Former Russell & Bromley E-commerce Director Chris Oldham discusses where it all went wrong

Former Russell & Bromley E-commerce Director Chris Oldham has taken to social media to discuss where it all went wrong for the high street footwear chain after it collapsed into administration and was snapped up by Next.

In a LinkedIn post, he said: “Eighteen months ago, I resigned from the board of directors at Russell & Bromley. I’ve reflected for a long time on whether to write this. I’ve decided to do so in the hope that other leaders and businesses might learn from what happened.”

He added: “Russell & Bromley did not have to end the way it has after 145 years as a proud, British, family owned, cash rich company. What made the brand special wasn’t just the product - it was the people. The passion, loyalty and sense of extended family culture were among the best I have experienced in my career. Even though I was there for five years, it remains one of the strongest cultures I’ve been part of.”

The business, Oldham admitted, needed to evolve. Change was necessary to remain relevant and to build infrastructure capable of scaling. However, according to him the issues were:

Trying to reposition as a high-end luxury brand rather than being proud of who Russell & Bromley was, ultimately alienating loyal customers.

Shifting to a design led model and removing the buying function without fully understanding the implications, particularly the loss of deep footwear expertise.

Appointing a Creative Director with limited footwear experience and no prior Creative Director background, and giving unchecked freedom without sufficient commercial justification.

Board level egos overriding collaboration, with brand values not consistently lived or modelled.

An unbalanced organisational structure - too many chiefs, not enough operators.

Poorly implemented systems, including Microsoft D365, which were not fit for purpose and later had to be unpicked, draining cash, impacting productivity and delaying sales driving initiatives.

Attempting to do everything at once - rebrand, omnichannel transformation, international expansion, marketplaces and wholesale - rather than prioritising.

Moving head office from Bromley to Soho to attract talent, significantly increasing overheads at a critical time.

Oldham concluded: “I feel a personal sense of responsibility. I was part of the board. I raised concerns, but ultimately there is only so much influence one person can have - and that is why I chose to resign. What disappoints me most is the impact on people’s lives. However, I am proud to see many former colleagues already thriving in new roles, and I have every confidence the rest will too.”

“My biggest learnings? Passion and loyalty are invaluable. Skills can be learned. Leaders must inspire, make courageous decisions, and lead by example. Values are only meaningful if they are lived, especially at the top. To all current and former Russell & Bromley employees: I wish you nothing but success in your next chapter.”

2026 RTIH Innovation Awards

Physical stores 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.