The UK Jewellery Festival in association with The Betts Group has confirmed that renowned retail futurist Howard Saunders, will be the keynote speaker at this year’s event, which takes place on 1 September, 2022.
Saunders, otherwise known as The Retail Futurist, is a writer and speaker whose job it is to see beyond retail’s currently choppy waters.
Having spent the first 25 years of his career at some of London’s most renowned retail design agencies, including Fitch & Company, where he created concepts, strategies and identities for dozens of British high street brands, Saunders went on to found trend-hunting agency, Echochamber in 2003 with the aim of inspiring his clients with new and innovative store designs from across the globe.
He relocated to New York in 2012 where the energetic regeneration of Brooklyn inspired his book, Brooklynization, published in 2017. His newfound role as champion for retail’s future in our town and city centres gave rise to the title The Retail Futurist.
Saunders has been interviewed on numerous television and radio programs and podcasts for BBC Radio 4, BBC Scotland, the British Retail Consortium, Sky News Australia and TVNZ, New Zealand.
His talks are hi-energy, jargon-free journeys that explore the exciting, if not terrifying, retail landscape that lies ahead.
As part of the content offering at this year’s UK Jewellery Festival, Saunders will address the audience with his talk entitled “How dare you!”.
Summing up his talk, which promises to be as insightful as it is engaging, Saunders said: “In two short years the Twenties have brought us a global pandemic, lockdowns, war in Europe and the promise of recession and climate catastrophe. How dare you worry about the luxury goods market!”
Retail Jeweller editor Ruth Faulkner added: “Anyone who has had the pleasure of seeing Saunders speak previously will know just how thought-provoking his talks are. We are delighted to welcome to the UK Jewellery Festival as our keynote speaker alongside some other insightful seminars and workshops which will take place during the day.”
The UK Jewellery Festival, a daytime trade event and live content sessions, now in its second year, which take place at the Hilton London Metropole on 1 September.
More details regarding the content program for the day, will be announced in due course.
Registration at the UK Jewellery Festival is free to buyers and retailers. To sign-up simply click here.
Companies already committed to exhibit their new collections and products at the UK Jewellery Festival include headline partner The Betts Group, as well as other exhibiting companies such as Coeur de Lion, Dimexon, Georgia Wang, Green Rocks Diamonds, Herbert Marx, Hockley Mint, IBB London, NB Diamonds, Ntinga, Raw Pearls, Rotary, Sif Jakobs Jewellery, Stackers, Studex and WOLF and the event is supported by the Company of Master Jewellers, the National Association of Jewellers, Parify Lighting, and TH March.
For more information on exhibiting at the UK Jewellery Festival or sponsoring the UK Jewellery Awards, please contact Ben Crudgington via [email protected] or 020 3953 2052.
