Lakeside Shopping Centre appoints new centre director

Lakeside Shopping Centre has announced the appointment of Nancy Foster as centre director.

Foster, who is starting at the end of October, has over 15 years of senior leadership experience and is a “highly accomplished” retail and operations leader. Lakeside said she has a proven record in managing multimillion-pound budgets and capital projects and has a “track record in delivering operational excellence, empowering teams, and implementing sustainable growth for large retail operations”.

Previously serving as store director at Fenwick Colchester, with additional responsibility for group store operations, Foster led a large team and oversaw key supply chain functions, and drove cross-store operational projects.

Before her time at Fenwick, as head of Store Operations and Transformation at Debenhams, she directed national-scale transformation programmes across 178 stores, including innovations in workforce management, technology integration, and customer engagement.

Foster said: “I’m thrilled to be joining Lakeside at such a pivotal time for the business. The centre is continuing to evolve beyond traditional retail to become a place where people can connect, relax, and spend quality time. My focus will be on creating premium experiences and environments that customers love, combining retail, leisure, dining, and engaging events to make every visit memorable; ensuring the centre is vibrant, welcoming, and valued by the community.”

Rob Jewell, managing director, Asset Management at Pradera Lateral, added: “With our ambition to position Lakeside as the UK’s most dynamic retail and leisure destination, Nancy’s blend of strategic insight and people-centred leadership makes her the perfect fit to drive that vision forward. Her commitment to creating inspiring spaces where teams and customers flourish will be invaluable as we build on Lakeside’s success.”