Duncan Lowe takes next step in his journey with Frasers Group as he accepts Group Head of Digital Technology role

Duncan Lowe has announced his transition to the role of Group Head of Digital Technology at Frasers Group.

He was previously Head of Digital Platform Engineering at the company, which is best known for its Sports Direct brand.

In a LinkedIn post, Lowe said: “This marks an exciting step in my journey with Frasers Group, where I will focus on strategic leadership across our digital technology platforms.”

In this new role, he will:

Lead the transformation to a MACH-based digital platform, ensuring it aligns with the company’s long-term vision.

Drive the evolution of the Operational Data Hub to enable real-time, organisation wide data integration.

Facilitate collaboration among departments to ensure seamless alignment of business priorities with technical execution.

Oversee governance frameworks to maintain compliance, security, and innovation across all platforms.

He added: “This change represents an incredible opportunity to focus on the big picture while empowering my teams to thrive in their areas of expertise. I’m excited to collaborate with stakeholders across IT, digital, and beyond to ensure the success of key initiatives that drive our business forward. Thank you to everyone who has supported me on this journey. I’m looking forward to this next chapter!”

Sarah Kemp

Sarah Kemp recently left Frasers Group, where she held the position of Group Head of Business Transformation.

Kemp had worked there for four years, having joined from Baringa Partners.

She said: “Four years ago we were heading for a second lockdown and I took a chance - leaving a successful, stable consulting job to move into retail - at a time where retailers were floundering and stores were shut.”

“Looking back now I think I must have been temporarily insane but I trusted Jack Dowling (Director of Transformation & Operations at Post Office) and Christopher Cooke’s (VP Operations North America at Everlast) recommendation and it was the best decision I could have made.”

She added: “In the last four years I have worked on the most interesting and challenging work of my career so far and been stretched beyond my limits. Michael Murray’s (CEO at Frasers Group) elevation strategy has been a truly exciting thing to be a part of - taking the business from purely Sports Direct to Frasers Group and elevating the experience, the stores and the brands within the group.”

2024 RTIH INNOVATION AWARDS

Digital retail was a key focus area at the sixth edition of the RTIH Innovation Awards.

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.

Our 2024 hall of fame entrants were revealed during an event which took place at RIBA’s 66 Portland Place HQ in Central London on 21st November, and consisted of a drinks reception, three course meal, and awards ceremony presided over by comedian Lucy Porter.

In his welcome speech, Scott Thompson, Founder and Editor, RTIH, said: “The event is now into its sixth year and what a journey it has been. The awards started life as an online only affair during the Covid outbreak, before launching as a small scale in real life event and growing year on year to the point where we’re now selling out this fine, historic venue.”

He added: “Congratulations to all of our finalists. Many submissions did not make it through to the final stage, and getting to this point is no mean feat. Checkout-free stores, automated supply chains, immersive experiences, on-demand delivery, next generation loyalty offerings, inclusive retail, green technology. We’ve got all the cool stuff covered this evening.”

“But just importantly we’ve got lots of great examples of companies taking innovative tech and making it usable in everyday operations - resulting in more efficiency and profitability in all areas.”

Congratulations to our 2024 winners, and a big thank you to our sponsors, judging panel, the legend that is Lucy Porter, and all those who attended last month’s gathering.