Q: Tell me a little bit about your role at Selfridges?
As Head of Supply Chain at Selfridges, I’m responsible for the end-to-end movement of product across our business, from vendor to customer. That includes supplier logistics, inbound and outbound transportation, warehousing, fulfilment, and returns. My role is to ensure that our supply chain not only supports commercial growth but reflects the Selfridges brand: premium, sustainable, and customer-centric. We operate in a complex, multi-channel environment, and my team works hard to ensure product availability, efficient operations, and the high service levels our customers expect, whether they’re shopping in-store, online, or internationally.
Q: What supply chain related topics are keeping you up at night right now?
A few things stand out. First, resilience and agility, the last few years have shown us just how fragile global supply networks can be. We’re working on ensuring we have strong flexibility and adaptability with our partners and supplier base to reduce over-reliance on any one route to market. Second, balancing sustainability with speed and cost. As a luxury retailer, our customers expect fast, flawless service, but we’re also committed to reducing our carbon footprint. That means rethinking packaging, consolidating shipments, and investing in greener transport solutions without compromising on experience. The last aspect would be cost control. The market is challenging at the minute which is no secret, especially in the luxury sector. We need to maintain our sales and protect our profits by being as lean as we can be.
Q: Can you share a couple of your key learnings for improved carrier management and collaboration?
Absolutely. One key learning is the value of data transparency, we’ve made significant progress by sharing performance metrics with our carriers and aligning on KPIs collaboratively, not just contractually. When both sides have real-time visibility and a shared understanding of success, it changes the tone of the relationship. We value partners that are open and honest with us about the evolving challenges in their direct businesses where we can learn and grow together. We also look to maintain partnerships with both large reliable third parties who can operate large volumes consistently; but also forge relationships with smaller, agile specialists where we can lean on technical expertise, or can adapt their business models to meet our changing needs. At the luxury level, delivery is an extension of the brand, so we treat our logistics partners as brand ambassadors, not just service providers.
Q: What are you most excited about for Focus on Fulfilment?
It’s a brilliant opportunity to connect with peers across retail, logistics, and tech. I’m particularly excited about conversations around AI and automation in demand planning and warehousing, as well as innovations in last-mile delivery, especially around urban logistics and sustainable options. The pace of change in fulfilment is incredible, and events like this help us step back, think strategically, and find new ways to improve our service while staying true to our values.