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Former Zalando executive to lead global merchandising strategy from May

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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AllSaints has appointed Nichole Strydom as chief merchant, joining the business on 5 May 2026.

Strydom brings more than 20 years’ experience in global fashion and retail. She joins AllSaints from Zalando, the international online retailer, where her most recent role was commercial director, overseeing strategic brand partnerships across 25 international markets.

In her role as chief merchant, she will lead AllSaints’ global merchandising strategy, with responsibility for ensuring that buying, merchandising and sourcing across all regions and channels is “faster, bolder and smarter than ever before”.

AllSaints added she will work closely with the recently appointed chief creative officer, Aaron Esh to support his creative vision with strong commercial execution to accelerate growth and AllSaints’ continued international expansion.

Peter Wood, CEO of AllSaints, said: “Nichole is an outstanding commercial leader with a proven track record of driving performance across complex and fast-moving international retail markets, and her appointment is another important step in helping our brand continue to thrive for many more years to come. Her expertise will help us harness customer and partner insights, sharpen our execution and ensure our merchandising operating model delivers for our brand. I look forward to working closely with Nichole as we continue to drive AllSaints forward.”

Strydom added: “AllSaints has a distinctive creative identity and a strong global following. Retail is evolving rapidly as customer expectations change, and I’m excited to join the brand at such a pivotal moment. My focus will be on aligning commercial strategy with customer insight to drive sustainable growth, deepen brand affinity and support AllSaints’ continued evolution.”

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