We are delighted that once again we will be running a major
Monday morning conference at the show. To ensure that everyone can
benefit, delegate places have been priced at only £65 + VAT (£150 +
VAT for three delegates). To book your place simply
click here for the booking form or for more information, please
contact please contact Melanie Roche on m.roche@hgluk.com or phone 020
7973 4633.
The Future Of Britain's
High Streets
What Does DIY Do Next?
SHOW CONFERENCE
Monday, 8th February
2010
Conference Rooms 19/20, NEC,
Birmingham
A G E N D A
09.00 - 09.30
- Coffee and registration
09.30 - 09.35
- Chairman's Introduction
By Will Parsons, Editor of DIY Week
09.35 - 10.15
- British Retail Consortium
presentation
By
Stephen Robertson, Director General
10.15 - 10.50
- Local Data Company
presentation
By Matthew Hopkinson, Business Development Dir.
10.50 - 11.10
- Coffee Break
11.10 - 11.50
- D&G Hardware
presentation
By
Toby Roberts, Owner
11.50 - 12.30
- Verdict Research
presentation
By Matthew Piner, Retail Analyst
12.30 - 12.40
- Chairman's closing
remarks
Conference Close
All delegate badges will automatically provide entry
to the Shows
The Presentations:
Stephen Robertson, Director General, British Retail
Consortium
Stephen will provide delegates with an overview of the
sort of high street the BRC and its members would like to see in
the future and the key issues affecting it.
Matthew Hopkinson, Business Development Director, The Local Data
Company
Matthew will present delegates with an update on Britain's high
streets, their make up, style and what's filling the gaps, with
particular emphasis on key DIY retailers, and successful high
streets that champion the independent.
Toby Roberts, Owner, D&G Hardware
As the winner of the Retail Shooting Star Award at the 'Britain's
Best Retailer Awards', run by Faversham House Publishing and
announced at the beginning of November in Manchester, Toby Roberts
is well placed to comment on how DIY retailing is faring on
Britain's high streets. His award-winning D&G Hardware
stores are based in Winchester and Chandlers Ford, Southampton with
another two branches in the pipeline.
Matthew Piner, Retail Analyst Verdict Research
Verdict will be giving an overview of the outlook for UK
retail, focussing on the DIY sector. They will be using data from
their 'How Britain shops' series of reports to provide insight into
how consumers' needs and wants are evolving.
Will Parsons, Editor, DIY Week - Chairman
Will's role will be to welcome delegates, introduce each
speaker, manage the Q&A sessions and provide a conclusion at
the end of the conference to close the event.
Presenter Profiles:
Stephen Robertson, Director General
British Retail Consortium
Stephen's career has spanned 14 years on the boards of
major UK retailers building on earlier management roles with Mars
Inc, Unilever and Alberto-Culver.
Stephen served for seven years as Marketing Director at B&Q plc
before leading the acquisition of Screwfix Direct which he then
chaired steering it through a period of strong growth. He went on
to become Director of Communications at Kingfisher plc and took the
helm of the Ellen MacArthur sponsorship.
Most recently Stephen served for 3 years on the retail board at
Woolworth plc.
He is a former Chairman, and now Fellow, of the Marketing Society
and acknowledged as one of the UK's top retail marketeers.
Matthew Hopkinson, Business Development Director
The Local Data Company
Matthew Hopkinson joined The Local Data Company (LDC) in
January 2009 as Business Development Director.
Prior to joining LDC, Matthew spent 10 years in the commercial real
estate data market (including seven at Director level) working for
Property Intelligence PLC (FOCUS) and CoStar Group
(NASDAQ:CSGP).
In addition Matthew was an Associate at Remit Consulting (2008),
one of the leading consultants to the commercial property industry
where he worked on projects for Cluttons and Jones Lang LaSalle.
His experience also includes management of the integration process
of businesses as a result of takeovers / mergers as well as
significant organic growth and has worked on a joint venture with
The Builder Group.
Since joining The Local Data Company, Matthew has led the business
development team who sell into a wide variety of markets such as
web licensing and the retail insight market. They support over 85
clients including Google, Yell, MSN, Qype, CBRE, John Lewis
Partnership, Verdict, Boots, Whitbread, Javelin, Sheffield City
Council, Navteq, Rummble and CACI. In addition Matthew has had a
key role in the development of LDC's first online product Town
Centre Intelligence.
Matthew Piner, Retail Analyst
Verdict Research
Matt is a retail analyst at Verdict Research. His
key focus areas include market forecasting, retail locations,
consumer insight and online retailing. In addition, Matt is
responsible for Verdict's research and analysis of the grocery,
electrical, furniture, DIY and entertainment sectors. He regularly
presents Verdict's views and research to senior industry and
professional services audiences, as well the broadcast media. Prior
to joining Verdict, Matt worked in merchandising for
Mothercare.
Will Parsons, Editor
DIY Week
After taking a degree, a short
stint in the restaurant industry and a Masters in Publishing, Will
joined Faversham House as a junior reporter. In his five years with
the publishing company he has worked on Hardware & Garden
Review and DIY Week, been acting editor on Housewares Magazine,
launched the Housewares Conference, the online news site
buildersmerchantsjournal.net and edited the company's special
reports on the garden, DIY and housewares sectors. He took up
his current position as the editor of DIY Week and diyweek.net in
July 2008.
Toby Roberts, Owner
D&G Hardware 
Toby Roberts says he 'fell into hardware', but has since
gone on to win several awards for his retailing expertise with
D&G Hardware. He started working in sales & marketing for
Pepsi Cola International (PCI), followed by 5 years in
international sales for a medical company working in the business
to business sector.
He says what he learned originally at PCI still applies to his
current business, which includes the three D&G Hardware stores
and a children's wear business. With two more hardware stores
due to come online shortly, the recession has offered far more
opportunities for him to grow the company.
As a customer at the original D&G Hardware store, he witnessed
an argument between the store's then owner and a customer which
inspired him to buy the business and set about 'bringing it into
the 19th Century!' whilst retaining its original high
street 'spit and sawdust' appeal.
His regular award wins and success since then have proved that the
high street can compete effectively against the 'out of
towners'.
