Time to say goodbye: Oliver McQuitty departs HURR to focus on tapping AI and retail technology at Popsa

Oliver McQuitty has left fashion rental platform HURR, where he spent six and a half years, serving as Product Director, to join Popsa, a mobile app-based photo book specialist.

In a LinkedIn post, he said: "It’s time to say goodbye. It feels like forever ago that Victoria Prew (HURR founder) asked me to join HURR as its first employee. The pitch was simple: we needed (and still need) to make fashion more circular by changing consumer behaviour. Fashion rental was such a novel idea in the UK at the time, and no one had taken it to an ambitious scale."

"Fast forward seven years, and HURR has cemented itself as the leading circular fashion platform in the country (voted Best Overall Rental Website by The Independent no less) with hundreds of thousands of customers, a thriving community of entrepreneurial lenders (some of whom make six figures a year) and an enterprise client list most businesses can only dream of having (I'm looking at you, Selfridges and John Lewis & Partners."

He added: "Being part of a startup is a rollercoaster of emotions and it quickly becomes a real test of resilience. Every day is challenging, and the obstacles don't stop once you begin to scale - they accelerate. That's why it's so important to support both those who dare to create new businesses and those who come along for the crazy ride. So if you know anyone doing either of those things, make sure to check up on them.”

"I have an interminably long list of people to privately thank for supporting me in all kinds of ways throughout this journey. That said, the HURR team are some of the best people I’ve collaborated with to date and I’m so grateful to have worked alongside them."

As one chapter ends, another one begins, however, and McQuitty is joining Popsa to focus on "creating an unforgettable range of experiences by leveraging market defining AI and technology. Stay tuned for what this part of the story has to hold."

RTIH AI in Retail Awards

RTIH, organiser of the industry leading RTIH Innovation Awards, proudly brings you the first edition of the RTIH AI in Retail Awards, which is now open for entries. 

As we witness a digital transformation revolution across all channels, AI tools are reshaping the omnichannel game, from personalising customer experiences to optimising inventory, uncovering insights into consumer behaviour, and enhancing the human element of retailers' businesses.

As AI sees increasing adoption in the retail space, our newly launched awards celebrate global technology innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world and the resulting benefits for retailers, shoppers and employees.

Our 2025 winners will be those companies who not only recognise the potential of AI, but also make it usable in everyday work - resulting in more efficiency and innovation in all areas.

Winners will be announced at an evening event at The Barbican in Central London on Thursday, 3rd July. This will kick off with a drinks reception in the stunning Conservatory, followed by a three course meal, and awards ceremony in the Garden Room.

Please email our Editor, Scott Thompson, if you have any questions or need further information: scott.thompson@retailtechinnovationhub.com

FAQs

Is there a fee to enter the awards?: No, it is free of charge.

Can I enter across multiple categories: Yes.

Do I need to complete all the sections in the entry form? No, but the more information you provide, the better chance you have of producing a successful submission.

Is there a certain timeframe for nominated projects, initiatives etc? Yes, nominated projects, initiatives etc should have been completed (or substantially completed) during the last 12 months.

Who has visibility of our completed entry form and what information will be public should we win or be shortlisted? Only our Editor, Scott Thompson, and judging panel will view submissions. The information provided in the summary section of the entry form will be made public.

Do you only accept entries from UK-based companies? No, we accept entries from all parts of the world.

What is the shortlists process? Shortlists will be announced in April 2025, then shortlisted entries will be sent to our independent judging panel who will decide upon the winners and highly commended submissions. Shortlisted companies will be invited to attend an awards ceremony at The Barbican in Central London on Thursday, 3rd July 2o25.

Do winners and highly commended companies receive post-event coverage? Yes, post-event coverage includes articles on our website and also an in-depth awards review in our printed magazine. There is also the opportunity for a company profile type piece to be published on our site and within our magazine.

When is the deadline for 2025 submissions? Friday, 23rd May 2025.

When will the 2025 winners be revealed? Winners will be announced at an event at The Barbican in Central London on Thursday, 3rd July. This will kick off with a drinks reception, followed by a three course meal, awards ceremony, and after party featuring DJ until midnight.

Who will be judging submissions? Details of our 2025 judging panel will be announced in the near future.