Future Stores has appointed global shopping guru Kate Hardcastle MBE as non-executive director of global consumer engagement
Future Stores is proudly positioning itself as a unique hybrid retail media platform at the intersection of DOOH (digital-out-of-home) media and experiential retail.
The stellar appointment will see Hardcastle leverage her 30-years of global retail experience to drive innovation and growth for Future Stores launches both in London and around the world.
Hardcastle’s appointment also bucks a trend with recent research that showed within UK tech companies that 77% of director roles are filled by men. The stats from Tech Nation also suggest that only 26%of the workforce are women.
Known as ‘The Customer Whisperer’, Hardcastle is a renowned expert in international shopping habits and brings unrivalled knowledge of both consumer behaviour and trends and retail data use.
As one of the top female retail leaders worldwide, Hardcastle was honoured with a prestigious MBE award in the 2018 Queen’s Birthday Honours List for her services to Business and Entrepreneurship and is the founder of retail insight agency ‘Insight With Passion’.
Hardcastle joins Future Stores as the group launches its first-ever store on London’s famous Oxford Street this week. Opening the doors to the public on October 30, the unique space is the world’s most advanced in-person retail concept and sits at the intersection of DOOH (digital-out-of-home) media and experiential retail, designed to bring ‘retail at the speed of culture’ to modern consumers.
Speaking about her appointment, Hardcastle said: “The launch of Future Stores is to retail what the launch of the iPhone was to the telecoms market. It’s a pivotal moment which will change the way we buy and sell on the high street forever – and I’m thrilled to be a part of the team powering this culture shift. Modern consumers are searching for a powerful personalised experience which is truly meaningful to them, and I will help Future Stores deliver this to millions of customers worldwide.”
Hardcastle will join Future Stores’ globally-recognised team of experts including founder and CEO Ariel Haroush, creator of award-winning retail innovators Outform and Managing Director EMEA Engin Celikbas, the celebrated AI, design and marketing specialist.
Ariel Haroush, CEO of Future Stores, commented: “Kate Hardcastle’s appointment is a significant moment for Future Stores. Her knowledge of consumer behaviour, combined with her experience in driving business transformation, makes her an invaluable addition to our team. Kate’s expertise will ensure that Future Stores not only continues to innovate but also maintains a laser focus on the needs of our customers in every market we enter.”
As the Future Stores concept expands globally, one of Hardcastle’s key tasks will be to advocate for the consumer in each individual market. As an independent voice, Hardcastle will ensure transparency, quality, and customer-centric business practices, assisting Future Stores to remain aligned with its core mission: to redefine the retail experience by combining technological advancements with a deep understanding of consumer needs.
Hardcastle added: “The future of retail belongs to businesses that truly understand and anticipate the needs of their customers. By placing consumer experience at the heart of every decision, Future Stores is leading this new retail revolution worldwide.
Together, we will continue to innovate and ensure that the voice of the consumer is never lost in the drive for technological advancement.”
The bold Future Stores concept will change what it means to shop at the most advanced retail store in the world, transforming traditional retail into a dynamic, interactive experience – a first for London and globally.
The space offers a personalized experience that’s as fluid as a social media feed, featuring a rotating lineup of brand ‘showcases’ or ‘activations’ that will change every two to six weeks.
Upon entering the two-floor, immersive space, that spans an entire Oxford Street block, shoppers are met with 400m² of stunning high-definition Micro LED displays, monumental billboards, and cameras. Here, consumers connect with brands through live demos, tutorials, and showcases led by influencers and creators, turning each visit into a vivid, shared experience.
This experience is also complemented by rich insight and data, that shows, dwell time, customer journey as well as traffic both inside and outside the store. Other measurements such as age will be quick to follow in the New Year.
