PATRICK CHALHOUB

CEO

CHALHOUB GROUP

CEO of Chalhoub Group, a leading luxury retail distribution company based in the Middle East, Patrick Chalhoub oversees the retail operations of fashion houses such as Louis Vuitton , Nina Ricci, Marc Jacobs and Carolina Herrara within the UAE and wider Gulf region.

Headquartered in Dubai, the group manages over 400 stand-alone retail outlets and department stores within the fashion, beauty and luxury gift sectors. In 2010 the group also became an honorary member of Italian luxury association ALTAGAMMA.

ANDREW DARROW

CEO

DARROW CONSULTING CORPORATION

Andrew Darrow is a leader, strategist and dealmaker for entertainment properties, brands, content and programming and for those seeking to leverage them, across all media, and in retail/leisure destinations. He is an advisor to the world's most renowned entertainment companies, studios, talent, content owners, property developers and leisure operators. His global network of business relationships spans more than 50 countries on 6 continents.

Most recently, Darrow served as Chief Strategy and Business Development Officer for The Void where he led its meteoric growth to the top of the location-based VR industry. Darrow also served as EVP of KidZania, leading its international expansion from startup to world leader in experiential edutainment. Previously, he led the Music and Entertainment division for Octagon. He currently sits on the Board of Directors for Saudi Entertainment Ventures and on the Advisory Board for Urban Legacies Ltd.

STEFFEN ERIC FRIEDLEIN

MANAGING DIRECTOR LEASING AND MEMBER OF THE BOARD

ECE

Steffen Eric Friedlein was born in Stuttgart, Germany in 1968 and started his career at Kriegbaum Unternehmensgruppe in Böblingen, where he last held the position of Head of Leasing. He joined ECE in April 1999 as Leasing Manager.

In 2008 he was appointed Regional Director and became Senior Director Leasing for North Germany, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Italy at the beginning of 2013. Since 2014, he has been responsible for the leasing activities of all centers in Germany, before he became Managing Director Leasing and Member of the Board of ECE in 2018.

STEPHEN JONES

DIRECTOR

WOODS BAGOT

Stephen is an award-winning Architect with over 25 years of experience in the design and management of lifestyle, education and commercial architecture projects in Asia, Australia, the Middle East and Europe. Since joining Woods Bagot in 2005 he has been instrumental in driving the business’ significant growth across Asia and also plays an active role in the global management of the firm.

Well known within Asia’s architecture and design sector as an industry and media commentator, Stephen embodies a “value through strategic design” ethos, inspiring clients to explore how design can support functional needs and prioritise financial, social, ecological, digital and legacy values. He is also currently leading major projects in China, Singapore, Dubai and France.

NIGEL KEEN

GROUP PROPERTY DIRECTOR

JD SPORTS FASHION

Nigel Keen joined JD Sports Fashion Plc in 1995 to provide in-house property expertise and grow the business from the 40 stores then trading. Nigel has overseen the expansion of the portfolio to over 2,500 stores across four continents and 19 countries. The Property Department now has offices in Paris, Milan, Cologne and Alicante with over 100 team members.

The Department provides a comprehensive property service across all of the Group fascias, including Site Research, Acquisitions, Estate Management, Maintenance and Health and Safety, Project Management and Store Design. Prior to JD, Nigel worked for Arcadia Group Plc holding various positions within their Property Department based in Leeds. Nigel graduated with a BSC (Hons) in Estate Management in 1990.

MANJU MALHOTRA

CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

HARVEY NICHOLS

Manju Malhotra has had a progressive 22-year career with Harvey Nichols, and she has led the business as COO since 2018 and prior to that, she was the CFO. During her time with the brand, she has been at the heart of commercial performance, leadership and technology. Having re-defined the business strategy, she has delivered record financial performance over the past two years and has also driven an omni-channel customer experience. Her track record working with commercial organisations has created exclusive customer programmes and an enviable stable of partners.

Manju dedicates her personal time to supporting charities on poverty in the capital and providing mentoring support to under-privileged young people. Amongst her accolades are Asian Women of Achievement 2019, Ambassador for Women of the Future Network and being recognised by The Evening Standard as one of London’s most influential people as well as Retail Week’s Power List and Drapers Fashion Retail Power 100. Manju is a Chartered Accountant and has a BSc in Economics from Warwick University.

JAMES QUINN

EDITOR

RETAIL & LEISURE INTERNATIONAL

James joined Retail & Leisure International in 2013, initially assisting with the inaugural RLI Connect deal-making event in London, before commencing work in an Editorial role following the departure of Andrew Climance, Editor of the magazine three years later. James became an Awards Judge at the Global RLI Awards for the first time in Dubai in 2017.

The 2020 event is returning to its spiritual home of the Natural History Museum in London after being held for the first time in the US in Los Angeles last time around. James is delighted to be a judge once again and is ready to carefully look through all of the nominations as we build up to the fifteenth edition of the Global RLI Awards.

JOHN M. SCHREINER

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, THEATRE DEVELOPMENT | RUSSIA, CIS, MIDDLE EAST, INDIA AND SOUTH EAST ASIA

IMAX CORPORATION

John Schreiner, based in Moscow, Russia, joined IMAX in the year 2000 and is Senior Vice President, Theatre Development, IMAX Corporation. The territories he manages include India, the former Soviet Union, the Middle East and South East Asia. Prior to accepting this role, John was the Director, Sales, IMAX Theatre Systems, Europe.

John has covered Russia/CIS since 2002 and in that time has seen the market grow to be the third largest market for IMAX after the USA and China. In January 2013, he was named “Man of the Year” at Russia’s Blockbuster Awards which is an event honouring the best of Russian and Hollywood cinema as well as the industry’s top business leaders. He is the first and only non-Russian executive to be the recipient of this award in the 20-year history of this event.

SOHAIL SHAIKH

CEO - GLOBAL FRANCHISE BUSINESS

HAMLEYS OF LONDON

Sohail is the CEO Global Franchise Business at Hamleys of London, the Finest Toy Shop in the World. Sohail has a remit to strengthen and expand the Global operations of Hamleys whilst working within the Leadership team of Reliance Brands Limited, who acquired Hamleys of London earlier this year.

Prior to Hamleys, Sohail spent 24 years at Mothercare most recently as the MD of its class leading Global Franchise Business. Sohail is an alumnus of Newcastle University to which he remains actively involved as a Trustee Board member of the Students Union and an Advisory Board member of the Business School.

DAVID SYLVESTER

EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT OF GLOBAL RETAIL

LAS VEGAS SANDS CORP

David Sylvester is the Executive Vice President of Global Retail and is responsible for overseeing the company’s large scale retail propositions within the integrated resorts. He joined Las Vegas Sands Corp. in October 2005.

Mr. Sylvester has over 25 years of extensive experience in the development and management of shopping centres in the Asia-Pacific region. Over the course of his career, he has been involved in more than 40 major retail projects. Prior to joining the company, Mr. Sylvester was Group General Manager of GIC Real Estate’s retail assets in Australia and China. He enjoyed a 12-year career with Jones Lang LaSalle and was previously the head of the company’s International Retail Leasing for Asia, based in Hong Kong. Mr. Sylvester established his career in the retail industry with Westfield and Lend Lease.

ROGER WADE

CEO & FOUNDER

BOXPARK

Roger Wade is the Founder and ex-CEO of British Street Fashion brand, Boxfresh. After graduating from University, Roger started Boxfresh in 1989. He grew the Boxfresh brand from a market stall, to an International Brand selling in over 12 different countries. In 2005, Roger sold the Boxfresh to Pentland Brands and formed his own Brand Consultancy, Brands Incorporated, specialising in the development, financing and licensing of UK Fashion Brands.

In 2010, Roger founded and created the World’s 1st Pop Up Mall, Boxpark Shoreditch. In 2015 Boxpark launched Boxpark Croydon its first Food and Drink only retail concept, and in 2018 launched Boxpark Wembley, a new Fanzone for Wembley Stadium and Arena visitors. Roger is a creative entrepreneur. He believes that all brands should be special and identifies those special brands/projects and adds values to them. He is passionate about Independent brands, the Future of Retail, and thinking outside the Box!