Celebrating innovation in retail…

Udhi Silva is a British entrepreneur renowned for co-founding several successful ventures alongside his business partner, Nick Coleman. Their entrepreneurial journey began in 2010 with the establishment of Medical Supermarket, an online healthcare supplier designed to streamline procurement processes for medical practices and care homes across the UK.

In 2013, Silva and Coleman launched The Snaffling Pig Co., a company that revitalised the traditional pork scratching snack by introducing innovative flavours and creative marketing strategies. Their efforts led to a significant increase in market share with innovations with savoury advent calendars, bbq’s, new chilled chorizo products etc

Building on their experience in e-commerce and logistics, the duo founded Scale 3pl in 2020. This venture specialises in providing tailored logistics solutions, including shipping, bulk storage, and website support, to e-commerce brands in sectors such as food and drink, makeup, and clothing. 

Silva’s entrepreneurial endeavours are characterised by a commitment to innovation, customer satisfaction, and industry disruption, consistently identifying and capitalising on market opportunities to deliver value across various sectors.

Annabelle Baker is an accomplished business leader and board member. She recently joined as Co-Founder of DIEM® – a fine fragrance brand from London innovating how we interact with perfume. She was a key member of the leadership team that expanded Lush from the UK to 50 international markets, Annabelle brings over 26 years of experience in sustainability, strategy, and leadership.

A skilled strategist and problem-solver, Annabelle has deep expertise across retail, e-commerce, licensing, manufacturing, mergers and acquisitions, and marketing. Her passion lies in inspiring multi-cultural global teams—spanning retailers, financiers, marketers, technologists, and digital innovators—to reach new heights of success.

Born in London and a global explorer at heart, Annabelle has lived in Asia and remains deeply committed to issues of equity and justice. As an international keynote speaker, she has shared her expertise at renowned platforms such as TEDX, OMR, SXSW, CSR Asia Summit, and governmental forums in the UK and Singapore. A true collaborator with businesses and governments, she is dedicated to driving positive change, from advocating for the living wage to ending animal testing.

Head of Data and Information Systems based in London with cross-industry experience, specialising in data analytics, systems integration, and visualisation. With a passion for storytelling through data, they have successfully built data systems, connected business functions, and introduced innovative technologies to drive strategic decision-making.

Shaun is a seasoned ecommerce expert with 20 years of hands-on experience across all facets of the industry. Throughout his career, he’s honed his expertise in marketing, user experience, logistics, cross-border retail, technology, data management, and analytics. He has a particular passion for scaling early-stage ecommerce brands internationally, a subject he has even spoken about at 10 Downing Street. Most recently, Shaun has helped the UK’s leading equestrian brand LeMieux achieve a remarkable 200% ecommerce growth in just under three years.

David Abrahamovitch is the CEO and founder of cult coffee brand Grind. In 2011, he turned his father’s mobile phone store in Shoreditch into a coffee shop, and its “café by day, cocktail bar by night” concept turned Grind into a local hotspot.

Now, Grind have cafés, coffee shops, and their own state-of-the-art roastery, and sells millions of coffees each year via a thriving DTC and grocery business. They’re also the exclusive supplier to Soho House and their coffee is served on British Airways flights.

David’s vision is to grow Grind to become the leading challenger coffee brand, encouraging people to enjoy craft coffee in a sustainable way.

Sergio Azzolari joined Roberto Cavalli in March 2023 as the Chief Executive Officer with the aim of revitalizing the brand’s presence in international markets.

A respected figure in the fashion industry, Sergio Azzolari was born in Erba in 1969. After graduating in Oriental Languages from the University of Venice “Ca’ Foscari” in 1993, he began his career in the market industry with ALPHA CIRCUIT, a local boutique firm specializing in joint venture agreements.

In 1998, he moved to Hong Kong to gain a deeper understanding of investing in China invited by the BENETTON GROUP to join their upcoming China team as an Area Manager. Sergio Azzolari later returned to Italy and was hired by ARTSANA Spa, the owner of brands such as Chicco and Prenatal, as an Area Manager. He quickly progressed and became the Director of the company in 2000, becoming the youngest Director in the Group’s history at that time.

In 2003, Azzolari joined FORNARI GROUP as the Commercial Director. In just three years, he became the CEO of the Asia Pacific Region, based in Hong Kong. In 2008, Azzolari was hired by MISSONI as the Retail Director Worldwide in Italy. His responsibilities included rationalizing, reorganizing, and developing the retail structure of the company, as well as redefining the franchising strategy.

Between 2009 and 2010, he was called back by FORNARI SPA’s ownership as the CEO of various regions including HK-PRC-USA-SPAIN. From 2010 to 2015, Azzolari was selected to help create the Sun & Luxury Retail corporate division at LUXOTTICA. He held the position of Senior Vice President of Product & Planning-Retail Optical Americas in Cincinnati, OH.

From 2016 to 2022, Azzolari worked as General Manager for Tod’s, Hogan, Fay, and Roger Vivier. He successfully revamped and transformed Hogan, while streamlining and synergizing Fay’s business operations. Azzolari most recently served as CEO of DSquared2 as the first in house CEO for the brand since 2017.

Martin is a digital innovation leader with a proven track record for 20 years at global brands like McDonald’s, Nike, Adidas, and now at IKEA. He combines strategic thinking, creativity, and a data-driven approach to push boundaries and drive results.

His experience as a university football team captain and player in Australia’s Premier League taught him valuable lessons in teamwork and collaboration. Having lived and worked in Argentina, The Netherlands, Australia, Peru, Panama and studied in New York and Hong Kong, Martin brings a unique global perspective to his work.

Martin is also the creator of the @pordondepaso Instagram account, where he showcases his skills in content creation and digital storytelling. He is dedicated to applying his expertise to every challenge, always striving for innovation and excellence.

Farzin Saber is Vice President of the Digital Project Office at IKEA, overseeing a project portfolio spanning business and IT. Previously, he was a Management Consultant with Nordic responsibilities at Deloitte, EY, and Accenture.

From 2015 to 2017, Farzin built and operated Cool Minds, a science centre for children in Malmö. A strong advocate for knowledge sharing, he has published articles in supply chain magazines, contributed to expert panels for Børsen, lectured at the Royal Technical and Leiden universities, and delivered a TEDx talk at Lund University. His expertise spans digital transformation, innovation, and strategic leadership.

Mark Ralea is a seasoned executive with extensive experience in the tech and eCommerce sectors. He currently serves as the General Manager of Fabletics and Yitty in Europe. Before that he was CEO of 8fit, a popular health and fitness app, where he focuses on expanding the company’s reach and enhancing its product offerings. Before his role at 8fit, Mark was the Managing Director at Stylebop.com and Glossybox, where he played a crucial role in driving growth and transformation. His career also includes significant roles in marketing and product management at DailyDeal and founding the agency Eikyo GmbH.

Dorothee leads the Responsible Business team at Kingfisher plc, bringing 20+ years of experience across business, government, and civil society. Previously, she was Head of Sustainable Business at Vodafone Group, shaping its ESG strategy and disclosures. She also held leadership roles at SystemIQ and McKinsey, driving sustainability and inclusion initiatives. Earlier, she worked with the Belgian Deputy Prime Minister, the European Commission, and GPlus Europe. Passionate about positive change for people and the planet, Dorothee has a deep understanding of sustainability, policy, and business strategy, helping organisations drive meaningful impact.

Too Good To Go is a social impact company on a mission to inspire and empower everyone to fight food waste together. Their app is currently the world’s largest marketplace for surplus food. Help users rescue good food from going to waste, offering great value for money at local stores, cafes and restaurants.

Amir Awan, a former optician, founded Dupeshop Beauty in 2021 to provide affordable, high-quality alternatives to expensive beauty products. Frustrated by the lack of difference in quality between pricey fashion lenses and standard glasses, he applied this insight to the beauty industry, offering ethical, cruelty-free “dupes” made with premium ingredients and top-tier manufacturing processes.

Dupeshop’s products are vetted by experts, including cosmetic scientists and dermatologists, ensuring they perform at the same level as luxury items. With a global customer base, Dupeshop ships directly from the UK, making beauty accessible to everyone, regardless of financial circumstances.

Amir’s innovative approach has been featured in Forbes, Beauty Independent, The Sun, and more.

Bob Neville leads Clark’s UK operations, overseeing 365 stores and franchises across the USA, Europe, and China. He is focused on aligning the brand’s marketing to better reflect its UK heritage, addressing concerns over the U.S-driven strategy that risks alienating a broader customer base.

With a background in senior roles at New Balance and Adidas, Bob has driven major brand transformations, including New Balance’s rebrand from “dad shoes” to a fashion staple and Adidas’ expansion of 15 stores a day for several years.

Bob’s expertise in brand strategy and global retail growth makes him a dynamic leader dedicated to preserving brand authenticity while driving expansion.