The Search for Transformative Leadership with Spencer Stuart's Sally Elliott

We kick off a series of episodes recorded live in our pop-up studio at the World Retail Congress in Barcelona with Sally Elliott, Co-leader of the Global Retail Practice at Spencer Stuart, one of the world's leading executive search firms. 

Sally shares key lessons from her vast experience working with top retail Boards and teams around the globe on critical issues of succession planning and what it takes to drives successful transformation. We also get her perspectives on what the new super powers of leadership are and how they've evolved in this new era of constant disruption. Lastly, we learn why empathy, vulnerability, humility, and collaboration are so critical for today's retail leaders.

First up, however, are our hot-takes on the week in retail news, including parsing the implications from the latest interest rate hikes, earnings from Crocs (remarkable), Apple and Starbucks (solid), and Peloton (yikes). We also dissect Nordstrom's shocking decision to close its full-line and Rack store in San Francisco and explore why and how Bed, Bath & Beyond shuttered stores are being scooped up, 

https://www.spencerstuart.com/research-and-insight/the-future-of-retail-leadership-why-retailers-need-to-invest-in-future-leaders-more-than-ever

About Sally

Sally Elliott is a specialist in CEO and Board succession across the global retail sector. She is passionate about helping retail boards make the best people leadership decisions for their organisations.  Based in London, Sally is the co-leader of Spencer Stuart’s Global Retail Practice. She partners with privately and publicly owned retailers and retail brands to support their strategic objectives through board and leadership renewal, as well as advisory work. Most of Sally’s experience in executive search and leadership advisory, spanning over two decades, has been focused on CEO and non-executive board projects for retailers around the world. Sally is an advisory board member of the World Retail Congress, the leading global forum for the retail sector, where she serves alongside CEOs of some of the world’s most recognised and innovative retailers. Sally is a frequent writer about retail leadership topics, and she also speaks regularly at various consumer forums and events.

About Us

Steve Dennis is an advisor, keynote speaker and author on strategic growth and business innovation. You can learn more about Steve on his       website.    The expanded and revised edition of his bestselling book  Remarkable Retail: How To Win & Keep Customers in the Age of Disruption is now available at  Amazon or just about anywhere else books are sold. Steve regularly shares his insights in his role as a      Forbes senior contributor and on       Twitter and       LinkedIn. You can also check out his speaker "sizzle" reel      here.

Michael LeBlanc  is the Founder & President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc and a Senior Advisor to Retail Council of Canada as part of his advisory and consulting practice.   He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience, and has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career.  Michael is the producer and host of a network of leading podcasts including Canada’s top retail industry podcast,       The Voice of Retail, plus  Global eCommerce Leaders podcast, and The Food Professor  with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois.    You can learn more about Michael   here  or on     LinkedIn. 

Be sure and check out Michael's latest venture for fun and influencer riches - Last Request Barbecue,  his YouTube BBQ cooking channel!

About Us

Steve Dennis is a strategic advisor, board member, and keynote speaker focused on strategic growth and transformation and the impact of digital disruption. He is the author of the bestselling book Remarkable Retail: How To Win & Keep Customers in the Age of Disruption and the all new Leaders Leap: Transforming Your Company at the Speed of Disruption , now available for purchase in the U.S. and available for pre-order at book retailers elsewhere. Steve regularly shares his insights in his role as a Forbes senior contributor and on social media..

Don't forget to join Steve's new Linked Group for his new book.

Michael LeBlanc  is the president and founder of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc, a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and media entrepreneur.  He has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. He has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels, most recently on the main stage in Toronto at Retail Council of Canada’s Retail Secure conference with leaders from The Gap and Kroger talking about violence in retail stores, keynotes on the state & future of retail in Orlando and Halifax, and at the 2023 Canadian GroceryConnex conference, hosting the CEOs of Walmart Canada, Longo's and Save-On-Foods Canada.   Michael brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, Pandora Jewellery, The Shopping Channel and Retail Council of Canada to his advisory, speaking and media practice.

Michael also produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including the award-winning No.1 independent retail industry podcast in North America, Remarkable Retail,

Canada's top retail industry podcast; the Voice of Retail; Canada's top food industry and the top Canadian-produced management independent podcasts in the country, The Food Professor, with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois.

Rethink Retail has recognized Michael as one of the top global retail influencers for the fourth year in a row, Coresight Research has named Michael a Retail AI Influencer, and you can tune into Michael’s cooking show, Last Request BBQ, on YouTube, Instagram, X and yes, TikTok.

Available for keynote presentations helping retailers, brands and retail industry insiders explaining the current state of the retail industry in Canada and the U.S., and the future of retail.