M&S veteran Neil Phillips starts new chapter at The White Company as Head of Digital Trading

Neil Phillips has joined The White Company as Head of Digital Trading. He was previously at M&S, where he spent almost 27 years, most recently serving as Head of International Online and Marketplaces.

In a LinkedIn post, dated 17th March, he said: “So a new chapter starts today as I join The White Company as Head of Digital Trading. It’s a role I’m thrilled to be stepping into - and today also marks a rather ironic milestone: it’s 12 months to the day since I left M&S. A quirky twist of fate that made walking into a new office this morning feel all the more significant.”

He added: “I’ve been incredibly fortunate to have afforded myself something of a “gap year” after a long career at M&S. It’s been a period of relaxation, reflection, recharge and reset (I’m sure there are a few more R’s I could add…). I feel very grateful for that time and I’d encourage anyone, however busy, to find moments to, in the words of Stephen Covey, “Sharpen the Saw.” Investing in yourself and the people who matter most is always worthwhile.”

Phillips concluded: “So I walk into today with a touch of trepidation (I’m only human), but far more excitement and energy for what lies ahead - and for the contribution I hope to make to a fantastic brand like The White Company. Here’s to the next chapter.”

2026 RTIH Innovation Awards

Digital retail will be a key focus area at the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards.

The awards are now open for entries and celebrate global retail technology innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world.

Our winners will be revealed at the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards Ceremony, taking place at The HAC in Central London on Wednesday, 4th November.

Check out our 2025 winners here.

Our 2025 hall of fame entrants were revealed during a sold out event which took place at The HAC on 16th October and consisted of a drinks reception, three course meal, and awards ceremony presided over by award winning comedian, actress and writer Tiff Stevenson.

In his welcome speech, Scott Thompson, Founder and Editor, RTIH, said: “This is the awards’ fifth year as a physical event. We started off with just 30 people at the South Place Hotel not far from here, then moved to London Bridge Hotel, then The Barbican, and last year RIBA’s HQ in the West End.”

“But I’m conscious of the fact that, to quote the legend that is Taylor Swift, You’re only as hot as your last hit, baby. So, this year we’ve moved to our biggest venue yet, and also pulled in our largest number of entries to date and broken attendance records.”

He added: “This year’s submissions have without doubt been our best yet. To quote one of the judges: The examples of innovative developments across both traditional and digital retail spaces were truly remarkable.”

Congratulations to our winners, and a big thank you to our sponsors, judging panel, the legend that is Tiff Stevenson, and all those who attended our 2025 gathering.