Best Startup
At Best Startup UK we track over 130,000 UK startups and over 500,000 people who hold key positions in these companies. We use this directory of startups to highlight top employees, founders and board members we think deserve more appreciation than they are currently getting.
This list showcases the top United Kingdom based Director operating in the Shopping space. If you think a Director is missing from this list, feel free to contact our editor on editor@beststartup.co.uk.
The individuals on this list have been included because of exceptional performance in one of the following categories:
- Innovation – Operating as a key part in an extremely innovative business or startup.
- Growth – Operating as a key figure in the growth and upscale of a market leading business or startup.
- Management – Showing exceptional management skills.
- Societal impact – Putting their business on the map for their positive societal or environmental impact.
Our Data – We source our data from OSINT (open source intelligence) and public directories such as Companies House UK, Crunchbase, SemRush and many more. The data from these sources should be treated with a degree of caution and verified yourself.
Michael Ward
Managing Director of Harrods
Michael began his career in chartered accountancy, training originally with Ernst and Young in 1980, before taking his first Group Finance Director position at Bassett Foods PLC in 1986 gaining an MBA during this time. In 1989 he transferred his skills to the drinks industry when he was appointed Group Finance Director of H.P. Bulmer Holdings PLC. Retail beckoned, and in 1994 Michael took up the post of Managing Director of Lloyds Chemists PLC, later cementing a talent for the sector with retail roles at Celsio AG and Apax Partnership. It was in 2005 that the opportunity came to take up his current role of Managing Director at Harrods Ltd. Michael has embarked on a programme of significant business development, growing Harrods into the unrivalled successful retail model it is today, while overseeing a smooth transition to new owners in Qatar Holding. Michael was born in 1956 in Kingston upon Hull. He is married with three children, and away from the shop floor is an expert cook, while indulging a passion for collecting art and art deco glass.
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About Harrods: Harrods is an upmarket department store located on Brompton Road in Knightsbridge, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, London.
Simon Finch
Director of Distribution of Harrods
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About Harrods: Harrods is an upmarket department store located on Brompton Road in Knightsbridge, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, London.
Bridget Mills-Powell
Content Director of Lyst
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About Lyst: Lyst is a global fashion search platform that allows users to browse through thousands of online fashion stores.
Stéphane Moracchini
Director of Engineering Retail Checkout / Engineering Manager of Lyst
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About Lyst: Lyst is a global fashion search platform that allows users to browse through thousands of online fashion stores.
Jane Lawrie
Group Communications Director of Tesco
Jane joined the Executive Committee on 10 October 2016. Jane is responsible for rebuilding trust in the Tesco brand and its businesses. Jane has over 25 years’ experience of corporate, financial, colleague and digital communications. She joined Tesco from Coca-Cola, where she led European public affairs and communications. She has significant experience in advising businesses on trust and corporate reputation through previous roles at Diageo and Boots.
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About Tesco: Tesco PLC is a British multinational grocery and general merchandise retailer headquartered in Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, England.
Kim Ludlow
Managing Director of mySupermarket
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About mySupermarket: mySupermarket designs a supermarket shopping and comparison website that helps users to compare prices across different stores.
Colin Roughan
Managing Director, Asia Pacific of SquareTrade
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About SquareTrade, The Natural Edition: SquareTrade is an independent warranty provider for consumer electronics and appliances.
Kevin Gillan
Managing Director Europe of SquareTrade
As SquareTrade’s Managing Director for Europe, Kevin is responsible for driving the company’s growth and international expansion.
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About SquareTrade: SquareTrade is an independent warranty provider for consumer electronics and appliances.
Tom Singh
Founder & Non-Executive Director of New Look
Tom Singh OBE is the Founder of New Look, a leading UK entrepreneur and active private investor with family interests spanning: retail, technology, real estate, renewable energy sectors and private equity. He currently holds the position of Non-Executive Board Member for New Look with over 900 stores worldwide which he founded in 1969. In addition to his responsibilities at New Look, Tom is a founding member of: the Social Investment Task Force, the Chairman of the UK Advisory Council for the British Asian Trust, and is a Trustee of the Pakhar Foundation. Tom is an active philanthropist and social investor and in recent years, has taken an increasing interest in the world of technology.
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About New Look: New Look is a retail seller of mens and womens clothing.
Andrew Jennings
Group Managing Director, Retail of Woolworths Limited
A highly accomplished global retail executive with more than 40 years of achievement at some of the world’s most respected high-end, speciality stores. Recognised for his leadership capabilities and performance-driven management style, Andrew Jennings commands a vast knowledge of consumer trends, vendor networks and retail practices in mature and emerging markets. He has distinguished himself in senior executive positions in six countries and on four continents including Great Britain, Ireland, Canada, The United States, South Africa and Germany.
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About Saks Fifth Avenue, Woolworths Limited: Woolworths is an Australian company that was founded in 1924 in Sydney. When we opened our first store.
Dom Hodgson
Director of Kaboodle
Dom Hodgson is a Director at Kaboodle.
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About Kaboodle, Kerboo, Little Warden: Kaboodle is a shopping site that lets users list their preferred products on the web while automatically downloading the details of them.
Stefan Michalak
Founder, Creative Director of Wantfeed
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About Wantfeed: Wantfeed lets you store and curate things from around the web into your own personal wantlist.
Susanna MacInnes
Director of BRANDALLEY
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About : BRANDALLEY is an online retair of fashion, home and beauty products
Susanna MacInnes
Director of BRANDALLEY
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About : BRANDALLEY is an online retair of fashion, home and beauty products
Sean Blanks
Marketing Director of Cartridge Save
Sean Blanks is the marketing director of Cartridge Save.
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About Cartridge Save: Cartridge Save is an online printer cartridge retail shop.
Ian Cowley
Co-Founder & Managing Director of Cartridge Save
Ian Cowley is the managing director of Cartridge Save.
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About Cartridge Save: Cartridge Save is an online printer cartridge retail shop.
Katie Baron
Director of Brand Engagement (Trends, Insights & Innovation) of Stylus Media
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About British Fashion Council, Forbes, Laurence King Publishing, Luxure Magazine, Stylus Media: Stylus is a trends intelligence service. We deliver insights that businesses need to make transformative business decisions.
Zac Barrett
Director of Country Matters
Zac Barrett has undying passion for the English countryside and its pursuits. Based in the Wiltshire Somerset boarders there are always plenty of rural activities on offer, armed with camera, gun, riding crop or rod, every moment spent in the countryside is time well spent. When not indulging in his countryside passions he spends most of his time expanding Country Matters ever growing range of products and designs. Zac Barrett is also the Co-founder of Country Matters Ltd.
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About Country Matters: Country Matters specialising in high quality country photography, these unique pictures are used on all our products.
David Lawson
Managing Director AO Retail of AO World
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About AO World: AO World is a online retailer company.
Caroline Moran
Director of Commercial of AO World
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About AO World: AO World is a online retailer company.
Simon Tutton
Founder & Director of TheFullWorks
Simon Tutton, founder of ecommerce platform Thefullworks.
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About TheFullWorks: Thefullworks is a subscription based end-to-end eCommerce services solution, providing webshops, storage, and distribution.
Matt Sullivan
Co-Founder & Director of Data Quality of Intelligent Reach
Matt Sullivan is Co-Founder & Director of Data Quality at Intelligent Reach.
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About Intelligent Reach: Intelligent Reach optimises the product discovery journey with augmented product data and scientific testing that drives conversion.
Paul Isaia
Regional Director UK & Ireland of Euroflorist
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About Euroflorist: Euroflorist is a flower online ecommerce company.
Miranda Davis
Creative Producer & Project Director of House of Fraser
Miranda Davis is a Creative Producer & Project Director at House of Fraser.
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About House of Fraser: House of Fraser is a national premium department store group.
Daniel Roy
Director of Catalyst Activewear
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About Catalyst Activewear: Be a catalyst, design your life. We make the technical-casual clothes, you make your way.
Radana Lancman
Director of Catalyst Activewear
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About Catalyst Activewear: Be a catalyst, design your life. We make the technical-casual clothes, you make your way.
Radana Lancman
Director of Catalyst Activewear
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About Catalyst Activewear: Be a catalyst, design your life. We make the technical-casual clothes, you make your way.
Omar Budeiri
Commercial Director of Taggr
Helped see two startups (Glide, ROAR) from incorporation to mass growth and exit. BYPY Technology Finalist 2014. Strategist and salesman.
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About Taggr: Taggr is a shopping social network with a retargeting platform that links cross-device and browser activity with retailers.
Kristina Smith
Founder, Director of Bluebird Tea Co
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About Bluebird Tea Co: Bluebird Tea Co. is a specialist tea blender and retailer.
