Mark Pilkington | Retail Therapy;Why the retail industry is broken - and what can be done to fix it

Is there really a Retail Apocalypse? Why is the retail industry in the state its in and how can property owners help to rebuild towards a brighter retail future? Mark Pilkington is author of the newly-released book, Retail Therapy: why the industry is broken and what can be done to fix it. Mark has enjoyed a successful and varied career in retail. After graduating from INSEAD, he joined Cortaulds, later becoming CEO of Gossard where he was responsible for initiating the huge global success of the Wonderbra.He then founded Splendour.com, the world’s first direct-to-consumer commerce brand, with the backing of Marks & Spencer. Subsequently, he was CEO of KOJ Group, a leading retailer with 850 stores across the middle east and north Africa. Currently, he is director of MarkPilkington.net, providing strategic advice to brands and retailers In this podcast:Is Retail Apocalypse a hyperbolic way to describe the state of the industry?Can we better understand the future of the industry by really learning how it has reached its current state?How can the physical store compete in the digital world?How, in Mark’s view of the new retail paradigm, physical stores can be a key advantage for even direct-to-consumer e-commerce brandsFor his favourite building, Mark opts for a slightly wider view in Haussmann’s vision of Paris, including the view down the Champs Elyseé, for its role as a work of art.The recommended addition to the Building Our Future reading list is:Tony Robbins, Awaken The Giant WithinMark’s emerging technology to keep an eye on is the emergence of 3D printing as a conduit for providing mass consumer customisation at-scale.You can find & follow Mark on social media via Twitter for further information.