Stuart Rose
Stuart Rose
Stuart Alan Ransom Rose, Baron Rose of Monewdenis an English businessman, who was the executive chairman of the British retailer Marks & Spencer. Following the appointment of Marc Bolland in May 2010, Rose stepped down as executive chairman at the end of July 2010 and remained as chairman until early 2011 when he was replaced by Robert Swannell. He was knighted in 2008 for his services to the retail industry, and created a Conservative Life Peer on 17 September 2014,...
NationalityBritish
ProfessionBusinessman
Date of Birth17 March 1949
We live in a world where there are a hell of a lot of new inputs that need to be factored in to your business. It used to be just about your employees and your customers. Now there are all the issues about global warming, about sustainability, about ethics and now about gender and the distribution of wealth.
When my mother died, my father was in a crisis, my sister was in a crisis, everyone was in a crisis. I went round the night my mother was lying in the kitchen, and I organised everything, from the undertaker to the funeral... I looked after everybody, I sorted it all out and Ive done so ever since.
I think fashion is the best value way, the most affordable way in the 21st century, that men and women can express their personality.
I think that business leaders today have to be more rounded than they used to be, they have to be completely multi-functional and fast-moving.
I want to please every woman, every time.
If you wait for customers to tell you that you need to do something, you're too late. Good business leaders should be half a step ahead of what customers want, i.e. they don't actually quite know they want it. That's what innovation's about. With Plan A, we didn't wait for the consumers to tell us.
I am the largest market shareholder of clothing in the U.K. and I am not a destination shop for food. If the clothing market is affected - and it has been - and I hold my market share mathematically, then fine, I am doing no worse than the market is doing, which is exactly the case, but I'm losing revenue.
I am absolutely a free marketeer and I believe the creation of wealth is a good thing and anyone who doesn't really needs to have their head examined - otherwise where are we going to get the schools, the roads, the universities, the third runway, dare I say it?
As retail goes through a fundamental shift into the digital world, I believe Ocado's model and the high standards of customer service it provides will see it emerge as a powerful online player.
Was I the best husband? No. And I regret it.
I'd go mad if I didn't have things to make me laugh.
I was the chief executive once, I've been there. My recommendation to anybody is don't go backwards.
We believe responsible business can be profitable business
Customers want good value, but they care more than ever how food and clothing products are made.