Sign & Digital UK announces retail expert Mary Portas as guest speaker

Retail guru, Mary Portas, has been announced as the keynote speaker at this year’s Sign & Digital UK.

In keeping with SDUK’s theme for 2018 – Creativity Brought to Life – Ms Portas will deliver an inspiring keynote followed by a Q&A session during the show’s opening day.

Crowned ‘Mary Queen of Shops’ by the UK media, retail and brand expert Ms Portas has long been a champion for SMEs. The celebrity guest speaker will use the Q&A session to share her expertise and industry knowledge with the show’s visitors.

She will also take a tour of the show floor, to meet many of the leading suppliers exhibiting at the show.

Rudi Blackett, event director at SDUK, said: “Mary Portas’s continued advocacy for independent retailers and the manufacturing industry makes her a truly inspiring guest speaker for our show visitors and exhibitors alike.

“We’re greatly looking forward to welcoming Mary and hope visitors and exhibitors will bring their burning business questions to benefit from Mary’s expert retail knowledge.”

Ms Portas added: “I’m always excited to discover new emerging techniques from retail, sign and display industries which will be a big part of Sign & Digital UK. The merging of digital and traditional manufacturing techniques is now more important than ever before, and I hope to open a discussion about how these trends will impact SMEs in the modern retail landscape at April’s event.

“With my Sign & Digital UK audience, I will aim to cultivate a new confidence in diversification. I look forward to rallying with business leaders from these adapting sectors and offering advice among small business owners who are looking to explore ways of getting ahead of their competitors.”

Sign & Digital UK will take place in Halls 17 & 18 at the NEC in Birmingham from April 24 to 26.