The World Retail Congress is delighted to announce that the 2020 inductees into the World Retail Hall of Fame are:

• Jennifer Woo, Chairman and CEO of The Lane Crawford Joyce Group
• Kishore Biyani, Founder and Group CEO of Future Group
• Leonard A. Lauder, Chairman Emeritus, The Estée Lauder Companies Inc.
• Philippe Houzé, Executive Chairman of Galeries Lafayette Group

Launched in 2007, the World Retail Congress Hall of Fame celebrates the accomplishments of the retail sector’s highest achievers. Recognising industry leaders globally, the Hall of Fame honours those individuals who have truly innovated and shaped the retail industry.

New inductees receive the accolade each year at the exclusive World Retail Hall of Fame ceremony during the World Retail Congress. As well as being leaders in today’s retail world, the latest inductees are focused on addressing industry challenges and encouraging the next generation of retailers to evolve, explore and innovate.

This year’s World Retail Congress will take place in Rome on 28-30 April, where the 2020 Hall of Fame inductees will be celebrated at an exclusive dinner at the Waldorf Astoria Rome Cavalieri Hotel.  

Jennifer Woo, Chairman and CEO of The Lane Crawford Joyce Group

Jennifer Woo is the Chairman and CEO of The Lane Crawford Joyce Group, Asia’s premier fashion retail, brand management and distribution group. Jennifer spearheads Group strategy and oversees the operations of iconic, luxury brands with over 600 points of sale across South East Asia including department store Lane Crawford, cutting edge fashion boutique Joyce and fashion footwear, bags and accessories specialist Pedder Group. She also oversees fashion, beauty, and lifestyle brand management and distribution business ImagineX Group.

Jennifer is globally recognised as a leader in fashion retail. She was recently recognised as one of The Wall Street Journal’s “Women to Watch in Asia” and was the recipient of Vogue China’s Fashion Retail Icon Award.

Commenting on the award, Jennifer Woo said:

“It is a very great privilege and honour to be selected to the World Retail Congress’ 2020 Hall of Fame, especially in the year that Lane Crawford marks its 170th birthday, while Joyce turns 50.

This is a wonderful acknowledgement of the energy, passion and creativity of the 6,500 individuals at The Lane Crawford Joyce Group. I sincerely thank every one of our team as it is because of their individual and collective contribution that we are being recognised today. We have a storied history of bringing the very best of luxury, fashion and lifestyle to Greater China and we come to that same mission with new vigour each day. We love our craft of retail, we love our customers and we thrive on constantly creating new and meaningful experiences for them. Imagination, exploration and discovery, self-expression and belonging – this is what we’re about, creating a world in which people can continue to discover themselves.”

Kishore Biyani, Founder and Group CEO of Future Group

Kishore is Founder and Group CEO of Future Group, one of India’s leading consumer goods organisations. In 2001, Kishore pioneered modern retail in India with the launch of Big Bazaar, a uniquely Indian hypermarket chain that is now counted among the most trusted brands in the country. At the helm of the business, Kishore oversees multiple retail formats across various categories including Central, EasyDay, Brand Factory, Nilgiris, Heritage Fresh, fbb, WH Smith and Home Town, collectively attracting over 600 million customers visits annually. The store network now has a presence in over 424 cities and towns in every state of the country.

Kishore has also led Future Group in investing and mentoring a number of supply partners and entrepreneurs as well as joint ventures with British footwear brand Clarks, Italy’s leading insurer Generali Group, Swiss consumer goods major Mibelle AG, America’s Hain Celestial and New Zealand’s dairy cooperative Fonterra. In 2007, he published the bestselling book “It happened in India.”

Commenting on the award, Kishore Biyani said:

“It is an honour and privilege to be inducted into the company of so many eminent leaders in the World Retail Congress Hall of Fame. I started my journey in retail just around the time our economy was being liberalized and in many ways, we were lucky to be in the right country, at the right time.

The potential for modern retail to earn the trust and patronage of consumers was always apparent. However, what has been even more impactful is the role of modern retail in shifting consumption in India from commodities to value added, branded products and in helping create new categories of consumption. This has given a strong fillip to the growth of domestic manufacturers and service providers, thereby creating millions of new jobs and new sources of income in a developing country. In India, the potential is large and while many of us are competitors in the marketplace, we work together to shape the market and create the ecosystem for retail. This honour is therefore shared with many fellow entrepreneurs, professionals and leaders who walked with us and helped shape modern retail in India.”

Leonard A. Lauder, Chairman Emeritus of The Estée Lauder Companies Inc.

Leonard A. Lauder is Chairman Emeritus of The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. and is currently a senior member of its Board of Directors. Leonard served as President of The Estée Lauder Companies from 1972 to 1995 and as Chief Executive Officer from 1982 to 1999. He was appointed to the role of Chairman in 1995 and served until 2009. Under his leadership, the company launched many brands, including Aramis, Clinique, Lab Series and Origins, in addition to the acquisition of brands such as Aveda, Bobbi Brown, Jo Malone London, La Mer and M·A·C.

In addition to his activities with The Estée Lauder Companies, Leonard is extremely involved in the worlds of education, art, politics and philanthropy. Leonard is the co-founder and co-chairman of the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation and the honorary chairman of the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. As an art enthusiast, he served as chairman emeritus of the Whitney Museum of American Art, where he was a trustee until 2011. Among Leonard’s honours are the Légion d’Honneur, the “Lone Sailor” Award given by the United States Navy Supply Corps Foundation, the Women’s Leadership Award given by the Lincoln Center Corporate Fund Women’s Leadership Council and the Palazzo Strozzi Renaissance Man of the Year Award. In 1983–1987 he served on the Advisory Committee for Trade Negotiations to President Reagan.

Commenting on the award, Leonard A. Lauder said:

“It is an honour to be welcomed by the World Retail Congress into the Hall of Fame and a great privilege to be inducted alongside these three impressive leaders. I have always had a love affair with retail and am continuously inspired by the creativity and innovation that the industry requires.

One of the greatest joys of this industry are the partnerships and the friendships that are forged in our day-to day-work as we come together to bring our consumers the very best experiences and products. These relationships are at the core of the success of the retail industry and will guide us as we transform to match the ever-evolving consumer landscape. I applaud the Congress for convening such talented leaders from across the industry so that together we can drive the conversation and the industry forward.”

Philippe Houzé, Executive Chairman of Galeries Lafayette Group

Philippe Houzé is the Executive Chairman of the Galeries Lafayette group, a family-run company with 125 years of history in fashion, retail and commerce which owns the Galeries Lafayette, BHV/MARAIS, Galeries Lafayette Royal Quartz, Louis Pion, Mauboussin and BazarChic brands.

A renowned expert in retail, fashion and marketing, Philippe led the transformation of Monoprix, creating a leading city-centre retailer. As Executive Chairman of the Galeries Lafayette group, he helped to drive the growth of Galeries Lafayette as the leading European department store with the ambition to act as a multi-channel and innovative retail player and to promote the French “Art of Living.”

Philippe was awarded "International retailer of the year" in 2015 by the National Retail Federation. He is also a Commander of France’s Legion of Honor, Knight of the “Ordre des Arts et des Lettres,” Knight of the “Palmes Académiques” and Knight of the “Mérite Agricole.”

ENDS

Enquiries

Maitland

Clinton Manning / Joanna Davidson

T: +44 (0) 20 7379 5151

cmanning@maitland.co.uk / jdavidson@maitland.co.uk

About World Retail Congress

The World Retail Congress was launched in 2007, to be a platform for senior retail executives to meet and discuss the most important topics affecting retailers across the world. It has been held in Barcelona (2007-9), Berlin (2010-11), London (2012), Paris (2013-14), Rome (2015), Dubai (2016-17), Madrid (2018), Amsterdam (2019) and will be held in Rome in April 2020. It is attended by over 1,300 attendees from more than 50 countries.

For more information please visit https://www.worldretailcongress.com/

About Ascential

Ascential is a specialist, global information company that helps the world’s most ambitious businesses win in the digital economy. Our information, insights, connections, data and digital tools solve customer problems in three disciplines:

• Product Design via global trend forecasting service WGSN;

• Marketing via global benchmark for creative excellence and effectiveness Cannes Lions and WARC, and strategic advisory firm MediaLink; and

• Sales via ecommerce-driven data, insights and advisory service Edge by Ascential, leading managed services provider for Amazon Flywheel Digital, the world's premier payments and Fin Tech congress Money20/20, global retail industry summit World Retail Congress and retail news outlet Retail Week.

Ascential also powers political, construction and environmental intelligence brands DeHavilland, Glenigan and Groundsure.