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On this episode of Talking Shop I’m joined by Alain Bejjani—former Group CEO of Middle East retail giant Majid Al Futtaim, and author of the definitive new book, NEXT: Leading Through the New Realities. Drawing on his childhood in war-torn Beirut, and his experience steering a $9.5bn dollar retail and lifestyle empire through a global pandemic, Alain brings an unmatched perspective on leadership under pressure. Today, we break down his crisis survival playbook for retailers operating in distress. We discuss why resilience must always outpace efficiency, the four assets a brand must protect at all costs, and how to turn macro-turmoil into a long-term direction that scales.

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Dunelm has revealed that its total sales rose 6.2% to £428m for the 13 weeks ended 27 September 2025.

The company stated that this growth was driven by both higher volumes and increased average item values from product and category mix.

Alongside this, its digital sales represented 40% of its total sales, an increase of three percentage points.

This came after it reached an important milestone in the development of its digital proposition, with the Dunelm app now available to customers via the Apple App Store.

Looking ahead, as a result of the timing of its investments, alongside the inflationary impacts it currently faces, the company expects profits to be more heavily weighted towards the second half than last year. Despite this, its FY26 PBT remains in line with the board’s expectations.

CEO Clo Moriarty said: “After a few weeks immersing myself in the business, I’m delighted to see up close the qualities that attracted me to Dunelm: an inclusive culture, committed colleagues, and a genuine passion for the role we play in our customers’ lives.

“It’s a great time to be joining Dunelm. The business has delivered another strong performance in the first quarter, which reflects both the appeal of our customer offer and the strength of our business model.”

She added: “Building on this, I see real energy across the business – from the launch of our new app, to a vibrant brand campaign celebrating colour choices across our ranges – driving improvements to our proposition.

“These initiatives, and many more, show the potential we have to build even deeper connections with a broad and diverse customer base. With the reach of our national store footprint, a growing digital presence, and a growth mindset that brings together people and technology, I’m genuinely excited about what’s ahead.”

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