1,800

want to go further.’

applicants every year. It also revealed

Future plans

the real competencies of candidates,

Voix also explained that the company

information not necessarily contained in

is currently trialling the use of AI in the

a traditional CV.

recruitment process – to improve the

Innovations in recruitment One of the ways the UK team did this was to revolutionise the way that L’Oréal was hiring.

Staff retention

experience for candidates and increase the pace of hiring. The technology has

In the past, recruitment had been

The other part of the solution was to

already been used to recruit interns at

carried out by area managers, who were

look at the retention of current staff.

the company’s headquarters, with plans

under pressure to recruit quickly due

Voix and his team created focus groups

to roll it out on a large scale.

to the turnaround. ‘This meant that we

and exit surveys to find out the reasons

weren’t necessarily finding the right

behind why employees were leaving.

people for us,’ says Voix. ‘And then they

To their surprise, the top reason

‘We are a company founded by an engineer who was obsessed by innovation,’ said Voix, referring to the

would leave, creating a vicious circle for

was not money – a popularly cited

chemist Eugène Schueller who founded

the managers who would then have to

reason for the high turnaround in

L’Oréal in 1907. ‘It’s part of the DNA of

interview again.’

the service industry. Rather the top

the group. We are always looking to

response was that they did not see

improve.’ I

The first step was to centralise

info

- may / june 2018 - 37

Competing for Illustration by Lincoln Agnew

SHOPPERS' HABITS PwC’s seventh annual global survey of consumers suggests that the next major retail industry battle will be over control of everyday routines, says Sue Rissbrook, Partner and Head of Retail at PwC

T

he well-publicised difficulties of retailers were on our minds this year as we began sifting through

the data of 22,000 global respondents from our annual PwC consumer insights survey. For the seventh consecutive year, we asked people around the world about their shopping and consuming activities. We imagined that we would end up telling a simple story about the

Respondents to the PwC 2018 Global Consumer Insights Survey told us for the fourth year in a row that they have increased, not decreased, their shopping in physical stores

bleak prospects for brick-and-mortar

widely, but those that do will heavily influence which brands people will buy.

Dire headlines about widespread store closings, could be misinterpreted as a death knell for brick-and-mortar.

Forty-four percent of global survey respondents said they shopped in stores daily or weekly (for items other than groceries), up from just thirty-six percent in 2014.

Some new e-commerce channels

retail.

are, in fact, complementing their is online or 'in real life' matters less than

physical counterparts by integrating the

No so fast. As it turns out, respondents

a long list of other factors, including

analog and digital environments. Zara

to the PwC 2018 Global Consumer

privacy and personalisation.

have just launched their in store AR app

Insights Survey (GCIS) told us for the

For retailers seeking success, the

which allows customers to hold up their

fourth year in a row that they have

most important factor to watch is

phone to certain store windows or a

increased, not decreased, their shopping

the reshaping of consumer habits by

sensor within the store and see models

in physical stores. At the same time,

new technologies and online social

come to life on their screens – walking

they’re using mobile devices, especially

interaction. Everyday activities that have

and even talking - wearing selected

smartphones, for more and more of

driven marketing strategies for decades

items from the Zara range, which they

their shopping. The survey paints a

— weekly grocery trips, spending a day

can then click through and buy. IKEA

picture of consumers who are complex;

at shopping centres, “Black Friday”–

has an app that previews what furniture

conflicted; highly segmented by age,

shopping, coupon- and promotion-

would look like in consumers’ own

gender, and geography; and on the cusp

driven bargain hunting — are compelling

homes.

of change — but not necessarily in the

fewer people every year.

ways that most retailers expect.

For example, respondents were

The traditional path to purchase is

The resilience of real-life shopping reminds us that it’s easier to augment

being replaced by a highly personalised

and modify habits than to erase them.

asked to name shopping experiences

consumer journey, enabled by

Not so long ago, experts predicted that

that give them satisfaction. Fifty-three

smartphones, digital assistants, and

e-books would cannibalise the market

percent named face-to-face interaction

other personal devices, and embedded

for printed books; today, printed books

with knowledgeable, helpful salespeople

in new forms of logistics such as click

enjoy rising popularity, and e-book sales

— a larger percentage than those who

and collect and same-day delivery. In

have leveled off.

named personalized offers (40 percent)

this new world, every product and brand

or in-store screens that display extended

is always accessible, information is

dictates that the pace of change in retail

product ranges (39 percent). In general,

limitless, variety is infinite, and delivery

will almost certainly accelerate. Retailers

when it comes to deciding where to

is nearly instantaneous. It’s not yet clear

cannot afford to move slowly. I

shop, the choice of whether the venue

which shopping habits will catch on most

38 - info - may / june 2018

The fierceness of competition

R ECODING R E TAIL – FOCUS

ONLINE OFFLINE:

THE HOLISTIC VIEW The old dichotomy between online and offline retailing is being challenged by innovations in the Chinese market, says Sébastien Badault, Managing Director France at Alibaba Group

O

ne might think that it is counterintuitive for the global

The first Hema location opened in 2016, and the concept

technology and e-commerce company Alibaba to invest

has taken off since then, with 17 new stores in 2017, and

heavily in physical stores.

another 29 having opened in the first four months of 2018 in 13

However Alibaba’s recent expansion of their brick-and-

cities across China – an average of one every four days.

mortar supermarket chain Hema, demonstrates a successful

According to Badault, fluidity of payment is central to its

new trend in retailing, where distinctions between online and

success – and is already firmly established in the culture in

offline are being rethought and redesigned.

China where paying with your mobile phone (for example with

According to Sébastien Badault, Managing Director France

Alibaba's Alipay) is the norm in many retail situations.

at Alibaba Group, the dichotomy between e-commerce

Greater insight into consumer behaviour has also had a part

and physical point-of-sale no longer makes sense, because

to play. Alibaba uses big data analytics to remember purchase

consumers have their phone on them all the time – and can

preferences for each customer and to make personalised

make purchases whenever they want.

recommendations on the Hema app. The stores also provide a

Alibaba’s Hema stores have gained popularity in China for

data-driven selection of fresh food to customers.

Because consumers have their phone on them all the time – and can make purchases whenever they want – the dichotomy between e-commerce and physical point-ofsale no longer makes sense

their mobile-approach to grocery shopping – merging online/

China’s market lead

offline facilities to improve in-store and delivery services to

Historically the Chinese market looked to the West, but now it

consumers, turning grocery shopping from a tedious activity

is innovation from China that is leading change. Badault makes

into an enjoyable, fun experience.

the point that innovation can be harder in the West because

Shoppers can use their phones to scan items as they shop

the infrastructure is already established. In China, companies

to get product information and make better-informed buying

are starting from scratch in some ways, which he sees as a huge

decisions. They are also able to order their groceries through

advantage.

the app for delivery. Each store serves as its own delivery node,

One idea that is migrating from China to Europe is the

allowing Hema to deliver in as fast as 30 minutes to consumers

electronic price label. Shoppers will often browse products

who live within a three-kilometre radius of the store.

in store, and then go online to find the best price. Alibaba

Hema also offers a level of service that you wouldn’t find

pioneered electronic labels in stores, which display the best

in your normal grocery aisle. Consumers are able to shop for

online price in real time – therefore generating the sale in store

products that will be prepared by chefs on-site, and served to

at the best price.

them in the in-store food courts. It is a model that highlights

Badault says that from the point of view of the European

the importance of experiential shopping, in addition to the

consumer it is a wonder why there is not something

convenience offered by technology.

like Hema there already. I

info

- may / june 2018 - 39

A ‘BRAND’ NEW WORLD INFO speaks to Olivier Robert-Murphy - Global Head of New Business at Universal Music Group and last year’s President of the Cannes Lions Entertainment for Music jury – about brand and consumer engagement What do brands need to know about how consumers are changing?

It has never been harder for brands to catch our attention, specifically when consumers are better informed - and more volatile - than in the past. According to Havas Media, 74 percent of people would not care if their favourite brand disappeared tomorrow. There is no more loyalty; there is no more love.

As I see it, there are two solutions: one is to constantly drive new customers to your brand; or two, to create a personalised and meaningful relationship with your consumers. Here is one example: Yesterday morning, I ran out of Nespresso capsules. On the same day, I received a tailormade email suggesting I renew my last order. It was delivered to my office that morning. The message that I

It has never been harder for brands to catch our attention, specifically with consumers being better informed and more volatile than in the past

received was: They care. That’s how you create loyalty.

What is the role of data in adapting business models?

(for instance computers), and how they’re selling it (through

We used to use insight to target people, segmenting them

retail), and more on why they’re selling it. Think about it - as

by demographic and social background, etc. To use a sports

Redbull 'Gives You Wings' and we 'choose happiness' with

analogy, you do not talk to someone who attends a football

Coca-Cola, Universal Music creates emotional moments.

match twice a week the same way you would talk to someone

As for storytelling, here’s an example. Recently in the final

who is just reading L’Équipe once a week. Brands need to

of the Super Bowl, Amazon launched an advertisement for

reach out based on consumer engagement.

their Amazon Echo. Their clever campaign was about Alexa –

Data will tell you that I usually listen to music on a

the voice activated device – losing her voice. It made her seem

Thursday evening through my Sonos system. If a relevant and

so human. Everyone wanted to watch the ad until the end, to

aligned brand were to reach out to me at that exact moment,

see if she would recover.

I am more likely to engage with them. If you think about it, thanks to insight, you know what the consumer wants. Thanks

What role does technology have to play in these activities?

to data, you know why and when they want it. Together insight

Let me take the example of music. Data and insight will tell

and data produce the how.

you that if you want a hit song, it needs to last X number of

But, as much data and insight as you may have, it will still be about the idea and the storytelling.

minutes, be played in a specific key, and the chorus should start after X seconds. But does that really make it a hit? No, you still need the authentic creativity of an artist to convey

Storytelling has been central to many brands. Can you tell

their emotions and passions, partnered with the expertise of

us why?

talented producers and A&R executives. Storytelling will always

In his book Start with Why, the marketing expert Simon Sinek

have its place. I

explains that brands need to focus less on what they’re selling

40 - info - may / june 2018

R ECODING R E TAIL – FOCUS

Emergence of the new

RETAIL WORKFORCE Sophian Nacer, Senior Consultant at Deloitte UK, explores how robotics, AI and automation are set to change the retail workforce

T who

he ‘future of work’

as

is upon us. How

Feedback

work

is

done,

gathered instantly from

does

the

work,

social

crowdsourcing. will

media,

be while

and where, is changing

input from the crowd

rapidly,

will shape new products

driven

by

automation and changing

and

attitudes to work and

traditionally

careers. The challenge

intensive logistical roles

for the retail industry is

will become increasingly

particularly large, and it

automated,

will affect roles at each

advantage

designs.

Even labour-

taking of

drones

stage of value creation. In a study commissioned by Deloitte, we

and other technologies. Finally, sell-side roles such as retail

found that the retail industry has the highest risk of automation,

sales assistants, cashiers, and checkout operators will see over

relative to others. In total, we estimate that 59 percent of roles

90 percent of their work automated.

within the wholesale and retail sector have a high chance of

Historically, similar shifts have created better working

being automated. However, it is not all a doomsday scenario -

conditions for the vast majority of the labour force, and what we

while some roles will be lost, many others will be created.

are seeing today is no exception. We estimate that 65 percent

‘Retailers’ profits are under pressure at a time when they

of children in primary school today will work in roles that do

need to incorporate a number of new and different sales

not currently exist. In the retail industry, this will also be true.

channels in order to match customer expectations. These

Robotics engineers will be needed to augment the workforce

pressures are leading to a greater focus on productivity, the

and enhance the supply-chain, while data-analytics resources

workforce and the role that technology could play in either

will be needed to analyse and interpret vast amounts of data to

replacing or augmenting human labour. Defining how much

provide insightful knowledge about their target market.

work and who – or what – will deliver this is going to be critical to enable retailers to change their workforce in the right way,’

A role for social media

says Colin Jeffrey, a retail partner at Deloitte.

Finally, in order to leverage social media and the crowd, we see

AI and automation

social media representatives as key to ensuring retailers are attracting customers through the right channels. By embracing

Looking specifically at certain roles enables us to understand

these changes and preparing their organisations for what lies

how the retail workforce will evolve. For example, financial

ahead, retailers will be able to maximise the value generated by

planners will see their manual tasks automated while AI-

the investment in workforce.

enabled software will allow predictive forecasting using real-

The world of work is changing and new technologies will

time updates from inventory and sales. Merchandisers will see

increasingly automate many tasks in such a way that will further

a significant portion of their role automated, up to 50 percent,

transform retail over the next decade. Retailers are already

while what is left will be augmented through the use of AI tools

responding to these labour challenges, but the question is, are

that will inform on trends and wastage.

they moving fast enough? The next three years will be a defining

On the buy side, product design and roles will be truly empowered by AI and alternative sourcing models, such

period for UK retail and will very much determine who will be the winners and losers in the longer term. I

We estimate that 65 percent of children in primary school today will work in roles that do not currently exist. In the retail industry, this will also be true info

- may / june 2018 - 41

The evolution of the

RETAIL SECTOR Sian Doyle, Executive Director of CBRE, explores the trends driving change in the sector and how retailers need to adapt to new consumer appetites

T

he global retail landscape is undergoing significant change, and technology is playing a lead role. Automation, customisation, and big data will shape this change, but

ultimately, it all comes down to customer experience. CBRE

In the next few years, the use of data to transform stores will set apart those who succeed with the modern consumer

explores this in its latest insight series: The Future of Retail 2030. The insights set a focus on how the world of retail will look in the future - fuelled by changes in consumer’s lifestyles,

of shopping online. As a result, the landscape of the physical

urban environments, retail operations, logistics and other

shop is drastically changing. Our insights explore this; stating

trends impacting the industry and the challenges ahead for

that the physical store will be more about the experience of the

occupiers and investors.

brand as opposed to selling more merchandise. In the future,

The modern consumer is entirely different than a decade

personalisation will become an integral part of the foundation

ago – they want a personalised, seamless experience – and

in the retailer-consumer relationship. The option to customise

they want it now. Platforms including Facebook, Instagram,

will be essential for the many businesses to thrive, and how well

and Snapchat are increasingly being used as marketing tools

it’s done will be a point of differentiation for successful brands.

to launch and sell new products. Ten years ago, they didn’t

Physical stores of the future will focus on delivering brand

exist. Today, they’re a part of our everyday vernacular and have

experiences where customers can better interact and learn

contributed significantly to the shift in customer behaviour.

about a product, and its offering and tech will play a big part

This can be seen in the growth of e-commerce sales over the

in the type of interaction we have. We’ll start to get interactive

last few years. The rise in internet shopping is adding pressure

suggestions on our mobile devices while shopping as intelligent

on traditional brick-and-mortar retailers, and to stay current,

technologies monitor which areas we’re pulled towards in a

companies need to understand this shift and present an equally

shop, and make personal recommendations based on these

inviting offer.

movements.

Selection and convenience

Fostering community

E-commerce’s most obvious edge is in selection and

Retailers will need to focus on creating stores that feel like a

convenience. Even if a department store holds everything

community hub for their target audience. It is no longer enough

a person could want, it lacks the accessibility and precision

for businesses to depend on footfall volumes to drive sales, and

42 - info - may / june 2018

R ECODING R E TAIL – FOCUS

Retailers will need to focus on creating stores that feel like a community hub for their target audience

thus shops of the future will have to construct spaces which offer

more extensive range of opportunities for retailers to collect

new experiences; be it social areas, workshops, or immersive

information on customer preferences and purchasing habits,

technology to attract consumers. We already see a lot of this in

allowing them to build up a more precise picture of their

the 'athleisure' market, with in-house yoga classes, technique

customers.

workshops, and wellness and nutrition sessions. Also, shops will feature cafés, florists and independent boutiques presenting a

Personalisation

unique ‘one-stop-shop’ community setting that feels bespoke,

In the future, not only will personalisation per consumer be

thus extending dwell time and making a purchase more likely.

essential, but personalisation based on location will play a

With more options available, and the ability to thoroughly

significant role in appealing to a diverse geography. People in

research an item before making a purchase, it is critical for

rural neighbourhoods often have different needs, wants, and

brands to create a space and experience where consumers

lifestyles than those who live in city centres. Shops will need

actually want to interact with their offering. Tech-led brands are

to adapt to this, and in some instances, even adjust their

taking note, and have been investing heavily in physical store

model based on neighbourhoods adjacent to each other. We

space. Late last year we advised Microsoft on its 20,000 sq. ft.

can already see this in the food and beverage industry where

flagship store on London’s Regent Street with further plans to

modern chains like London based ‘Dishoom’ or ‘The Ivy’ slightly

expand across Europe. We’re also witnessing a movement of

alter their décor depending on the location.

online retailers into physical stores in a bid to increase sales

The ability to provide a more accurate indicator of consumer

and brand visibility, demonstrating the value of a space where

behaviour and shopping habits is key. In response to this, CBRE

consumers can see and touch a product before purchase. The

as part of its extensive retail consultancy team has launched a

online-born brand Missguided has recently opened stores in

new retail analytics tool called Calibrate. The service enables

UK shopping centres Westfield Stratford City and Bluewater.

CBRE to provide occupiers, landlords and investors with data-

In addition, Boden has announced its second standalone

driven information on the shopping habits and movements of

physical store in Westfield London’s new expansion, following a

over 100 million consumers across EMEA, providing unique

successful debut in London’s Kings Road in 2017.

access to consumer profiling and retail spending behaviours

A seamless shopping experience is equally important to the

and covering the type of purchase in each location. This allows

modern consumer. The spike in digital transactions over the

us to assist customers with bespoke reporting and modelling

past few years supports this, and in response retailers around

to optimise their portfolios. Through understanding current

the globe are test-driving shops that do not accept cash or

consumer behaviour by who, when, and where customers

eliminate cash registers entirely.

are visiting, we can help our clients understand current

Earlier this year, the world’s largest internet retailer opened

performance but also forecast future opportunities.

a register-free convenience store where customers scan their

In the next few years, the use of data to transform stores

smartphone on the way in and are tracked with cameras as

will set apart those who succeed with the modern consumer.

they browse. When they take an item off the shelf, it’s added

It’s now more important than ever for retailers to deploy

to a virtual cart, and the total is charged to the customer’s

innovations in-store that will entice high street shoppers who

account when they leave. These new initiatives have potential to

are happy to blur the line between online and offline retail.

significantly alter the appearance of physical shops, eliminating

There’s an abundance of great technology at our fingertips, but

checkouts and creating more space for customer engagement.

retailers need to combine emotion with innovation if they want

Digital receipts sent via e-mail are already commonplace

to survive growing consumer demand. I

for consumers, and this use of mobile payments opens a

info

- may / june 2018 - 43

Investing in RETAIL Julien Callede, Co-Founder of Made.com and retail guru, gives an investor’s point of view on the current sector, as well as what it takes for retailers to succeed investment in the sector now?

team that has experience in their

The first one would be that the

industry.

underlying assets (brands, retailers, and

You can’t imagine how many

retail brands) are now generating better

entrepreneurs come to you with

profits, making them attractive for

ideas of services for which there is no

bigger investors previously reluctant to

demand, or where they won’t be able

bet on promises and unproven profits.

to differentiate themselves from the

Secondly, a lot of tech-enabled

competition, often in industries they

service platforms have emerged to

have no real experience in. I’m not

help enhance customer experience,

saying none of them will succeed, but

as well as retailers’ efficiency. These

the hit rate will be much lower than if

have been great assets for investors, as

they were ticking these boxes.

they benefit from the whole growth of How has the retail sector changed

the online retail sector, as well as new

What are the keys to success in the

since you launched Made.com?

omni-channel business models that are

retail sector now?

In eight years, the retail sector has

driving innovation in the offline retail

Succeeding in retail today is very

changed dramatically. Customers have

world.

complex. Competition is terribly strong,

access to better items, of better quality,

Finally, we’ve seen a surge in

marketing costs are very expensive,

higher originality, at a better price, and

direct-to-customers brands, which

and customers are very demanding.

service levels have improved.

bypass traditional retail and banking by

It is very hard to summarise in a few

building direct relationships with their

words what it takes to succeed in such

retailers are finally generating cash and

customers. This has made these brands

an environment, but I would really

EBITDA at decent levels, while for years

more efficient, more reactive, and as a

put the emphasis on: a strong offer;

companies had previously been built

result more valuable.

differentiation and originality of your

Most importantly, some online

and sold at very high valuations, despite never having generated profit.

We are seeing these changes

product and service; quality of the When investing, what do you look for

brand; quality of customer experience;

in a business/entrepreneur?

and marketing expertise.

because the infrastructure supporting

I look for a business that solves a

e-commerce retail has improved, and

problem that exists, which ensures

your revenue through increased and

we’ve moved away from the trend

there is a market for it; a product or

repeat sales, improving your margins,

where everybody thought that selling

service that is different from what you

decreasing your customer acquisition

online meant selling cheaper.

can find on the market, which ensures

costs, and being able to scale as

you won’t spend your time fighting to

painlessly as possible. These would be

protect your margins; and an amazing

the main drivers of success. I

What are the key trends driving

THE

B RE X IT

'Brexit has, and will have, mixed effects. Strong businesses will stay ahead and increase their market shares, while weaker ones are at risk. Even though we don’t know how Brexit is going to be implemented, we do know the following: GBP currency value fell massively, making imports more expensive; and inflation is up, both in retail prices and in manufacturing costs.

Let’s also not forget that UK manufacturers do have to import most of their raw material at a higher cost, and

44 - info - may / june 2018

Retail is all about maximising

E F F ECT

employ people whose buying power is shrinking due to retail inflation. It’s getting harder to hire international talents able to help companies export out of the UK. Investors should bet and focus on companies with a European footfall, Brexit or not. These companies are the ones who’ll be able to make the most of a market roughly as big as the US. Europe is an amazing market, but it requires a strong brand and skills to master it.’

– Julien Callede

R ECODING R E TAIL – FOCUS

Eye in the sky

Third Eye Labs is an innovative start-up at the Google AI residency programme that uses CCTV to analyse in-store shopping. INFO speaks to its Co-founder, Razwan Ghafoor A lot of the technical innovation that is seen in retail is in

What do you provide for your clients?

the digital space – how did you develop a business model

We use our data to become a real time in-store AI assistant.

around tech in the physical retail space?

We can, for example, detect shoplifting, predict flash queues

Eighty-five percent of shopping is still done in physical stores

or enable real life hyperlocalised A/B testing. We give real-time

and though online stores will carry on growing, physical stores

alerts on our own web-based application for security and ops,

will never go away. However, as clicks on a website are much

and we integrate into industry standard visualisation tools (e.g.

easier to analyse than real life, brick-and-mortar stores have

Tableau) for marketing teams.

always found it much more difficult to be data driven.

This is where we saw the opportunity to use our

Can you tell us a bit about your work with UK retailers?

background in AI and computer vision to help brick-and-

We currently don't reveal the names of the retailers where

mortar stores use their existing CCTV infrastructure to equalize

we work. However, we are working with 3 out of the largest

the data playing field with online stores.

7 UK retailers. The outcomes of the work have been really successful. We have helped retailers reduce their losses

What do your CCTV cameras do? How is the information

significantly; make their operations even more efficient; and we

analysed?

have given their marketing teams the richest possible dataset

We actually leverage existing CCTV camera networks, so no

to help increase sales.

need for huge new installations. Our software grabs these camera feeds and does human activity classification, people

How has being at Google impacted on your development?

tracking and object recognition on the video.

We are in the Google Campus' AI residency program. Having

What this means in a retail store is we pick up actions such

access to Google's resources has been extremely helpful.

as what items people are taking, where they are looking and

Google are pioneers in AI, therefore having world-class

their journeys within store. Moreover, the first step to our

mentors from Deepmind and Google's sales teams helped us

processing is anonymising the video feeds – it also means that

fill gaps in experience Peter (our CTO) and I had during our

we don't fall under GDPR.

journey. I

We have helped retailers reduce their shrink significantly, make their operations even more efficient; and we have given their marketing teams the richest possible dataset to help increase sales info

- may / june 2018 - 45

A supply chain closer

to home

After years of importing certain products from Europe, Andros UK has benefitted from investing in UK production and facilities, says its Managing Director, Jean Louet

I

t is a little known fact that Andros, maker of the Bonne

‘For Andros it came down to perseverance, relentlessly

Maman brand which continues a love affair with the British

translating our strategy into very tangible benefits; longer shelf

consumer, is also a major supplier of dairy desserts under

life, less waste in stores, less stock replenishment and fewer

the brands of the main supermarket chains in the UK. Andros is a family company with a long-term vision, and in

staff movements, lower customer complaints.’

‘Retailers are increasingly following business models which

many ways their story in the UK is one of time management

leave less and less time available for suppliers to present

and addressing market resistance to change.

their plans. Business communications have had to become

As well as importing food from the continent, Andros

more efficient in order to make the most of a limited audience

bought a production facility in Somerset in 2008, recognising

with the customer. It took several years in fact but today the

the advantage of the west of England’s reputation for dairy

benefits are demonstrated in hard currency.’

farming.

The site itself is a paradox, starting life as a tannery and

Automation

having played host to industrial activity for 120 years. Work

New economic and financial considerations also influenced

began in earnest on modernising, entirely re-equipping the site

Andros UK to invest heavily in automation in a pioneering site

as a state of the art chilled dessert production facility. When

making British family favourites (trifles) as well as international classics (mousse, cheesecakes). The key factors that impacted this decision are:

• The on-going success of discounters is

increasing price pressure on all retailers and their suppliers

• Ingredients inflation, over the last two years,

applying cost pressure from the supply side

• Introduction of the national living wage and

compulsory pensions inflating workforce costs

• High employment rates and Brexit

uncertainties for European employees further increasing recruitment pressures

• Rising pressure from government, retailers and

consumers to decrease waste

• More stringent demands for food control

and safety. fully redeveloped in 2012, it represented then, and remains today, the largest investment and most automated production site in its category.

All filling at the site excludes manual handling,

Other production units, more akin to large kitchens, are relevant to producing high value complex desserts sold at a premium. But when having to service millions of consumers

guaranteeing precise hygiene and assuring regularity of

with good staple classics at competitive prices, this sort of

quantity and presentation to the 300 million pots produced

investment is essential.

annually. Combined with the fact that all dairy ingredients

When investing on a foreign market, it is easy to

are manufactured on site from locally sourced milk, this

underestimate how long it will take to convince commercial

guarantees regular, reliable, repeatable quality.

prospects of the value of your business. Without the foresight

‘The hardest task was actually to sell the benefits to the

to invest some six years ago neither the site in Somerset, nor

trade in a market where the norm is flexible units relying on

Andros would be as well prepared for today’s market – or the

high numbers of affordable temporary staff,’ says Jean Louet,

market of tomorrow. I

Managing Director at Andros UK. 46 - info - may / june 2018

R ECODING R E TAIL – FOCUS

Consolidation on the

RISE

Mergers and acquisitions are increasing, as they provide retailers opportunities to scale, say Eniga de Montfort and Coralie Oger, Partners at the law firm FTPA Avocats

O

ver the last few years, consolidation by way of mergers

investors say that they are reluctant to buy in the UK until

and acquisitions (M&A) in the retail sector has become

there is certainty on tariffs, exchange rates etc. in a post-Brexit

more commonplace in the UK and in France, due to

world.

a number of factors. Little or non-existent organic growth in

Former Waitrose boss, Steven Esom, had warned that

the brick-and-mortar retail environment due to strengthening

Brexit-led inflation would drive a new wave of M&A activity

e-commerce has led traditional businesses to acquire their

in the UK retail sector as the collapse of the pound had left

competitors (online or otherwise) in order to grow.

retailers grappling with rising import costs for goods alongside

Additionally, a number of brick-and-mortar retailers have

rapidly deteriorating consumer confidence. The recent

also sought to establish and/or accelerate their omni-channel

completion of Tesco’s £3.7m takeover of wholesaler Booker

strategy; and capture increased market share by acquiring

Group, Co-op’s £143m takeover of Nisa (which remains subject

e-tailers, online platforms or other technologies that allow

to regulatory approval), and Morrison’s acquisition of Yorkshire

consumers to bring the in-store shopping experience at home.

egg supplier Chippindale Foods, demonstrate how businesses

Recent activity

are focussed on looking at increasing volumes to reduce costs.

Nevertheless, such challenges to the business environment

Amazon made retail headlines when it purchased organic,

create opportunities for retailers to better compete by way of

supermarket chain, Whole Foods, for $13.7bn last year, with

consolidation to achieve economies of scale, to diversify the

the aim of providing a true omni-channel shopping experience.

products and to address rapidly changing customer habits and

Closer to home, Sainsbury’s recently acquired Home Retail

needs.

for £1.4bn, including Argos and Habitat. Across the English channel, Danone, the French food giant, last year merged with

The outlook for 2018

the American The WhiteWave Foods for $12.5bn (€11.7bn)

Despite the uncertainty surrounding Brexit, we are currently

resulting in Danone becoming the organic milk global

seeing low interest rates in the UK, favourable public markets

leader and consolidating its prime position in organic dairy

on both sides of the Channel and access to a plentiful stash

manufacturing.

of public and private capital to fuel M&A activity. The recent

Another French giant active last year in the consumer

acquisition of US based Finish Line by Sports Direct is a

goods and retail sector was L’Oréal, which completed its

good example which shows that M&A in the retail sector is

biggest deal since 2008 with the acquisition of three US

increasingly occurring on a cross-border basis notwithstanding

skincare brands from the Canadian Valeant last year, for a

challenges to the business environment in the UK.

total value of $1.3bn (€1.2bn). These brands, CeraVe, AcneFree

Furthermore recent tax reforms in the US have prompted

and Ambi, enabled L’Oréal to increase the size of its cosmetics

retailers such as Walmart and Target to make statements

division in the US – a geographical market where L’Oréal was

regarding how they expect to use their new tax savings in

still relatively under-represented owing to the lack of its natural

2018. We believe such US retailers may put their extra cash

distribution platforms such as pharmacies.

flow towards UK M&A.

One reason for the recent high levels of M&A activity is

As ever, a successful M&A transaction (be it domestic

the renewed interest from US and other overseas buyers who

or cross-border) requires a thorough review of legal issues

have become even more bullish with the dramatic depreciation

spanning (amongst other things): legal due diligence, drafting

of the pound Sterling following the Brexit vote – making UK

and negotiating the suite of acquisition documents, careful

retailers prime targets for foreign takeovers. Earlier last year

apportioning of risk between buyer and seller via suitable price

saw the £1.4bn acquisition of Weetabix by US company Post

adjustment mechanisms, and implementing a seamless post-

Holdings, and the £1bn acquisition of Moy Park by the US

completion transition and integration phase. I

Pilgrim’s Pride. However, we are also seeing certain overseas

One reason for the recent high levels of M&A activity is the renewed interest from US and other overseas buyers who have become even more bullish with the dramatic depreciation of the pound following the Brexit vote info

- may / june 2018 - 47

Protecting against

counterfeit sales The internet has made it easy to purchase counterfeits, grey goods and lookalikes, but there are a few essential points that can make it easier to deal with them, says Giles Parsons, Intellectual Property Lawyer, Browne Jacobson LLP

Protect your brand

that

The very first thing to do is get a

infringement

good IP portfolio in place. Register

and this could certainly cover

trademarks

your

a trade mark or design take-

brands, and consider whether

down notice filed without any

registering designs is worthwhile.

basis.

that

cover

groundless are

threats

of

actionable,

In the UK, copyright auto-

If the infringements are

matically subsists in qualifying

not being hosted on an online

works once they have been

marketplace and are on a

created and recorded. Passing

specific website, it should be

off gives options when a mark

possible to find out who is

has not been registered, and UK

hosting the domain (and who

and EU unregistered design rights can protect shapes. Ensure

acts as the registrar). They may have a takedown procedure, or

before you need to enforce unregistered rights that you have

may be themselves liable for the infringement.

they have been correctly assigned to you in writing.

To stop infringements before they reach market, consider placing watch notices to assist customs in identifying and destroying infringing goods; these can be implemented on a European-wide basis.

Protect your trading network

If you are encountering a number of infringements, it may be worthwhile investing in a semi-automated procedure to tackle them.

Court proceedings The UK courts have become more business-friendly in recent years. The streamlined procedures available for IP claims

Ensure that your distributors have appropriate restrictions on

are relatively quick, and require both disclosure and cross

sale (although some care may be needed to avoid restrictions

examination, which can help identify the nature and scale of

on anti-competitive agreements). The CJEU has recently

the infringement. The court’s remedies have also become more

confirmed that luxury brands can impose proportionate

inventive – as well as blocking injunctions (see below), there has

restrictions on sales through online marketplaces like eBay and

been innovative use of declarations, pan-European injunctions,

Amazon. With these in place, it is easier to maintain an aura of

and the ability to sue in England in relation to foreign copyrights.

luxury and police fakes.

It may also be worth considering courts in other countries,

Trademarks can be used very effectively to prevent grey goods – that is, goods first marketed outside of the EU – from

particularly if the defendant is based outside of the UK.

being imported into the EU. This helps protect global supply

Blocking injunctions

arrangements. They can also be used to prevent goods being

Recently, some companies, mostly luxury brands, have obtained

sold if their condition has changed – for example, if they have

orders from the court compelling internet service providers to

been repackaged.

block access to certain websites through which infringing goods

Use take-down procedures

can be purchased. The main ISPs have over 90% of the UK market, and so this is an effective though not complete block.

Amazon, eBay and Gumtree all have quick and simple take-

The Supreme Court is due to give a judgment setting out

down procedures, and other international trading platforms

whether the luxury brands or the ISPs themselves should pay

will often have their own procedures or at least a copyright

for the cost of implementing the blocking injunctions. These

takedown procedure so that they comply with the US Digital

require a reasonable amount of work, though it is possible to

Millennium Copyright Act – DMCA. This is often quick and

group domains and request that several are blocked in one

cost effective. Do bear in mind the UK provisions which mean

application. I

48 - info - may / june 2018

R ECODING R E TAIL – FOCUS

FLOWER POWER One of the fastest growing companies in Britain is a digital florist putting a new spin on an age-old industry. INFO meets its Co-founder, Aron Gelbard

P

eople in the industry said it would never work.’

This is how Aron Gelbard talks about the time leading

up to the launch of Bloom & Wild, a tech start up that

delivers bouquets of cut flowers to your home.

Industry experts couldn’t have been more wrong. Since its launch in 2013 the company has grown into a major player in the flower delivery space in the UK. A 2017 profile in the

posted in a package designed to fit through your letterbox. The delivery method responded to a perceived gap in the market.

‘We learned over time that people didn’t like having the surprise of gifting someone flowers when they had to ensure that the recipient would have to be at home to receive the delivery,’ said Gelbard.

The idea that flowers arrive in a well-presented box, yet

Independent newspaper reported that Deloitte named Bloom

are unarranged, was also central to their market research. ‘Of

& Wild the second fastest growing business in the UK, after

course arranged flowers can have a wow-factor, but we found

Deliveroo.

that when unarranged flowers arrive, the recipient is involved

The company went from 20 to 60 employees in that time, and has attracted more than £7m in funding, allowing the company to expand into France and Germany.

Other successes include being selected to join Tech City UK's Upscale Club and Bloomberg's 2016 Innovators. The

in the arranging, and the gift is more personal.’

The company also offers non-letter box, hand-tied bouquets, and a subscription service, where customers receive flowers in regular deliveries.

company’s app was in the top 10 of the App Store's best of

Simplified supply chain

2015.

Without operating a physical store, Bloom & Wild can keep

Gelbard and his co-Founder Ben Stanway were always confident in their business model. ‘We thought it was crazy that there was no online brand that people love in this space, like for takeaways or minicabs,’ says Gelbard.

Digital florist

its overheads lower than the competition, in a market where flowers can be subject to high mark ups.

Attention has also been paid to their supply chains, working directly with growers to work in cheaper, more efficient and more sustainable ways.

In the summer months the company sources its flowers

The appeals of the digital florist are its strict digital presence

directly from a grower in Lincolnshire, while their supply in

and its innovative delivery model: your selected flowers are

the less hospitable winter months comes from Kenya, where they have a primary supply partner, who has a large scale operations with accredited growers.

‘We’re always looking for more sustainable ways to sell flowers,’ says Gelbard. ‘It allows us to reduce waste and achieve a long shelf life for our flowers, because we received them directly.’

According to Gelbard, their flowers last an average of twelve to fourteen days, as opposed to some supermarket bouquets that were processed through middlemen and may last only four or five. Unpacking and repacking of flowers by middlemen also creates the potential for broken stems, which adds to the wastage that Gelbard is keen to eliminate.

Their plans for the future are nothing short than market dominance. ‘We want to be the number one online flower company in the UK,’ says Gelbard. If their growth model continues at the current pace, they will be there soon. I

According to Gelbard, their flowers last an average of twelve to fourteen days, as opposed to some supermarket bouquets that were processed through middlemen and may last only four or five info

- may / june 2018 - 49

CULTURE – WHAT'S ON A SELECTION OF RECOMMENDED CULTURAL EVENTS

B RI T I SH M USEU M , LO N D O N

In 1881 the French sculptor Auguste Rodin visited London for the first time. On a trip to the British Museum, he saw the Parthenon sculptures and was instantly captivated by the beauty of these ancient Greek masterpieces.

Like many archaeological ruins, the Parthenon sculptures had been broken and weathered over centuries, but Rodin took inspiration from the powerful expression that they conveyed through the body alone. He even removed the heads and limbs from his own figures to make them closer to the broken relics of the past. By doing so, he created a new genre of contemporary art – the headless, limbless torso.

A hundred years after his death, see a selection of Rodin’s works – including his iconic sculptures The Thinker and The Kiss – in a new light. This major exhibition will feature original plaster, bronze and marble examples of many of Rodin’s sculptures on loan from the Musée Rodin in Paris. For the first time, they will be shown alongside some of the Parthenon sculptures that the artist so admired, as well as selected objects from his own collection of antiquities. The exhibition will provide a new opportunity to focus on the Parthenon sculptures as individual works rather than as part of an ensemble and understand the extent of the influence of the art of antiquity on Rodin and his contemporaries. I From 26 April 2018 until 29 July 2018 / Tickets available from £17

© Musée Rodin

Rodin and the Art of Ancient Greece

Auguste Rodin (1840 –1917), The Kiss, large version, after 1898

ROYA L H OSPI TA L CH EL SE A , CH EL SE A

© RHS / LUKE MACGREGOR

RHS Chelsea Flower Show Held in the grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea since 1913, RHS Chelsea is the world's most famous Flower Show. Nowhere makes gardening more fashionable, with a catwalk of colour and creativity, the biggest and brightest ideas, the latest plant trends and the pinnacle of garden design - this show is one the world wants to see.

One of the biggest attractions at RHS Chelsea are the spectacular gardens. Unrivalled in their ability to create the extraordinary, the Show Gardens display the largest and most outstanding designs, acting as perfect examples of horticultural excellence and innovative landscape design.

New for 2018, the Space to Grow Gardens offers original ideas, trends and take-home messages to inspire visitors to transform their outdoor spaces and feel the benefits that growing can bring.

At the heart of the Show lies the Great Pavilion, which not only plays host to almost 100 nurseries, new and old, but also houses the Discovery Zone, an area dedicated to highlighting the very cutting edge of technology in the world of horiculture. I From 22 May 2018 until 26 May 2018 / Tickets available from £37 Chelsea Pensioner Ray Pearson poses on the Marks and Spencer 'Spirit of Summer: A Mediterranean Journey'

50 - info - may / june 2018

CULTUR E – WHAT ' S ON

ROYA L AC A D E MY, LO N D O N

© Image: Hayes Davidson

RA250: The New Royal Academy of Arts

The Royal Academy’s north-facing entrance, Burlington Gardens

The Royal Academy of Arts will open its new campus to the public on Saturday 19 May 2018 as part of the celebrations of its 250th anniversary year.

Following a transformational redevelopment, designed by internationally acclaimed architect Sir David Chipperfield CBE RA and supported by the National Lottery, the new Royal Academy will open up and reveal more of the elements that make the RA unique.

From dedicated galleries to surprising interventions, a dynamic series of changing exhibits and installations will present the living heritage of the Royal Academy; exploring its foundation and history in training artists as well as showcasing contemporary works by Royal Academicians and students at the RA Schools. I From 19 May 2018 / Free

VI C TO RI A A N D A L B ERT M USEU M , LO N D O N

The V&A will explore the power of design in shaping the world of tomorrow in its major spring exhibition. From portraits of Chelsea Manning generated by her DNA and a chargeable shirt which can power a smartphone, to a global seed bank to prevent loss of plant species in the event of a crisis, The Future Starts Here will bring together ground-breaking technologies and designs currently in development in studios and laboratories around the world. Drawing upon international research, and working closely with a range of companies, universities, practitioners and advisors, the V&A will seek to represent this new picture of an advancing future with more than 100 objects, many of which have never been on public display. The Future Starts Here will explore the impact these objects may have on the body, the home, politics, cities, and the planet. I From 12 May 2018 until November 2018 / Tickets available from £15

© Photography by Studio Tomás Saraceno, 2015

The Future Starts Here

Tomás Saraceno, Aerocene, launches at White Sands Natural Park, 2015

TAT E M O D ERN, LO N D O N

Shape of Light: 100 Years of Photography and Abstract Art will be the first show of this scale to explore photography in relation to the development of abstraction, from the early experiments of the 1910s to the digital innovations of the 21st century. Featuring over 300 works by more than 100 artists, the exhibition will explore the history of abstract photography side-by-side with iconic paintings and sculptures.

Shape of Light will place moments of radical innovation in photography within the wider context of abstract art, such as Alvin Langdon Coburn’s pioneering ‘vortographs’ from 1917.

This relationship between media will be explored through the juxtaposition of works by painters and photographers, such as cubist works by George Braque and Pierre Dubreuil or the abstract expressionism of Jackson Pollock and Otto Steinert’s ‘luminograms.’ Elsewhere the focus will be on artists whose practice spans diverse media, such as László Moholy-Nagy and Man Ray. I From 2 May 2018 until 14 October 2018 / Tickets available from £16

© Antony Cairns

Shape of light – 100 years of photography and abstract art

Antony Cairns, born 1980, 2017

info

- may / june 2018 - 51

LIFE S T YLE – BOOK S

THESE BOOKS, RECENTLY PUBLISHED IN ENGLISH, WERE SELECTED BY THE FRENCH INSTITUTE IN THE UK

MAIGRET AND THE RELUCTANT WITNESSES

BLACK SUGAR

by Georges

Published by Gallic

Simenon Published by Penguin Random House UK Translated by William Hobson Original title: Maigret et les témoins récalcitrants

by Miguel

Bonnefoy Books Translated by Emily Boyce Original title: Sucre Noir

A once-wealthy family closes ranks when one of their own is

On the edge of the Latin American rainforest, the Oteros family

shot, leaving Maigret - along with a troublesome new magistrate

farm sugar cane in their remote corner of the earth. Cut off

- to pick his way through their secrets.

entirely from the modern world, life is peaceful, uneventful. Until,

It was as if suddenly, long ago, life had stopped here, not the

that is, a succession of ships arrive in search of Henry Morgan’s

life of the man lying on the bed but the life of the house, the life

legendary lost treasure, said to be buried deep beneath the forest

of its world, and even the factory chimney that could be seen

floor. Soon, the isolated villagers are exposed to all the trappings

through the curtains looked obsolete and absurd.

of modernity, while the travellers’ search for booty unearths more

Penguin is publishing the entire series of Maigret novels in new

than anybody could have anticipated…

translations. I

And so it was that the treasure lay buried amid scraps of sail and a pirate’s corpse, preserved within the belly of the Caribbean... I

ONE DEADLY SUMMER

ALIENATION AND FREEDOM PARIS

by Sébastien

Japrisot Books Translated by Alan Sheridan Original title: L’été meurtrier

by Frantz

Fanon Published by Bloomsbury publishing Translated by Steven Corcoran Original title: Ecrits pour l’aliénation et la liberté

Published by Gallic

Since the publication of The Wretched of the Earth in 1961, Fanon's

From a master of suspense comes this classic tale of lust and

work has been deeply significant for generations of intellectuals

revenge set in the French countryside.

and activists from the 60s to the present day.

Beautiful newcomer, Elle, has turned the head of every man in

Alienation

and

Freedom

collects

together

previously

the village. But it’s Fiorimond, the local mechanic, who wants

unpublished works comprising around half of his entire output –

her more. After just one date she moves in with him and his

which were previously inaccessible or thought to be lost. This book

family. As Fiorimond starts to wonder if he’s doing the right

introduces audiences to a new Fanon, a more personal Fanon and

thing, he has no idea that Elle is planning to avenge a terrible

one whose literary and psychiatric works, in particular, take centre

crime from the past…

stage. These writings provide new depth and complexity to our understanding of Fanon's entire oeuvre revealing more of his powerful thinking about identity, race and activism which remain remarkably prescient. Shedding new light on the work of a major 20th-century philosopher, this disruptive and moving work will shape how we look at the world. I

52 - info - may / june 2018

Set in the 1970s, this tale of obsession is a classic of French suspense from the author of A Very Long Engagement. I

LIFE S T YLE – WINE

THE Wine Story OF PROVEN CE Provence is famous for its Rose wines, whose storied history dates back to the earliest settlers to the region

W

as the Mediterranean always as blue? Yes, of course. Two-thousand-six-hundred years after the Phoceans founded Massalia (Marseille), Nikaia (Nice), Antipolis (Antibes) and Anthenopolis (Saint-Tropez) – and planted vines around their new colonies –

nothing has changed in this land nestling between the mountains and the sea.

The region has always attracted settlers and visitors, and the people of Provence come from Mediterranean stock with a personality forged by successive influences. Before the Phoceans were the Ligurians (ancestors of the merchants of the region of the Genoa city in Italy). There were also the Romans, the Moors and the Italians who came to work in the XIX century.

Today, I should add to this melting pot, the Americans and the Brits (La Promenade des Anglais). There have also been the Russians who immigrated after their revolution, and the Oligarchs who have made Nice an orthodox city and Provence a jetsetter's playground.

Many were first enticed to French Riviera by movies such as To Catch a Thief with Grace Kelly, the future Princess of Monaco, or wooed by idealised characterisations in books such as the best-selling A Year in Provence from the late English author Peter Mayle. Of course, art has also played its part in mythologizing the area, in works by Cezanne and Picasso, to name just two.

REFLECTIONS IN THE WINE All these influences have forged wines with variety and a strong character. For instance, sipping a particular Rose from the Cotes de Provence (an official appellation since 1951), one cannot escape the glamorous French Riviera. Opening a bottle of Chateau Miraval, it is as if one is transported to a luxury yacht on the Med’s crisp blue waters.

Thanks to the constant improvement of quality from local growers, the strength of the Provence brand factor and the local tourists consumption (compared to the nearby Languedoc) wine from Provence are at a super premium price point.

In the Provence wine region, Rose accounts for roughly 80 percent of the production – and therefore pink wines have enjoyed a long historical association with the region.

Indeed the basics of its production have not changed since Roman times. Rose, or claret, is obtained after a very short maceration between the skin of black grape, which contains natural colouring agents, then added to the grape pulp and juice.

In the various local wines appellations, I particular like the wines of Bandol, whose vines extenned over 1480 hectares in high villages West of Toulon. Sheltered by the massif of Sainte Baume to the North, where you can find the famous chapel where Mary Magdalene is supposedly buried, the Bandol vineyard descends in terraces towards the sea.

The main grape variety of the Bandol Red and Rose (minimum 50 percent) is the Mourvedre – also called Monastrell in Spain. The main grape for the white is the Rolle (local name for Vermentino).

In the village of La Cadiere d’Azur, I personally love the wines from the Chateau Vannieres. The red is powerful in its youth and has a very long aging potential. It blends the strong Provençal character with the more aristocratic dry finish and tannins that you also find in a Bordeaux from the Medoc. Their rose is packed with red fruits and offers a refreshing palate.

This wine is a must try, as is the Bandol and the range of Provence Rose wines. One could even say that the delicate pink of its wines gives the Mediterranean blue a run for its money as the defining colour of the region. I Thibault Lavergne TO ORDER THE ABOVE-MENTIONED WINES AND OTHERS, CONTACT: E: thibault@winestory.co.uk T: +44 (0)7921 770 691 W: www.winestory.co.uk

info

- may / june 2018 - 53

A PRACTICAL APPROACH TO HUMAN RESOURCES IN GREAT BRITAIN

New to HR in the UK?

ÂŁ15

Whether you are working within a large HR team, operating as an external advisor or are a business leader with responsibilities for the HR aspects of your organisation, this guide will help you to prepare for the challenges you face when working with employees in the UK. This guide is also much appreciated by the senior management and HR staff of UK subsidiaries of French companies.

Millennials, working conditions, salaries or payroll, the guide provides an overview of all the topics that relate to managing a workforce in Great Britain. It is the reference tool to do HR in the UK! Areas covered include: How to recruit - The legal framework - What salary and benefits? - Payroll, taxation and other charges - Recruitment on the internet - Working conditions

Buy our practical guide on: www.frenchchamber.co.uk

Translated by HL TRAD

AT THE CHAMBER

T

he busy start to the year has not

conference also shines a light on

let up, and we are excited to enter

the transforming aspects related to

the summer season with a host of

payment, subscription and technology,

engagement with the key stakeholders

high-profile events and a renewed focus

with an emphasis placed on current and

in the Franco-British community.

on all of our activities.

future trends. We are also especially

Indeed, this inclusivity is in our DNA, and

proud to provide a platform at the event

over the next year our priority will be to

at our Retail Conference, the sixth

for innovative start-ups to present their

ensure that we are continuing to deliver

annual major sectoral conference we

companies.

value to each of our members.

You may be reading this issue

have hosted, which include Travel,

Closer to home, we are redoubling

support them every step of the way.

Our aim remains to deepen our

It has been my privilege over the

Marketing and Energy sectors. This

our efforts to prioritise the inclusivity of

past months to work closely with the

year we are proud to welcome some

the Chamber as it grows and adapts for

team at the Chamber, and to engage

of the biggest names across the British

its members. This includes our ongoing

with many of our members on a one-

retail industry, many of whom are also

partnership with French Tech London,

to-one basis. It is clear to me that the

key stakeholders in the Franco-British

an incubator for the next generation

Chamber is a exceptional and dynamic

relationship on both sides of the

of tech start-ups in the capital. Under

organisation.

Channel.

joint stewardship, partnerships of this

I very much look forward to the

In addition to exploring the

kind help fulfil the needs of fast-moving

coming months and to meeting with

changing face of the consumer, the

companies, and the Chamber is there to

more of you soon. I SB

info

- may / june 2018 - 55

NEW MEMBERS 2 NEW PATRON MEMBERS AQUIND LTD – Aquind Interconnector Linking England and France Represented by Richard Glasspool, Director

AQUIND Interconnector is a new subsea and underground High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) electric power transmission link between the South Coast of England and Normandy, France. By linking the British and French electric power grids it will make energy markets more efficient, improve security of supply and enable greater flexibility as power grids evolve to adapt to different sources of renewable energy and changes in demand trends.

AQUIND Interconnector has been recognised as a candidate for PCI (EU Project of Common Interest) status. With the capacity of 2,000 MW, AQUIND Interconnector will transmit up to 16,000,000 MWh of electricity each year between the two connected countries, which is approximately 5% and 3% of the total consumption of Great Britain and France respectively. www.aquind.co.uk

SERPENTINE GALLERIES – Contemporary Art Gallery Represented by Yana Peel, CEO

Championing new ideas in contemporary art since it opened in 1970, Serpentine Galleries has presented pioneering exhibitions of 2,263 artists over 45 years, showing a wide range of work from emerging practitioners to the most internationally recognised artists and architects of our time. www.serpentinegalleries.org

2 NEW CORPORATE MEMBERS BANQUE INTERNATIONALE À LUXEMBOURG Private Banking-Corporate & Institutional Banking-Treasury & Financial Markets Represented by Steph-Davy Nguimbi, Senior Business Developer Wealth management and structuring. Management of private and professional needs. Support during start-up, growth and transfer phases. Diverse client base: SMEs, major accounts, financial institutions. Customised cash management products to address the needs and requirements of investors in a dynamic market environment. Retail Banking. www.bil.com

STEWARTS LLP Law Firm Represented by Patrick Dunaud, Partner Stewarts specialises in high-value and complex disputes. Our track record of success for our clients has helped us become the UK's leading litigation-only law firm. Clients choose Stewarts for our legal excellence, our specialist expertise and our pioneering approach to complex litigation. Our focus is always on success: achieving the best results for our clients around the world. www.stewartslaw.com

56 - info - may / june 2018

AT THE CHAMBE R - NE W ME MBE R S

18 NEW ACTIVE MEMBERS Albert's Club – Private Members Club - www.albertsclub.com Represented by Alla Furmanova, Business Development Director Atlantis Consulting – Recruitment and Consulting Services in IT and Energy Sectors - www.atlantis-consulting.fr Represented by Christelle Bimar, UK Country Manager Blanc – Natural Drycleaner, Tailor, Launderer, Homeware Retailer - www.blancliving.co Represented by Ludovic Blanc, CEO Bonpoint UK Ltd – Luxury Goods - www.bonpoint.com Represented by Carlotta Piovella, Area Manager North Europe Bridor – Premium Viennoiserie, Bread and Patisserie Supplier - www.bridor.co.uk Represented by Erwan Inizan, Sales Director Bridor UK & IE / Nordic & Baltic Coaching Assembly Ltd – Recruitment Platform - www.coachingassembly.com Represented by Thomas Viguier, CEO Collège Français Bilingue de Londres – Bilingual School for Students Aged 5-15 - www.cfbl.org.uk Represented by François-Xavier Gabet, Headteacher EOL Group UK Ltd – Manufacturer of Office Furniture - www.eol-group.net Represented by Carolyn Angus, Director Greenwood Distillers – Spirits Company Represented by Barthelemy Brosseau, CEO IFinance – Finance, Repurchase of Credit, Assurance - www.ifinancecourtage.com Represented by Pascal Chalot, Co-founder Keley Consulting – Consulting Firm Specialised in Digital - www.keley-consulting.com/en Represented by Arnaud Goupil, Manager London International Medical Centre – L’Excellence Médicale Française 7 jours/7 - www.limc.co.uk Represented by Eric Sayag, Director LSS Relocation – Global Corporate Relocation - www.lssrelocation.com Represented by Julia Clayden, Director Mossessian Architecture – Architectural Practice - www.mossessian.com Represented by Michel Mossessian, Design Principal PowerWomen Network – Network for Senior Women Business Leaders - www.powerwomen.org.uk Represented by Tanuja Randery, CEO/Founder Pret a Train – Personal Training, Well Being, Group Classes, Corporate Training - www.pretatrain.com/en Represented by Romain Gherardi, Director and Founder Stream Advisory – Fund Advisor for Investment in West Africa Represented by Hassane Hamza, Major Shareholder The London Wealth Practice Ltd – International Business Development Consultancy Represented by Brigitte Reech, CEO, Founding Director

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- may / june 2018 - 57

NE WS – AT THE CHAMBE R

Chamber introduces Reward Programme for member referrals

T

For introducing a new Corporate member, choose from: - 1 free ticket for a ‘Breakfast With’ event - 1 free ticket for a ‘Current Affairs Update’ - A classified advertisement in INFO magazine

e

RP

For introducing a new Active member, receive: - 1 free ticket to a ‘Rendez-Cous Chez’ networking event

m

P r

o

w a r d

R

e

he Chamber is pleased to announce a programme which will reward current members when they introduce a new member to the organisation. Help us grow the Franco-British business community and receive the following upon completion of a new member’s membership:

g r a m

To thank our members who act as ambassadors for the French Chamber we are pleased to announce our new Reward Programme

For introducing a new Patron member, choose from: - 1 free ticket for a ‘Dîner des Chefs’ - Exclusive access to a Patron Event - 1 month free advertising banner on the Chamber’s website Please get in touch with the membership team for more information membership@ccfgb.co.uk / 020 7092 6600

reward programme 2018 selection1.indd 1

4/20/2018 10:23:55 AM

THE BUSINESS CENTRE: A SPRINGBOARD INTO THE UK Aimed at French Start-ups, entrepreneurs and SMEs that are developing their businesses in the UK, the French Chamber’s 20-desk Business Centre is currently home to 11 companies. Meet SMCP, the affordable luxury fashion retailer

Catherine Dragan, Human Resources Director, SMCP What does your company do?

We are a global affordable luxury fashion retailer. Sandro-Paris is part of the SMCP Group.

Our business model is blending the codes of luxury and fast fashion. We have on-trend high-quality products with a short and reactive cycle from design to production. We have premium store locations all over the world with a superior personal shopping experience.

Sandro’s DNA is intimately related to Paris. The brand expresses through its collections the essence of cool and chic Parisian spirit, the French effortless elegance, with a unique twist.

Our Headquarters are located in the heart of Paris, where studios and ateliers conceive the collections. We have a unique know-how for a certain idea of French allure, recognised all around the world.

Why did the company decide to come to the UK? Due to our year on year success, Sandro was expanding globally and of course due to the high demand for luxury in London what better market to enter than the UK. We currently have 24 points of sale in the UK: 11 boutiques, 1 mixed outlet and the rest partnered with department stores such as Harrods, Selfridges and Harvey Nichols. Globally, we currently have 593 points of sale across 37 countries. We have seen a huge success in the UK market and are looking forward to what the future holds for us especially as we are focusing on building our brand awareness in the UK to make its presence as strong as it is in France!

What would be your top tip for French companies entering the UK? For retailers, it is important to understand the UK market in terms of its customers and its employees. The UK is a whole different ball game when it comes to employment legislation and its cross-cultural diversity. A key point to highlight is adaptability. We have customers from all over the world who expect a different shopping experience. UK retail trade fluctuates so retailers need to adapt and innovate in order to keep growing!

To find out more about the Chamber’s Business Centre, please contact Sophie Bosc, Business Consultancy Project Manager, sbosc@ccfgb.co.uk or 0207 092 6628 58 - info - may / june 2018

FINANCE FORUM

Cryptocurrency: Money of Tomorrow The latest session of the Finance Forum looked into cryptocurrencies and the blockchain technology which underpins them

Cryptocurrencies have the ability to decentralise trust, increase competition, and address issues such as income distribution

I

n a highly informative and technical

market, while volatile, has proven

the technology that is behind bitcoin,

session, the latest meeting of the

successful, and best practices are

and has a wide range of possible

Finance Forum welcomed Julian

starting to be identified. As an

applications beyond it – such as tracking

Kaljuvee, Co-Founder, Founders Capital

investment, cryptos have been very

ownership, provenance, digital assets,

Ltd, and Lucie Munier, Associate,

lucrative, yet the market is susceptible

physical assets or voting rights.

Qadre, to disscuss the cryptocurrency

to volatility.

Perhaps the most useful application of

revolution. The Forum was chaired by

Regulation poses a risk as it may

the technology is to do with security,

John Peachey, Managing Director &

struggle to keep up with the pace of

yet there are still several key areas

CFO Global Markets, HSBC Bank Plc.

change of the technology. Kalijuvee

where the technology faces problems,

noted that while the UK Financial

including:

Conduct Authority is one of the best

1. Scalability: There is no past proof of

Julian Kaljuvee, Co-Founder of the

regulators in the world, it took them

concept and concerns are rising due to

fintech investor Founders Capital

nine years to respond to crowd-

code complexity. Also, the ratio number

Ltd, prefers the word ‘token’ over

funding. The peer-to-peer lender Zopa

of transactions/second is currently too

‘crypto,’ when describing the new

was founded in 2005, yet regulation

low.

digital currecncy, as it allows a more

governing its activity was released in

2. Vulnerabilities: The complexity of the

comprehensive approach toward the

2014.

blockchain can itself be a problem if a

crypto world.

Another risk is the large amount

minor flaw in the code appears.

of organised crime and terrorist

3. Energy consumption: Today one

the ability to address fundamental

money likely to be laundered through

bitcoin transaction could power a US

problems at the core of our financial

decentralised systems. Public chains

home for 7 days, leading to concerns

systems. These include centralised trust

(such as currencies like Bitcoin and

about sustainability.

(meaning a more democratic approach

Ethereum) can be effectively monitored

to money), the fact that economies of

now, yet others are much harder for law

It is important to note that not all

scale lead to monopolies, and pervasive

enforcement to track.

blockchains use the same methods. For

The Token Economy

He said that the technology has

inequality in economic systems.

Tokens, or cryptocurrencies, have

Blockchain explained

example, the cryptocurrency Ethereum uses a verification method that allows

to ability to decentralise trust, increase

Lucie Munier, Business and Legal

a higher transaction per second rate.

competition, and address issues such as

Associate at the blockchain provider

In spite of this, Blockchain’s proof

income distribution.

Qadre, explained that it is essential

of concept continues to be an open

to understand that blockchain is not

question. Only time will tell. I

Currently tokens are a growing market, taking off since 2014. The

the same as bitcoin. Blockchain is

info

- may / june 2018 - 59

START-UP & SME CLUB

How to do business with the British For French nationals, doing business in Britain can be a mystifying experience. The latest Start-up & SME Club shared their experiences and received some expert advice

T

he French Chamber was pleased to welcome Matthew Hill, Facilitator, Author and

professional speaker and coach of the New Leader’s Club and Cathy Wellings, Director of the London School of International Communication as speakers of the latest Start-up and SME Club. Jeanne Monchovet, Founder & Principal Consultant of Olystix and Sébastien Goldenberg, CEO & CoFounder of TheHouseShop.com cochaired the session.

The two speakers began the session by asking participants to share their experiences about their first contact with British prospects. They found

The British get directly to the point compared to the French who tend to contextualize the situation

that the British get directly to the point compared to the French who tend to contextualise the situation

shows that relationship building can

business’). ‘Your sales process has to

before talking about the original topic.

take time in certain scenarios, but can

fit with their buying process,’ says Hill.

Hill argued that, in a professional

pay off in time.

He added that the best way to get

setting, the British can be much more

The last part of the session was

specialised than the French who have

focused on the best way to succeed in

the presentation, not to wait until the

a more general approach due to the

British meetings and pitching. Hill and

end, as most British clients will avoid

difference between the two academic

Wellings reported that as a seller, you

interrupting the presentation to ask

systems.

have to bring direct solutions to the

questions.

their feedback is to ask them directly in

Building relationships with British

table, and offer rational and concrete

‘takes time’ according to Wellings. To

facts to explain them. Put simply, ‘get

give their price early on, as this is one of

illustrate the situation, she chose the

to the point, and show them what they

the fundamental things that the client

peach/coconut model. A coconut is

can gain.’

will want to know. With all these steps in

harder to break than a peach, but contains a soft inside. The metaphor

This means prioritising the clients

Hill also advised the participants to

place, success is just a meeting away. I

news before your own (or your

K EY TAK EAWAYS • Learn to ‘crack the code’ and read what’s not being said

• Remember that Brits love self-deprecation and understatement

• Respect privacy and personal space

• Brits struggle to give negative feedback; but don’t be afraid to ask

• Avoid interrupting

• Deliver negative messages softly Source: Matthew Hill Cathy Wellings, 2018

To purchase the French Chamber's bilingual cross-cultural booklet 'Light at the End of the Tunnel', visit www.frenchchamber.co.uk

60 - info - may / june 2018

CLIMATE CHANGE & SUSTAINABILITY FORUM

The Health Impact of Air Quality The latest Climate Change & Sustainability Forum explored causes, consequences, current action plans, and what more should be done when it comes to air quality

T

he Chamber welcomed guest speakers Elliot Treharne,

London calling

Air Quality Manager, Greater London Authority, and Dr

Elliot Treharne, Air Quality Manager of the GLA, told the story

Richard Maggs, Consulting Group Manager - Air Quality,

of London’s success in tackling historic pollution, from the

Acoustics & Vibration, Bureau Veritas UK.

historic highs of sulphur dioxide and smoke in the air in the

The session was co-chaired by Richard Brown CBE, Chairman of the Franchise Advisory Panel for the Department

1950s, to the relatively low concentration by the 2000s.

However, there is still work to be done. In January 2017,

for Transport and former CEO and Chairman of Eurostar,

London was hit by a ‘very high’ pollution episode, which meant

and Jean-Philippe Verdier, Founding Partner, Verdier & Co.

that high concentrations of particulate matter in the air were

Corporate Advisory.

more than double the hourly legal EU limit. The whole of

Win-win outcomes Dr Richard Maggs of Bureau Veritas reported that the health

London is exposed to particulate matter levels that exceed safe limits set by the World Health Organisation.

In 2013, a particular challenge for London was identified

burdens associated with poor air quality can include loss of

in terms of reducing its nitrogen dioxide levels, the most

productivity, medical care, and in the worst cases loss of life.

common sources being internal combustion engines burning

Non-health impacts include: the impacts on carbon pricing,

fossil fuels – ie. road traffic.

crop yields, material damage from ozone (rubber industries),

It was a problem that was shared in cities across Europe.

material damage from SO2 (acid rain), and material damage

The EU has set road emission limits each year, and each year

from PM (soiling and historical buildings).

they have been greatly exceeded.

It has been estimated that poor air quality incurs societal costs of £16bn per year.

The business case for improving air quality is related to

The Mayor of London has said that tackling air pollution is a top priority, holding a consultation on a number of air quality measures within weeks of coming into office. A number of air

this economic impact. There have also been positive leads and

alerts were created as was the Healthy Streets for London

innovation in response to environmental regulation around the

programme, a long-term plan to encourage more Londoners

issue. Science is part of the solution, but it will be integral for

to walk and cycle. New double deck buses will be hybrid,

business to play a part, with huge potential benefits in terms of

hydrogen or electric from this year; while single deck buses will

new business opportunities.

be zero emission in central London by 2020.

Responses from business can involve tackling the

A low emission zone was also established from Bromley in

problem from different angles, including investing in R&D,

the South to Barnet in the North, Heathrow to the West and

manufacturing and technological solutions, and informing

Romford to the East. All these initiatives and more are part of a

behavioural change – with each carrying their own challenges

broader strategy for London to have the best air quality of any

and opportunities.

major world city by 2050. I

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HR FORUM

Taking your Leave The latest HR Forum heard about the importance of work-life balance and information on various forms of family leave

T

he HR Forum on 14 March welcomed two guest speakers

said their working hours regularly got in the way of family time

from Irwin Mitchell LLP: Melanie Stancliffe, Partner –

and 1 in 5 parents working full time put in 5 extra weeks a

Employment, and Sarah Wallace, Partner. The session was

year out of work hours. These statistics mean that employers

chaired by Pia Dekkers, Human Resources Director at Chanel.

who do offer a good work life balance create motivation and

A question of leave

encourage loyalty.

‘I actually think it’s in business interest to look at these things

The Labour government originally established various leaves

and to operate them in a fair way,’ says Stancliffe. This builds

available (maternity, adoption, paternity, flexible working,

upon the case for retention in the workplace, with Stancliffe

emergency) as well as the protections existing for those who

stating that 81 percent of women finding a job more appealing

meet the relevant criteria, with an aim to retain mothers in

when it offers flexible working.

the workplace and also to increase the participation of both parents in the young lives of their children.

Similarly for the millennial generation; whereas flexible working requests were previously limited, now ‘it’s almost a

Enhanced shared parental pay is one key element which

given that people want to work flexibly at whatever age and

demonstrates the difficulties in ensuring a standardised

even on entry’. Different types of families mean that ‘policies

attitude to the options available.

need to be adequately drafted in order to make sure that

Stancliffe outlines that employers don’t have to enhance, but recent cases demonstrate the unequal approach to rulings

everybody feels included.’

via the employment tribunal in Shared Parental Leave (SPL) due

IM Modern Families

to a distinction in comparing a man on SPL with a women on

The ‘IM Modern Families’ initiative was implemented by Sarah

maternity leave, rather than with a woman on SPL.

Wallace to create a forum to discuss these issues at Irwin

‘You do have disparities between organisations which won’t become apparent until employees start querying them’, Stancliffe says.

Mitchell.

Launched in the autumn of 2017, employees of Irwin Mitchell give a series of talks to their fellow employees at a

Overall, there are difficulties in raising awareness of the

national level via videolink. They touch upon key factors such as

eligibility of employees of SPL. Reports demonstrate that

flexible working, maternity policies and careers after pregnancy,

although 285,000 couples every year are eligible, only 2 percent

care of elderly parents, use of language in creating unconscious

take advantage of the benefits. The government launched

bias, etc, with the aim of creating awareness companywide.

the ‘Share the Joy’ campaign to combat this shortcoming, in February 2018.

Stancliffe says the Taylor Review on modern working practises, with a strong focus on the protection against

The initiative aims to appeal to both men and women, and focuses upon the growing diversity in the concerns of modern families, flexible working and wellbeing at work, with a broader audience than just those families with children.

redundancy linked with pregnancy and maternity, will have a

In general, Wallace says that the younger generation are

major impact as the government has accepted nearly every

engaging and will get behind this movement as attitudes are

recommendation.

changing between younger people and the older generation in

‘The government recognises that women are being too often targeted for redundancies [and] are not getting opportunities when they’re off’, says Stancliffe.

Flexible working and retention The Modern Families Index found that 48 percent of parents 62 - info - may / june 2018

how issues can be addressed and openly discussed.

As the work landscape changes and work life balance becomes an essential element of both recruitment and retention, Wallace says that ‘if you are not behind it, you will be left behind.’ I Suzanne Lycett

RETAIL FORUM

Retail: Making old stock great again The Retail Forum explored the options companies have when managing their out-of-date stock, from disposal to recycling

L

es 110 de Taillevent in Marylebone hosted the latest Retail Forum session. Three speakers shared their experiences

and viewpoints on the disposal and repurposing of old stock: Jamie Crummie, Co-Founder of Too Good To Go;

More than the environmental and moral duty to avoid waste, it represents an opportunity for firms to make their old stock worthwhile

Boriana Guimberteau, Partner at Franco-British law firm FTPA Avocats and Robin Osterley, CEO of the Charity Retail Association. Alain Harfouche, General Manager UK and Ireland of L’Occitane and Catherine Palmer, Legal and

Give clothes a second life

Administrative Director of Joseph co-chaired the session.

Robin Osterley of the Charity Retail Association outlined the

Old stock deposal

successful reuse model championed by high street charity shops. His organisation represents more than 11,000 shops

The session heard that old stock deposal is a huge challenge

in the UK which each year reuse at least 323,000 tonnes of

for UK retailers, as well as an environmental and moral issue

clothing donated by individuals and retailers.

globally. Borina Guimberteau, FTPA, explained that the goal for

Osterley argued that charity shops give a longer life to the

many companies is to repurpose their older and aging stock

products, generate social benefits and can also do some win-

to generate new revenue or tax incentives, promote positive

win partnerships with firms.

brand image, and make a positive impact on society and the environment.

Guimberteau explained that it is estimated that €630m of

He also explained how some UK companies have integrated donation into their marketing strategy, working directly with charity shops. For instance Marks & Spencer has

goods are destroyed each year in the UK. Because of the waste

partnered with Oxfam: if people give old items to Oxfam, they

and accompanying environmental issues, the clothing industry

get a five pound M&S voucher. They help a charity, target some

alone ranks second in the world in terms of the environmental

new potential customers and it is also a mean to improve their

impact of industries.

brand image.

The potential market for the retailers is huge: roughly 100,000 tonnes of food are wasted in the fodd sector. 70

Food & waste

percent of it is avoidable which represents £19bn of business

Globally, more than a third of food produced is wasted,

opportunities. More than the environmental and moral duty

representing 1.3bn tonnes each year. The shocking statistic

to avoid waste, it represents an opportunity for firms to make

led Jamie Crummie to create Too Good To Go, a mobile

their old stock worthwhile.

application where consumers can buy unsold prepared meals

According to Guimberteau, companies have four options when

at a discount. The firm is now in 8 countries, 3.3m consumers

it comes to managing their old stock:

are registered and 3.5m meals have been saved. In long run,

1. Destruction (when mandatory)

his purpose is to get a one-to-one rate of preparation of meals

2. Donation to charity

to consumption of meals.

3. Sale abroad. That works well for the

That way of thinking is directly supported by the UN in

seasonal goods.

its Sustainable Development goal report: ‘By 2030, halve per

4. Transformation or recycling.

capita global food waste at the retail and consumer levels

She also highlighted that companies must follow established regulations. For example France has signed the Food Waste Control Act in 2016, which compels retailers to donate their surplus to charities. The EU Commission has also

and reduce food losses along production and supply chains, including post harvest losses’.

This global awareness benefits to everyone: people, planet and retailers. I

adopted new guidelines on the subject in October 2017.

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DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION AND INNOVATION FORUM Sponsored by

The scope of Artificial Intelligence The latest Digital Transformation & Innovation Forum heard about the business applications of artificial intelligence

T

he Digital Transformation

Disruption is coming

and Innovation Forum

According to Recino, AI is

session was chaired by

set to completely disrupt

Christophe Chazot, Group

the economy, with potential

Head of Innovation of HSBC

applications across sectors, such

Bank Plc. The French Chamber

as medicine, insurance, legal and

was also pleased to welcome

manufacturing.

Philippe Lerique, Partner of

He anticipates that AI will

Talan Consulting UK Limited

also have a huge impact on the

and Alessandro Recino, Cloud

workforce, replacing a range of

Solution Architect Date & AI at

both blue and white collar jobs.

Microsoft as speakers to the

Yet, he said, the rise of AI will also

forum.

How AI works

The real strength of AI is in its capacity to learn ‘alone’ and automatically

In contrast to human intelligence,

create many new jobs and career paths including those developing, maintaining and working with the new technology.

AI is a compartmentalised imitation of

activities in business-based AI solutions.

As the technology begins to adapt

the way we think. Alessandro Recino

Its platform consists of three streams: AI

and scale, only time will tell the impact

presented a graphic (see below) which

infrastructure, the AI services and the AI

that AI will have on our lives. I

represents the three main components

tools, each offering a range of complex

of AI.

AI solutions.

The field of AI represents the

As a case study, the session

specific application of the technology,

highlighted recent work undertaken by

whether it is, for instance, text

Talan Consulting UK, a French business

translation, text analytics or voice

and IT consultancy where Lerique is a

authentication. Machine learning is

Partner.

how AI works, including the computer

Working with SNCF in an effort

algorithms which underpin the

to improve the safety of their

technology. As a specific subset of

infrastructure, Talan installed smart

machine learning, ‘Deep learning’ allows

cameras across the railway network to

for a high standard of data processing,

observe and analyse incidents which

as AI is able to learn in a way that closely

were not prevented.

resembles our current understanding of the workings of the human brain.

Business applications

The strength of using an AI application was the ability to synthesise information and ‘learn’ from a massive amount of collected data –

Highly complex software is at the core

independently and automatically – work

of any application of AI in a business

that would be impossible without

context – evidenced by Microsoft’s

machine learning.

64 - info - may / june 2018

Source: Microsoft

FORTHCOMING FORUMS & CLUBS By application only

17

HR FORUM

‘Compliance Considerations for a Globally Mobile Workforce’ May Guest speakers: Charlotte Firth, Manager, 08.30 - 10.00 James Cowper Kreston and Lucy Langham, HR Manager, Mechadyne Co-chairs: Pia Dekkers, Human Resources Director , Chanel and Melanie Stancliffe, Partner - Employment, Irwin Mitchell LLP

22

CLIMATE CHANGE AND SUSTAINABILIT Y FORUM

May

‘Batteries: technologies, innovation, usages and the economics’ 08.30 - 10.30 Guest speakers: Alastair Davies, Head of Strategic Analysis & Modelling, EDF Energy and second speaker to be confirmed Co-chairs: Richard Brown CBE, Former CEO and Chairman of Eurostar, Chairman Department for Transport Franchise Advisory Panel and Jean-Philippe Verdier, Founding Partner, Verdier & Co, Corporate Advisory

24

RETAIL FORUM

Retail Forum 1 Year Anniversary Cocktail Party Venue: L’Occitane Flagship Store, 74-76 18.00 - 20.00 Regent St, Soho, London W1B 5RL Co-chairs: Alain Harfouche, General Manager, L’Occitane and Catherine Palmer, Legal & Administrative Director, Joseph May

5

START-UP AND SME CLUB

‘Start-ups and Corporates: Building and Evolving Valuable Relationships’ June Guest speakers: To be confirmed 08.30 - 10.00 Co-chairs: Sébastien Goldenberg, CEO & Co-Founder, TheHouseShop.com and Jeanne Monchovet, Founder and Principal Consultant, Olystix, Advisory Councillor of the French Chamber

13

BREXIT FORUM

20

FINANCE FORUM

‘Impact of BREXIT on HR & Education (talent, labour law, mobility, training)’ Joint session with the HR Forum 08.30 - 10.00 Guest speakers: Simon Mercado, UK Director, ESCP Europe Business School, and Kady Doumbia, Consultant, Turenne Consulting. Co-Chairs: Angela Hepworth, Corporate Policy and Regulation Director, EDF Energy and Neil Sherlock CBE, Partner, Corporate Affairs, PwC June

‘The Financial World: How to Attract & Retain Talent (employees’ skills, 08.30 - 10.00 performances, training, incentives, vision, etc.) ‘ Joint session with the HR Forum Guest speakers: Angela Paul, Research Lead, Willis Towers Watson and second speaker to be confirmed Chair: John Peachey, Managing Director - CFO Global Markets, HSBC Bank Plc June

21 June

08.30 - 10.00

DIGITAL TR ANSFORMATION & INNOVATION FORUM ‘Social Media: analytics, etc. ‘ Guest speakers: Amanda Tran, Managing Director, JIN and second speaker to be

confirmed Co-chairs: Christophe Chazot, Group Head of Innovation, HSBC and Lucien Boyer, Chief Marketing Officer, Vivendi.

All sessions, excluding the Luxury Club and the Women's Business Club, take place at the French Chamber.

For more information, please contact: Ophélie Martinel at omartinel@ccfgb.co.uk or 0207 092 6634

info

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PAST EVENTS HIGHLIGHTS

WOMEN, INSPIRATION AND LEADERSHIP The Chamber marked International Women’s Day with an event that celebrated women’s accomplishments and discussed the future for women in the workplace

A packed room for International Women’s Day at the Bulgari Hotel Yana Peel, CEO of the Serpentine Galleries, and

Rachel Johnson, Author & Journalist

T

he Chamber welcomed two inspirational speakers to an

She added: ‘My message to all women's audiences is “be

event celebrating women and leadership. Featuring a

pushy,” borne out in spades by the truly awful data on the

discussion between the journalist Rachel Johnson and Yana

gender pay gap across the board. There's a pay gap even in

Peel, CEO of the Serpentine Galleries, the event on 8 March

women-dominated industries like cosmetics and fashion, so

at the Bulgari Hotel also marked International Women’s Day.

there's no doubt that la lucha for fairness and equality must

The discussion was moderated by the Chamber’s Senior Vice

continua.'

President, Peter Alfandary.

More than 120 participants attended the packed event, and each left with a luxury gift, generously donated by the event’s

The speakers

As CEO of the Serpentine Galleries, one of the world’s leading

sponsor Chanel. In the elegant surroundings of the Bulgari

contemporary arts institutions, Yana Peel shared her rise to

Hotel, guests enjoyed canapés and Champagne following a

the top of the international art world. Drawing on multiple

discussion and lively Q&A.

sources and experience, Peel described aspects of her career

The event, which was as launched in 2014, has grown in

as being formative in this journey. Peel is also Chair of the

popularity and appeal year-on-year. This year, in addition to

Intelligence Squared Group, a global forum for live debate

falling on International Women’s Day, the event was set against

which she co-founded. She is also the co -founder of Outset

the backdrop of the recent MeToo and TimesUp movements.

Contemporary Art Fund, and holds board and advisory

This added to the dynamism of the audience Q&A, where the

positions with Tate International Council, British Fashion

panellists were asked about the highs and the lows of women’s

Council, World Economic Forum, V-A-C Foundation (Moscow)

experience in the workplace and society. It was a highly

and Para Site Art Space (HK), amongst others.

educational event for all in attendance, whether male or female.

Rachel Johnson, is a journalist, novelist and broadcaster

Rachel Johnson commented about the event: ‘I always feel

based in London. After leaving Oxford she joined the staff of

imposter syndrome [at these events] as I don't think I've been

the Financial Times, becoming the first female graduate trainee

a successful woman at all; so it was a great honour to be up

at the paper in 1989. She moved to the BBC in 1994, but left

there alongside Yana Peel and in front of such a distinguished

to move to Washington D.C. as a columnist and freelancer

gathering.’

in 1997. She edited The Lady Magazine 2009-2011. She has

‘I thought the event went very well, mainly as we spoke from

written weekly columns for most national newspapers and

the heart and with great frankness about our respective careers

contributes a weekly column in The Mail on Sunday, and co-

and personal histories. There was no fake news element to it,

presents the panel show The Pledge on Sky News. As a novelist,

just an authenticity that reverberated around the room, given

her works include Notting Hell (Penguin 2006), Shire Hell, and

the added impact that we held the event on IWD and the

A Diary of The Lady, My First Year as Editor (Penguin, 2010). I

experience of women (around the world not just in the UK and

Suzanne Lycett

Europe) was very much in the forefront of everyone's minds.’

info

- may / june 2018 - 67

AMBASSADOR’S BRIEF Chamber members were welcomed to the French Residence in London for an intimate and informative talk by HE Mr Jean-Pierre Jouyet, French Ambassador to the UK

H

ow will Brexit shape the relationship between France and the UK?

The Ambassador’s brief did not disappoint: he offered a unique and

Patron and Corporate members of the

often frank insight in the thinking

Chamber registered to hear HE Mr

around Brexit in France and the UK, with

Jean-Pierre Jouyet's briefing, which was

especial attention to how negotiations

held at the French Residence in London.

and the final deal may impact on the

The Ambassador addressed the

Franco-British community. Of note were

assembled crowd on the topic of the

questions related to the new Macron

future of the Franco-British relationship

government in France, and to French

on the aftermath of the bilateral summit

interests in the negotiation process.

between leaders of the UK and France.

As has been widely reported, the

He also took questions from the event’s

current French government was not

moderator, Peter Alfandary, Senior Vice

in support of a pro-Brexit vote. The

President of the Chamber, following his

Ambassador also addressed a host of

remarks.

issues that directly affect the historic

The audience, made up of more

relations between the two countries,

than 80 main representatives from

regardless of their involvement in the

Patron and Corporate member

EU.

companies, was also invited to ask

About the Ambassador HE Mr Jean-Pierre Jouyet graduated from ENA (Ecole Nationale

A Champagne and canapé reception

d’Admiistration) in 1980. He is also a

questions. The event was held according

was held after the talks, where

Lawyer. Between 2007 and 2008 he

to strict Chatham House Rules, in

members were able to address the

was the Secretary of State for Francois

order to encourage open and frank

Ambassador personally and network

Fillon’s Government. He had been the

discussions.

with fellow members.

president of the ‘Autorités des marchés

The event has been held

The event was the ideal forum to

financiers’ from 2008 to 2012. In 2012

several times per year since 2009,

discover more about the ‘real’ impact

he was appointed as Director of the

demonstrating the close relationship

of Brexit – the Chamber would like to

‘Caisse des dépôts et consignations’

between the Embassy and the

thank HE Mr Jean-Pierre Jouyet and

and President of the ‘Public Investment

Chamber. It marked the first session

his team for their hospitality at an

Bank.’ He held these positions until

of this kind with the new Ambassador

exclusive Chamber event at the French

2014; he was then appointed Secretary

since he took up his post late last year.

Residence.

General of the Presidency. I

68 - info - may / june 2018

E VE NT S – AT THE CHAMBE R

BREAKFAST WITH…

KATHERINE BENNETT OBE The Chamber welcomed the Senior Vice President from Airbus to speak about her career, women in business, and challenges facing the aviation giant

I

n ten short years, Airbus has grown from a relatively small player in the UK to one of the giants of British aviation.

type of initiative.

In a highly informative session, Bennett also spoke about

Katherine Bennett, Senior Vice President at Airbus,

initiatives to boost recruitment and apprenticeships, as well as

addressed the assembled guests at the Bulgari Hotel,

investing in innovation in air traffic management, AI and urban

exploring successes at Airbus and challenges facing the sector.

mobility. Addressing the gender pay gap is also a priority of

She was introduced at the event by Tanjua Randery, CEO and Founder of the PowerWomen Network and Vice President

Airbus.

Opening up the session to questions from the

of the Chamber. Detailing aspects of Bennett’s biography,

audience, Bennett elaborated on many of the themes of

Randery highlighted Bennett’s OBE, which was awarded in

her presentation, and spoke more about contributing to

2004 for her work in industry and charity.

government targets to tackle climate change.

Airbus is probably best known by commercial passengers

The Chamber wishes to thanks the Bulgari Hotel and

for the iconic A380, the massive double-decker jumbo jet, now

their staff for their hospitality, and Paul UK for catering the

the flagship of the brand. Since it began flying ten years ago,

breakfast.

the airplane now accounts for 10 percent of all passengers flying from Heathrow airport.

In addition to commercial aviation, Airbus is also involved

About the speaker

Katherine is a Senior Vice President of Airbus and has been

in other aspects of the industry including aircraft wings,

with the company for 13 years. She leads the company’s

helicopters and satellites – every TV satellite broadcast in

external engagement and strategy in the UK and reports

the UK is from an Airbus satellite. Bennett reported that the

directly to the Global CEO, Tom Enders. Katherine has held

company has an annual £5bn spend on R&D.

roles in Communications and spent several years based at

Bennett addressed current concerns in the industry, including the effects of Brexit and issues related to staffing and business innovation. The former CEO of Airbus, Louis Gallois,

Airbus HQ in Toulouse, France running the global public affairs function.

Based out of London and Bristol, she has specific

was famous for saying: ‘Airbus is the part of Europe that works.’

responsibility for UK Government Relations for all parts of the

As a fully integrated European company, it is an example of the

Airbus company which employs 15,000 people in the UK.

frictionless cooperation, trade and investment fostered by the EU. According to Bennett, ‘Brexit has put a spotlight on the need for the UK government to help industry more.’ She

In December 2015 she became a Board Member of the International Aviation Womens’ Association and in March 2016 she was nominated a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society.

Katherine is active in her local community in Wiltshire, is

called for a more holistic industrial strategy, bringing together

a church organist, a member of the UK Parliament Choir and

senior people from companies across sectors, noting that

founder of the Airbus Filton Choir. I

government money has now been unlocked to help set up this

info

- may / june 2018 - 69

CROSS-CULTURAL QUIZ NIGHT

Sponsored by

Teams from across the Chamber’s 600 member companies came together for a lively evening of food, competition and, unexpectedly, singing!

T

he Cross-Cultural Quiz Evening has a reputation to

ringleader behind of the ever-relevant ‘Light at the End of

uphold in the Chamber’s calendar. In its fourth year,

the Tunnel’ Cross-Cultural Relations booklet published by the

this is a dinner with a difference, hosted annually at PwC’s Embankment offices.

Tables were snapped up quickly as Chamber member

Chamber, once again donned his expert quizmaster cap.

‘I am absolutely thrilled that the Cross-Cultural Quiz seems to have become a traditional feature for the Franco-British

companies gathered together 120 of the best and brightest

community through the French Chamber’, says Alfandary. ‘It’s

from amongst their colleagues and clients to compete in

not only a fun event but also reflects the importance of the

their teams. Expectations were high and the evening did not

Chamber’s role in furthering cross-cultural understanding and

disappoint.

friendship. It’s now my fourth year putting the Quiz together.

The event offers a quiz with a compelling Franco-British twist – questions based around both French and British

Although an expert on cross-cultural issues, it certainly taxes my brain but gives a huge amount of pleasure to prepare’.

cultures and traditions. A diverse mix of participants is the key

After five intense rounds of questions, including

to establish equal representation from both cultures and gain

unanticipated but welcome musical interludes from

the maximum number of points. A number of companies were

participants to illustrate certain answers, Cripps edged ahead

represented with tables on this occasion: Cripps, Chanel, ebl

of their competitors in a close final result, to take first place.

miller rosenfalck, Euronext, Gide Loyrette Nouel, Sherrards Solicitors and PwC, alongside a number of mixed tables.

The Franco-British inspired menu ensured the cross-

Not to be discouraged, participants left vowing a comeback for the next edition.

Thank you to PwC for sponsoring and for hosting the Quiz

cultural theme continued and offered Coq au Vin, quiche,

for the fourth year running in the impressive Embankment

Yorkshire puddings, and French and British cheeses amongst

Offices. Thanks also to our generous prize donors, providing

other traditional favourites.

a selection of goodies for all members of the winning team:

Peter Alfandary, Vice President at the Chamber and the

Caudalie, La Maison Maille, MYNE London, PAUL UK. I

Top left: Deliberations amongst teammates from Browne Jacobson LLP & ESCP Europe Top right: Stephen Burgin, Deputy President of the French Chamber, introduces the event Bottom left: Representatives from SPIE UK, HSBC, Institut Français UK, PwC, French Education Charitable Trust & the French Embassy Bottom right: The winning team from Cripps UK 70 - info - may / june 2018

E VE NT S – AT THE CHAMBE R

SOME OF T H E Q U IZ'S Q U ESTI O NS 1. What links Harold, Emmanuel and 70 metres?

2. Which Paris Metro stations make you think of a)

4. When did women get the right to vote in the UK and France?

5. Where are you in London if you take 30 minutes to

Bleach b) Bad Grass

3. What is the shortest French word using all the vowels?

go round?

1. THE BAYEUX TAPERSTRY 2. JAVEL, MALSHERBES 3. OISEAU 4. UK 1918 FRANCE 1945 5.THE LONDON EYE

THE INTERCULTURAL TROPHY 2018 APPL ICAN TS 2018 • James Cowper Kreston

• ebl miller rosenfalck

• ESCP Europe Business School

• Epic

• Evolution Coaching

• Waddington Custot

• Browne Jacobson LLP

• Street League

WINNER 2018: INSTITUT FR ANÇAIS UK

W

ith nice applicants overall, and a close final vote,

Fabre. ‘It is a great trophy, with an impressive history of winners

competition for the 21st edition of the Intercultural

amongst the Franco British business community since 1997’.

Trophy 2018 was fierce.

Claudine Ripert-Landler, Head of the French Institute in the

Aimed at recognising a culturally-intelligent company,

UK, says ‘The Intercultural Trophy is awarded to organisations

organisation or project that has successfully helped to bridge

which show a commitment to creating lasting cultural bonds

the gap between our two cultures, the level of interest in this

between France and the UK, which was the ethos of the Night

year’s edition demonstrates a true celebration of Franco-British

of Ideas 2018.

projects and sentiments from amongst the French Chamber members.

‘We believe that our goal, to expand and deepen the presence of French culture and language in the UK, through

With the winner decided by public vote, this year’s trophy,

large-scale events such as the Night of Ideas, is more than

sponsored by Sherrard’s Solicitors, was presented to l’Institut

ever meaningful. This was confirmed by the large audience

Français du Royaume-Uni on the evening of the Cross-Cultural

we welcomed at this occasion with a strong focus on younger

Quiz.

generations and is now confirmed by this award and the vote

Geraldine Fabre, Partner and Head of French Group, represented Sherrards Solicitors in handing over the trophy to Marjorie Lecointre, Deputy Director at l’Institut Français.

‘It is Sherrards Solicitors’ international engagement that

of the members of the Chamber of Commerce.’

Many thanks also to Caudalie, Frenchie Covent Garden, MYNE London, PAUL UK and The Hippodrome Casino for their kind prize donations, to accompany the trophy. I

lead us to sponsor this very meaningful trophy this year’, says

Suzanne Lycett

Marjorie Lecointre, Deputy Director at l’Institut Français UK

Left to right: Peter Alfandary, Deputy President of the French Chamber; Marjorie Lecointre; and Geraldine Fabre, Partner & Head of French Group at Sherrards Solicitors info

- may / june 2018 - 71

PATRON EVENT AT SOTHEBY'S - 26 FEBRUARY

‘AN INDUSTRY OF EMOTION’ A Patron event at Sotheby’s heard about the history of the famous auction house – and explored its future

T

The psychology of the auction

Speaking at the event were Patrick Masson, Senior Director,

sale or discovering a hidden masterpiece, Masson and his

General Manager, Sotheby’s Europe, Middle East, Russia, India

colleague were unequivocal: theirs was an industry that even

and Africa, Isabelle Paagman, Senior Director, European

after decades is characterised by the thrill of the uncovering

Head of Private Sales, Contemporary Art, and Samuel Valette,

and selling great art at record prices.

he auction house Sotheby’s opened its doors to host an intimate breakfast event and tour of their collection.

Senior Director, Vice Chairman, Private Sales, Worldwide, Impressionist & Modern Art. Kicking off a spirited conversation between the speakers, Peter Alfandary, Senior Vice President of the Chamber,

Asked where they still were excited by the prospect of a big

‘Raising your paddle at an auction can sometimes be irrational,’ said Masson. ‘You want to win, but you don’t quite know why. There is a shock of adrenaline.’

Masson’s admitted his own excitement each time he

moderated a series of questions about the history of the

uncovers a special, unique or rare piece of art, and is able to

auction house and the business of selling art. Attendees,

usher it through the process of authentication, marketing and

comprising the main representatives of Patron member

auction.

companies, were given the chance to ask questions of the speakers – probing their insight into the art market from a cultural and investment point of view.

‘The first point,’ said Masson, ‘is that the stock of old

Digital transformation

One of the biggest challenges for the auction house is translating this experience – this thrill – to the online space.

masters is finished. The stock of impressionist art is finished –

The digital arena has been a principal focus of Sotheby’s

Picasso will not paint anymore canvases.’

expansion, particularly in the Asian market, which a rapidly

Masson was making the point that their businesses model is not about shifting product; rather, it is a more nuanced

growing segment of their sales.

Online sales tend to favour smaller and more targeted

trade in the intangible. Said Masson: ‘We are an industry of

sales, but there is also space for innovations to meet new

emotion!’.

demands. Currently, the market accounts for roughly $250m in annual sales, as compared to the more than $2bn sales at their New York and London locations, driven primarily by the market in contemporary art.

About Sotheby’s

Sotheby’s has been uniting collectors with world-class works of art since 1744. Sotheby’s became the first international auction house when it expanded from London to New York (1955), the first to conduct sales in Hong Kong (1973), India (1992) and France (2001), and the first international fine art auction house in China (2012).

Today, Sotheby’s presents auctions in 10 different salesrooms, including New York, London, Hong Kong and Paris, and Sotheby’s BidNow programme allows visitors to view all auctions live online and place bids from anywhere in the world.

Sotheby’s offers collectors the resources of Sotheby’s Financial Services, the world’s only full-service art financing company, as well as the collection advisory services of its subsidiary, Art Agency, Partners. I

Left to right: Samuel Valette, Peter Alfandary, Isabelle Paagman and Patrick Masson

72 - info - may / june 2018

The stock of old masters is finished. The stock of impressionist art is finished – Picasso will not paint any more canvases

E VE NT S – AT THE CHAMBE R

RENDEZ-VOUS CHEZ VANESSA SEWARD - 7 MARCH

FOLLOWERS OF FASHION The ready-to-wear fashion brand opened its London premises for an evening networking event

S

oon after the one year anniversary of Vanessa Seward's first boutique opening in London, its doors were thrown

open to members of the French Chamber, for the Rendez-vous chez networking event on 7 March.

The twenty participants sipped champagne and were treated to delectable canapés to accompany their conversations in an intimate space. Two lucky winners went home with goody bags including a scarf each, amongst other gifts on the evening.

The boutique reflects the elegance of the clothing brand, with the midnight blue colour scheme creating a warm and welcoming space.

The inspirational story of Vanessa Seward emphasises the

of which Touitou is a partner.

entrepreneurial spirit of the brand. Rising through the fashion

Featuring silk shirts, high-waisted denim and vibrant

ranks, the success of the feminine touch that she brought to a

patterns amongst other signature pieces, the style portrays

variety of collections at APC prompted Jean Touitou, founder of

everyday elegance, with a wardrobe to suit both work and day-

APC, to suggest the creation of Vanessa Seward’s own brand,

to-day life. I Suzanne Lycett

info

- may / june 2018 - 73

FORTHCOMING EVENTS

22 May

18.00 - 20.30

SEMINAR WITH FTPA - FEW PLACES LEFT! At FTPA Offices, Octagon Point, 5 Cheapside, St Pauls, London EC2V 6AA Speakers: Alexandre Ebtedaei, Partner, Head of Employment Practice, FTPA Eniga de Montfort, Partner, Solicitor of the Senior Courts of England & Wales, FTPA Coralie Oger, Partner, Paris Bar, FPTA Theme: ‘The changing legal landscape for doing business in France under Macron’ Free of charge - Open to all members – 2 representatives per company only For further information, contact: Rhianna Anderson at randerson@ccfgb.co.uk or on 020 7092 6644

12 June

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING At Reed Smith Offices, Broadgate Tower, 20 Primrose St, London EC2A 2RS Free of charge - Open to all members

18.30 - 21.00

This will be a great opportunity for us to review the events and activities we shared together over the past year and to look at our programme for the year ahead. There will also be the opportunity to network during the cocktail reception immediately following the Meeting. We thank Reed Smith for again kindly hosting our Annual General Meeting.

For further information, contact: Carla Coutinho at ccoutinho@ccfgb.co.uk or on 020 7092 6612

27 June

18.00 - 20.30

BEHIND THE HEADLINES At French Institute, 17 Queensbery Pl, Kensington, London SW7 2DT £25+VAT per person; £40+VAT special price for 2 Guest speakers: Alexandre Holroyd, Member of the French Parliament at Assemblée Nationale George Freeman MP, Member of Parliament for Mid Norfolk Moderator: Philippe Chalon, Director of External Affairs, International SOS Theme: “French and British politics in a comparative perspective” Open to all members For more information, please contact: Wassime Haouari at whaouari@ccfgb.co.uk or on 020 7092 6642

From left to right: Alexandre Holroyd, George Freeman and Philippe Chalon

74 - info - may / june 2018

29 June

08.00 - 10.00

BREAKFAST WITH SIMONE ROSSI At Sofitel London St James, 6 Waterloo Place, London SW1Y 4AN £40+VAT per person; £60+VAT special price for 2 Guest speaker: Simone Rossi, CEO, EDF Energy Sponsored by PAUL UK Open to all members For further information, contact: Wassime Haouari at whaouari@ccfgb.co.uk or on 020 7092 6642

21 June

19.00 - 23.00

ANNUAL GALA DINNER At the Landmark Hotel London ,1c Portland Place, Regent Street, GB W1B 1JA Guest speaker: Lionel Barber, editor, Financial Times Theme: 'Britain's new relationship with Europe' £210+VAT per person, £1,950+VAT table of 10; £2,250+VAT table of 12 Open to all members

All proceeds from the silent auction will be donated to Epic.

For further information, contact: Anne-Claire Lo Bianco at alobianco@ccfgb.co.uk or on 020 7092 6641 Gold sponsors

Silver sponsors

info

- may / june 2018 - 75

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www.frenchchamber.co.uk

Que signifie Hedios ?

Document publicitaire dépourvu de valeur contractuelle

Vous ne savez pas ?

Nous non plus.

Retenez seulement que Hedios est le créateur des solutions de placement Gammes H qui visent un objectif de 8 à 9 % de rémunération annuelle en moyenne nette de tous frais, sous conditions et en contrepartie d’un risque de perte en capital.

Précurseur, Hedios invente le premier mandat de produits structurés : le Mandat Gammes H. Depuis la création des Gammes H en 2009, 39 supports ont déjà été remboursés au 28 février 2018, avec une moyenne de rémunération nette de tous frais de 8,36 % par an (hors prélèvements sociaux et fiscalité de l’assurance-vie, source Hedios).

Les supports Gammes H non encore remboursés conservent un risque de perte en capital jusqu’à leur échéance (valorisations quotidiennes sur hedios.com).

Les performances passées ne préjugent pas des performances futures.

Hedios - 76 New Bond Street - London W1S 1RX - Tel : 02034 455 094

www.hedios.com SA au capital de 1.011.724 € - Société de courtage en assurances immatriculée au registre des intermédiaires en assurance N°07 005 142 (www.orias.fr).

Numéro d’enregistrement Financial Conduct Authority : 615361 - www.fca.org.uk

Patron Members of the French Chamber in GreatinBritain Patron Members of the French Chamber Great Britain

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