Radley’s new Chief Exec Justin Stead is overseeing the opening of “customer experience stores” in key city locations across the UK.
Stores from the British retailer, revered for its handbags and its scotch terrier logo, will offer features “designed to inspire and delight customers and enhance its existing London provenance store concept”. New changes include offering monogramming on a new line of small leather goods and a gift wrapping station.
It is not known how many concept stores there will be although the first 65sq m store will open in the Arndale Centre in Manchester. The retailer has 33 stores in Britain and products are also sold through House of Fraser and John Lewis.
Stead is the former CEO of Aurum Holdings, leading the company to major growth in sales and profits from 2007 – 2014 through the Mappin & Webb, Watches of Switzerland and Goldsmith brands. During his time, at the height of the recession, profits quadrupled from £6m to £24m.
Prior to Aurum, Stead spent 8 years at the Fossil Group based in Dallas, Texas where as Senior VP he was instrumental in the significant growth of its watch and jewellery business throughout the world.
He is also the Chairman and investor with private equity in SOFA.com, an industry disruptor with well noted success.
