PARIS – The Worldwide Affiliation of Division Shops introduced in the present day that Life-style Worldwide’s Kamshim Lau will step as much as the publish of president.
Lau beforehand held the place of vice chairman on the retail group for 2 phrases. She succeeds Holger Blecker, chief govt officer of German retailer Breuninger GmbH & Co.
The appointment of Lau marks the primary time a girl has held the place within the group’s 95 years.
Lau’s appointment “is one other testomony to the IADS members’ agility and dedication to addressing probably the most urgent challenges in retail,” the group mentioned.
Hong Kong-based Life-style Worldwide Holdings Restricted operates the landmark Sogo division retailer, which has been a member of the group for 10 years. Lau can also be a member of the chief committee of the Hong Kong Retail Administration Affiliation and a member of the Retail & Tourism Committee inside the Hong Kong Common Chamber of Commerce.
As a part of the transfer, Blecker will take up a place on IADS’ govt committee, alongside El Palacio de Hierro CEO Juan Carlos Escribano, Galeries Lafayette CEO Nicolas Houzé, and Magasin du Nord chair Peter King.
The Paris-based retail commerce affiliation was based in 1928 as a suppose tank for retailers. It has adopted the brand new strategic route over the past three years, which noticed the group welcome two new members in 2023: Turkey’s Boyner Group, which operates 105 shops, and United Arab Emirates Chalhoub Group, which operates 750 shops all through eight international locations within the Center East.
Below Lau’s management, the group will proceed to develop its packages and providers with “solution-driven problem-solving processes for its members in order that they’re ready to face the way forward for the retail business,” the group mentioned.
As a part of these initiatives, IADS will proceed to modernize the group’s assist for its division retailer members, implementing a sequence of strategic partnerships launched in 2020, together with working with consulting company NellyRodi on developments identification, B2B sourcing answer The Fashion Pulse to establish new manufacturers, Retail Hub on tech options and platforms, and the Retail and Hospitality Info Sharing and Evaluation Middle on cybersecurity.
