Its alumni list reads like a who’s who of retail. So why was Sir Ralph Halpern’s former retail powerhouse the perfect training ground for so many of retail’s future stars, asks Charlotte Hardie.

Burton family tree

Burton family tree

I still say I could not have done the job at M&S if it hadn’t learnt so many of the skills I did at Burton Group,” says Sir Stuart Rose, former executive chairman and chief executive of Marks & Spencer. Rose is just one of a seemingly endless list of retail elite who learnt their trade at Sir Ralph Halpern’s empire.

There are many reasons why it proved to be one of the very best ‘universities of retail’. The culture was ripe for ambitious, quick-thinking and talented young retailers. “People were given plenty of rope. The danger was that if you took advantage of that you could hang yourself, but it was fast moving and dynamic,” says Rose.

“If you delivered you were all right. If you didn’t, you’d be shown the door.” Former Matalan chief executive Angus Monro, who became the group’s managing director of Dorothy Perkins, agrees. He describes it as having an exceptionally direct culture. “You achieved your targets. You didn’t turn around and say the weather was bad. You did your job,” he recalls.

So how much of this cutthroat and entrepreneurial culture was down to the character of former chairman and chief executive Ralph Halpern himself? Tellingly, when this question is put to former Burton Group chief executive John Hoerner, who took over in 1992, he replies: “No comment.” Halpern was, after all, one of the biggest retail characters of all time, as famed as for his tabloid exploits as his retailing flair. His was a play hard, party hard era that celebrated results. Prizes were given out weekly for the best sales team.

Achieving was compulsory. Former House of Fraser chief executive John Coleman once said Halpern’s approach was simple; hire quality people and pay them well. Many fell by the wayside and he fired those who didn’t perform: “It was a ruthless, pressurised, hire and fire culture. If you survived, it toughened you up.”

Finishing school

The Burton Group wasn’t a gentleman’s club-type culture where once you had a foot in the door you stayed put. Former New Look chief executive Carl McPhail recalls its exceptional training and development programme, which encouraged people to move across functions and across brands.

If someone wanted to leave, they were wished well, but the retailer was also always open to people coming back – if they were good. McPhail left to go to River Island in 1991 then returned three years later to become retail operations director of home shopping brands. 

Whether people liked or loathed Halpern’s retailing style, there is no denying his determination and achievements, which rubbed off on those who worked for him. He joined the business as a management trainee in 1961, became chief executive in 1978 and built up a multi-brand empire that dominated the UK high street. At its peak it had about 2,800 stores and employed more than 60,000 people. With brands that included Topshop, Dorothy Perkins, Debenhams, Principles, Racing Green and Evans, it was worth £1.8bn when he was ousted by the board in 1991.

Of course, he made bad decisions; among them were overspending and failing to keep the group’s property activities in check. But, says Rose: “Ralph was a bit of an unsung hero really. He pretty much disappeared without trace, and yes he made mistakes, but in terms of an entrepreneurial trading spirit and an understanding of fashion, he was up there.”

After Halpern left, there was a short-lived tenureship by Laurence Cooklin, then Hoerner took over the reins. Many consider this to be a time when the company was professionalised. McPhail, who worked for Hoerner, remembers the systems and processes that were put in place. “They were well ahead of his time. It became a benchmark,” he says.

Competitive spirit

In an interview 10 years after he left, Halpern was predictably scathing about both Cooklin and Hoerner’s management style. It was at the time when Rose was about to take over the business, by then renamed Arcadia – an appointment which he welcomed: “Rose is a retailer by heart. He appears to have a different attitude to motivation and people management – he knows how important it is to give people freedom.”

But whether it was Halpern, Cooklin or Hoerner, the “silverback mentality” prevailed, notes Rose. Everyone knew exactly who was sitting at the top of the tree. Halpern’s competitive legacy never diminished either. Hoerner says the reason the Burton Group had such a good effect on people’s careers was because it had so many shops belonging to so many brands: “You were competing in all areas of the marketplace. It was a case of survival of the fittest”.

The Burton Group is a retailer with a fascinating, colourful history and equally fascinating and colourful alumni. McPhail says he used to commute in from Oxfordshire and the train arriving at London’s Paddington station would be crammed full of Burton Group employees. Whether you worked for Debenhams or Topshop, people would know each other. What’s more, all those interviewed for this feature remember their time there with great nostalgia. Monro sums it up:

“It was there that I really learnt how to be a retailer.”

Top of the class - Some of Burton Group’s finest

  • Sir Stuart Rose Former Marks & Spencer executive chairman. At Burton Group 1989 to 1997. Became chief executive
  • John Coleman Former House of Fraser chief executive. At Burton Group 1983 to 1998. Became Dorothy Perkins managing director
  • John Hoerner Former Arcadia chief executive and Tesco consultant. At Burton Group 1987 to 1998. Former Arcadia chief executive. Became Burton Group chief executive
  • Angus Monro Non-executive chairman, The Hut Group. At Burton Group 1982 to 1987. Became Dorothy Perkins managing director
  • Belinda Earl Jaeger chief executive. At Burton Group 1985 to 1998. Became Debenhams trading director then later chief executive
  • Terry Green Former Tesco chief executive clothing. At Burton Group 1979 to 1998. Became Debenhams chief executive
  • Andrew Higginson Tesco chief executive retailing services. At Burton Group 1994 to 1997. Became Burton Group finance director
  • Michael Sharp Debenhams chief executive. At Burton Group 1985 to 1998. Became Debenhams group trading director
  • Paul Loft Homebase managing director. At Burton Group 1991 to 1996. Became finance director of Debenhams
  • Darren Shapland Sainsbury’s Bank chairman 1988 to 2000 Various finance roles
  • Jane Shepherdson Whistles chief executive Mid 1980s to 1998. Became brand manager of Topshop
  • Stephen Sunnucks Gap international president At Burton Group 1994 to 1998. Became Dorothy Perkins managing director

  • Extra content for Retail Week online users

  • Laurence Cooklin At Burton Group 1970 to 1992. Became chief executive 1990. Left in 1992 when John Hoerner took his place
  • Peter Ridsdale Former Leeds United FC and Tulchan Group CEO. At Burton Group 1985 to 1991. Was Evans and Topman MD
  • Andrew Leslie Non executive director, JD Sports. At Burton Group 1965 to 1985. Became director for Topman
  • Wendy Hallett Owner of Hallett Retail. At Burton Group 1985 to 1998. Became area manager
  • Martin Parker Former European managing director Urban Outfitters, began his career at the Burton Group in the 1970s

 

M&S

  • Steve Sharp Executive director of marketing at Marks & Spencer. At Burton Group 1989 to 1995 as marketing director
  • Keith Cameron Former Marks & Spencer HR director. At Burton Group 1988 to 1998. Became group personnel director
  • Amanda Mellor Group secretary and head of corporate governance at Marks & Spencer. At Burton Group 1994 to 1997. Was Director of corporate relations and investor relations at Burton Group then at Arcadia Group post demerger until 2000
  • Frances Russell Trading director for lingerie and beauty at Marks & Spencer. At Burton Group 1985 to 1998. Joined as a graduate trainee

Property

  • Clem Constantine Property director at Marks & Spencer. At Burton Group 1989 to 1997. Became group property director
  • David Shaw Head of Regent Street portfolio, The Crowne Estate. At Burton Group 1992 to 2000 as property director

Tesco

  • Graham Harris CEO Tesco Mobile and Tesco Telecoms. At Burton Group 1988 to 1997. Became financial planning controller
  • Julia Reynolds CEO Blacks Leisure. Former Tesco category director. At Burton Group 1996 to 1998 as a senior buyer
  • Jean Brixey Merchandise director at Dwell and former head of merchandising for Tesco Stores. Former merchandise manager at Mothercare. At Burton Group 1985 to 1990 as a merchandiser.

Mothercare

  • Greg Tufnell Non executive chairman and founder at Paragon Sports Management. Former CEO of Marchpole and MD of Mothercare. At Burton Group 1994 to 1997. Became MD of Burton Menswear.

Debenhams

  • Matthew Roberts Capital Shopping centres finance director. At Burton Group 1989 to 1998. Became Debenhams finance director
  • Duncan Tatton-Brown Fitness First CFO and former Kingfisher FD. Was at Debenhams as retail financial controller. At Burton Group 1990 to 1992 as a financial analyst
  • Paul Maxwell House of Fraser IT director. At Burton Group 1987 to 1998. Became Debenhams development controller
  • Simon Forster Director of Debenhams.com. At Burton Group 1987 to 1997. Became merchandise director for Miss Selfridge
  • Simon Hawkes European commercial services director, Groupe Aeroplan. At Burton Group 1988 to 1998. Became Debenhams international director

Finance

  • David Bateman Paperchase CF and OO. At Burton Group 1995 to 2000 as finance manager
  • Richard North Former Woolworths chairman. At Burton Group 1991 to 1994 as group finance director

Woolworths

  • Milton Guffogg European ops director, GA Asset Advisors, former Celebrations CEO and former Woolworths director of operations. At Burton Group 1986 to 1991. Was regional manager

Arcadia

This link refers to all those work or who have worked at Arcadia at some point since 1998 when it was formed from the Burton Group. For those who worked there during the rebranding, we have referred to their Burton Group job title up until 1998

  • Nigel Hall Chairman of Countrywide and former Arcadia finance director. At Burton Group 1984 to 1997. Became group information systems director and then demerger director
  • Hilary Riva Former chair British Fashion council and former Arcadia director. At Burton Group from the early 1990s to 1998 where she became MD of Evans, Principles and Racing Green
  • Katrina Nurse Topshop Topman finance director. At Burton Group 1989 to 1998. Became finance manager, corporate finance
  • Gwynn Milligan Cocosa managing director and former merchandising director for Wallis and before that Topman. At Burton Group 1983 to 1998. Held various merchandising roles
  • Mike Goring Bhs managing director and incoming Debenhams retail director. At Burton Group until 1998. Became operations director at Topshop
  • Amelia Lietke Topshop Topman HR Director at. At Burton Group 1995 to 1997 as HR assistant
  • Tracey Mann Retail director Karen Millen and was at Arcadia as retail director for Miss Selfridge. At Burton Group 1984 to 1998. Became deputy retail director
  • Nick Shrubsole Joules interim finance director and was at Arcadia as finance director of Burton menswear. At Burton Group 1993 to 1997. Became assistant accountant

White Stuff

  • Victoria Hodges White Stuff culture and communications director. Former Arcadia HR development director. At Burton Group 1994 to 1997. Became regional personnel manager, Topshop Topman
  • Lucy Maitland Walker White Stuff interim merchandise planning director. Was head of merchandising at Arcadia. At Burton Group 1988 to 1992. Became assistant merchandiser
  • Alana Mazza Hobbs retail director. Held various Arcadia roles including area management, retail operations and service and training. At Burton Group 1985 to 1998. Various roles, retail operations

Whistles

  • David Mold Whistles director of IT and logistics. At Burton Group 1988 to 1998. Systems analyst
  • Peter Davies Chairman, Clarks and non-executive chairman at Whistles and Mint Velvet. At Burton Group until 1998. Became managing director, menswear

Dorothy Perkins

  • Carl McPhail Former New Look CEO. At Burton Group 1989 to 1991 and 1994 to 1997. Worked at Dorothy Perkins at the same time as Phil Wrigley and Stephen Sunnucks, and his final role before Burton Group was rebranded was as retail operations director, home shopping brands
  • Phil Wrigley Former New Look Chairman. Became Dorothy Perkins retail operations director
  • Stephen Sunnucks - Gap international president. At Burton Group 1994 to 1998. Became Dorothy Perkins MD

New Look

  • Will Kernan New Look chief operating officer. At Burton Group 1991 to 1993. Was finance controller for Burton menswear
  • Ann Chan Retail operations director, La Senza, and former business change director at New Look. At Burton Group 1984 to 1995. Became area manager

Retail Trust

  • Nigel Rothband Retail Trust chief executive and former Arcadia retail director. At Burton Group 1986 to 1999. Became retail director Burton Group
  • Jane Guillaume Retail Trust trustee. At Burton Group 1989 to 2004. Became HR director Debenhams
  • Chris Tideman Retail Trust trustee, former CEO David Jones, Australia. At Burton Group 1980s. Became group CEO of retail services and distribution

David Jones Australia

  • Teresa Tideman Joint MD and senior VP of the Disney Store, Europe. At Burton Group 1979 to 1998. Became buying and merchandising director for Principles

Alshaya

  • David Niven Nandos group CEO and former chief operating officer at Alshaya. At Burton Group 1987 to 1989. Was head of retail ops
  • Pat Kelly Alshaya business director. At Burton Group 1994 to 1997. Was retail operations director
  • Ciaran McCloskey Business director, American Eagle Outfitters, Alshaya. At Burton Group 1991 to 1996. Became area manager, Burton Menswear.

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