Page 48 - HW February 2020

global eyes
Aussie retail backs retail communities affected by bush fires
The Australian Retailers Association (ARA) is standing up for its members and the broader retail community with practical support.
The ARA is offering employment law advice for bush fire-affected retailers, including advice on retail leasing, property law, and insurance matters, and any retail enterprise affected by bushfires in need of such assistance is free to use this service.
Check out the ARA’s special resource including advice on donations here:
www.australian-retailers-association. com/bushfire-relief-resources
FOLLOWING TRAVIS PERKINS’
announcement mid last year of its intention to demerge the Wickes business, we read that the process is on track to be completed in the second quarter of 2020.
Travis Perkins in January already sold its plumbing and heating distribution business, Primaflow F&P, to specialist distribution group Newbury Investments.
Having announced in December 2018 its strategy to simplify and focus on its trade businesses, Nick Roberts, Travis Perkins’ Chief Executive, says the latest deal “is a further step in reducing the Group’s overall complexity and enabling greater focus and more disciplined capital allocation to our advantaged trade- focused businesses.”
www.travisperkinsplc.co.uk
Ohtobein
Amsterdam (and on
business)
One of if not the most important international networking events in the home improvement industry is the Global DIY Summit.
More than 1,100 executive managers from 50 countries will gather at the 8th Global DIY Summit over 10-12 June 2020 in Amsterdam to learn more about and around the event’s 2020 theme, “The New Normal: Adapting to a Rapidly Changing World”.
https://diysummit.org/
LOWE’S HAS APPOINTED
Marisa Thalberg as Executive Vice President, Chief Brand & Marketing Officer. She joins the company from Taco Bell where she has served as Global Chief Brand Officer.
Says Lowe’s: “At
Taco Bell, she led the
transformation of the
company to become a culture-centric lifestyle brand, leading to record-breaking sales growth and category share gains.”
“Marisa is a world-class marketer and leader, and we are thrilled to have her join the Lowe’s leadership team,” says Marvin Ellison, Lowe’s President and CEO.
“Marisa brings extensive experience in building culturally resonant brands and delivering business value through marketing innovation and fresh thinking to inspire and engage customers. We are
confident Marisa will lead our brand into an exciting new chapter for our customers and associates.”
Marisa Thalberg has been named one of Forbes’ Top 50 CMOs in the World for the past three years and
is a National Retail
Federation power player. She also founded the Executive Moms
organisation for working mothers. Prior to Taco Bell, she served as the
head of corporate digital and integrated marketing worldwide for The Estée Lauder Companies and held various senior leadership roles at Unilever Cosmetics International, Sure Fit Inc., and Revlon. She started her career at advertising agencies Saatchi & Saatchi and J Walter Thompson.
www.lowes.com
Lowe’s looks to fast food for brand direction
46 NZHJ | FEBRUARY 2020
MORE AT www.hardwarejournal.co.nz
Travis Perkins restructuring proceeds