The Customer Whisperer Kate Hardcastle joins Future Stores as first location opens on London’s Oxford Street
Future Stores has appointed Kate Hardcastle as Non-Executive Director of Global Consumer Engagement.
The venture is positioning itself as a unique hybrid retail media platform at the intersection of DOOH (digital-out-of-home) media and experiential retail.
The appointment will see Hardcastle leverage her 30 years of global retail experience to drive innovation and growth for Future Stores launches both in London and around the world.
Known as ‘The Customer Whisperer’, Hardcastle is an expert in international shopping habits and brings extensive knowledge of both consumer behaviour and trends and retail data use. She received an MBE award in the 2018 Queen's Birthday Honours List for her services to Business and Entrepreneurship and is the founder of retail insight agency Insight With Passion.
Hardcastle joins Future Stores as the group launches its first ever store on London’s Oxford Street.
Opening its doors to the public on 30th October, the space is pitched as the world’s most advanced in-person retail concept and sits at the intersection of DOOH (digital-out-of-home) media and experiential retail, designed to bring ‘retail at the speed of culture’ to modern consumers.
Hardcastle says: “The launch of Future Stores is to retail what the launch of the iPhone was to the telecoms market. It’s a pivotal moment which will change the way we buy and sell on the high street forever - and I’m thrilled to be a part of the team powering this culture shift.”
“Modern consumers are searching for a powerful personalised experience which is truly meaningful to them, and I will help Future Stores deliver this to millions of customers worldwide.”
Hardcastle will join a team including founder and CEO Ariel Haroush, creator of Outform and Managing Director EMEA Engin Celikbas, the AI, design and marketing specialist.
Haroush comments: “Kate Hardcastle’s appointment is a significant moment for Future Stores. Her knowledge of consumer behaviour, combined with her experience in driving business transformation, makes her an invaluable addition to our team.”
“Kate’s expertise will ensure that Future Stores not only continues to innovate but also maintains a laser focus on the needs of our customers in every market we enter.”
As the Future Stores concept expands globally, one of Hardcastle’s key tasks will be to advocate for the consumer in each individual market.
She adds: “The future of retail belongs to businesses that truly understand and anticipate the needs of their customers. By placing consumer experience at the heart of every decision, Future Stores is leading this new retail revolution worldwide. Together, we will continue to innovate and ensure that the voice of the consumer is never lost in the drive for technological advancement.”
2024 RTIH INNOVATION AWARDS
Physical stores are a key focus area for the sixth edition of the RTIH Innovation Awards, which are now closed for entries.
The awards, sponsored by Vista Technology Support, Scala, CADS, 3D Cloud, Brightpearl by Sage’s Lightning 50, Business France, and Retail Technology Show 2025, celebrate global tech innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world.
Key 2024 dates
Friday, 25th October: Award entry deadline
Tuesday, 29th October: 2024 shortlist revealed
30th October-6th November: Judging days
Thursday, 21st November: Winners announced at the 2024 RTIH Innovation Awards ceremony, to be held at RIBA’s 66 Portland Place HQ in Central London.
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