If you were to advise a London guide, what would be on your list?

Well, As I grew up in Notting Hill, it will always have my heart and if I was recommending spots in London, a wander around Notting Hill would be high up on my list. From there it would be all the best shopping destinations, the iconic private members club, Annabels, Harrods and Liberty’s for any cute and unique gifts. I would always pop into 111CRYO at Harrods for the Cryo Facial and treatment for the ultimate recharge. Sometimes the city is great, but the beautiful secrets of the English countryside is something that should be experienced.

Your In-Flight Essentials?

I don’t have a routine per say and I am certainly not as thorough as Naomi Campbell but I would apply the Meso Infusion Lip Duo and I would always wipe my phone down with anti-bacterial wipes, in fact I do this every day, the bacteria build up is no good for the skin.

In terms of Industry, where do you see the hair industry going?

Well Instagram has changed so much and has impacted the way we consume and learn within the industry, especially with so many creatives, but I still find that a massive amount of people come to the professionals to share the knowledge on how to carry out or complete a desired look, more than ever there is power behind ‘how-to’ videos.

A very valid point and in terms of 2020?

In terms of what we are to see in 2020, things are going to be super creative and we will see a wider awareness for people doing their own thing and it will be expressive and artistic. People will move away from the overtly glamorous looks and will create looks they can tailor to their everyday. As it’s currently Award Season which is the busiest time of the year leading up to the Met Ball, hairstyles are certainly more elaborate, and everyone loves an up do. I would say the most timeless look has to be the blunt bob, it comes around year on year, but it is effortless and timeless.

Outside of hair, what other industries are you into?

I am hugely into Interiors and I would describe my style as 60s/70s glamour, think elaborate and dramatic but I often fantasise about 80s Dallas and Joan Collins and I have to reign myself in. I also love Baking; it is the ultimate way to relax and I find that it is my meditation and therapy. If I’m in the USA I would bake a lot of cookies as everyone is obsessed with then over here and in the UK, I would bake more traditional styles like a lemon tart or an apple tart – it allows for me to be creative outside of my job.

Finally, the best advice you have ever received?

It would have to be from my grandfather, he would often say to me “it’s not how well you’re doing but how well people think you’re doing”. I haven’t successfully implemented it however you can look to Instagram today and people see our work and are blown away by it, but we can be so hard on ourselves and not appreciate our own work ourselves.

NS: Tell me more about yourself, where did your career start?

DR: Well if we were to take it back to the beginning then things would have started in 1984 where I was working in a restaurant at the time saving up to go travelling. I had deferred from university for a year before studying languages. My plan was to make enough money to travel for 6 months. One evening a couple I was serving told me I would make a great salesperson, offering me a job starting the following week. I became a freelance consultant working in Harvey Nichols, Harrods and DH Evans as it was then. Before I knew it, I had joined as a Buying Admin Assistant at Harvey Nichols Beauty and that developed into an Assistant Buyer looking after beauty, sunglasses and fragrances before becoming the beauty buyer and various senior roles to Group Commercial Director and joining the Harvey Nichols Board.

ns:What was the beauty landscape like at the time?

DR: At the time, the top classic beauty brands were the likes of Estee Lauder, Chanel and Helena Rubinstein and the landscape was very traditional, very luxe. The product landscape was all pretty similar. It wasn’t until we launched Shu Uemura, a Japanese make-up artist brand that we seeded and pioneered a change in beauty. When Shu Uemura launched it introduced a new landscape that was accessory heavy with bright and clear packaging. I remember the risk at the time and having to move out the toiletries department to make space for this new brand. Accessories before this were such a small part of the business and most compacts came with the small sponge tipped applicators. Shu Uemura changed all that with their eye lashes curlers and various brushes for a more professional application.

NS: What was the reaction?

DR: It was electric, it paved the way for more contemporary brands and opened up the UK beauty market where we then launched MAC and Trish McEvoy. MAC spun the market completely, with their black iron counter and diverse workforce, they were visually exciting and so different, even playing their own music on the floor! At the time, they did cause quite a bit of upset with other brands as queues outside their space were vast, 10 deep at weekends but by the end of the quarter every brand saw a lift in sales from the increase in interest on the floor from new customers to Harvey Nichols. It was truly magical and a game changer in the industry. Other brands as a consequence became braver in their offer.

NS: How did that then spearhead the change in Harvey Nichols?

DR: Well I suppose we became the place to cater to first to market brands, the latest launch being Fenty Beauty which was incredible, so we had certainly kept up momentum. We introduced Beyond Medispa as the first Medispa experience within stores some 15 years ago and it still continues to thrive. We were the only place at the time you could get injectables on a Sunday, so the space took off immediately. We launched Beyond Beauty which was an incubator for small and interesting brands like 111SKIN to have their position within the beauty space. At the time it was risky, but I believed in opening and diversifying the market. For a small brand to enter the market was very difficult as space had previously been carved up by the more traditional players. This was a massive turning point for Harvey Nichols. We became known for bringing innovative brands to market and nurturing them.

NS: How has the industry evolved over the years?

DR: Launching Beyond Beauty gave the consumers the opportunity to discover new brands and it was a strategy that was somewhat unique 17 years ago!

In terms of the wider industry, the beauty market is huge, it currently contributes almost £30 billion each year to the economy in the UK, with 1 in 60 people being employed through the industry. The market has changed since the rise of social media as we’ve gone from the experts being stood behind counters in lab coats to celebrities endorsing products to social media now being the place of trust. There is definitely a space for retail and social media to co-exist, but I believe there will be a shift back to experts leading the way in terms of trust and authenticity. The teams in stores are highly trained by the brands they work for.

NS: From your experience and knowledge, post covid, how do department stores and businesses generally bounce back?

DR: It’s quite an interesting time and certainly leaves food for thought. We obviously saw a surge in self-care and wellbeing over the last months as people cocooned at home. I think that path will continue but now more than ever it is important for brands to story tell, focus on content and messaging and to stay strong to their heritage and gain the consumer’s confidence. It will be about authenticity and efficacy and being clear and concise in messaging.

NS: As the CCO at Harvey Nichols, what did your day to day involve?

DR: Yes, I was very lucky to lead the business in my last two years, quite a pinch me time having started on the shop floor.

It would have been around building and implementing the 3-year vision and from there it would involve driving sales, accelerating online, product innovation and extending the marketplace offering.

NS: What was the project highlight of your career?

DR: I couldn’t ever pick one, but my highlights would be launching Shu Umera, MAC and Trish McEvoy for their game changing effect on the UK beauty market, they truly transformed the industry. I am extremely proud to have spearheaded this positive impact that allowed space for young emerging brands. I would also say launching Beyond Beauty and allowing small and upcoming brands to breathe and grow.

NS: Any others?

DR: Definitely The Beauty Bazaar, a three-storey stand-alone beauty only store launched in Liverpool, there is nothing like being the first! It is the epitome of pure luxury and was important at the time for bringing luxury back into beauty set against a backdrop of discounting. We offered unrivalled services in the store with the very best product edit. Really worth a day out to be beautified from top to toe. And finally, the teams that I worked with over the years, who have had success in their own right and gone on to bigger and better things.

ns: Anything you would do differently on reflection?

DR: Interesting question! I would have liked to have done things at a quicker pace. The adrenaline of bringing new ideas to market is thrilling.

NS: Talk me through your beauty routine?

DR: I always start with the Elemis Cleansing Balm, Olivia Wilson Micro needler 0.5mm, Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair and Y Lift Neck and Dec Serum. I also love the 111SKIN masks, Celestial Black Diamond Emulsion and Celestial Black Diamond Eye Cream.

NS: Any skincare products you can’t live without?

DR: The Y Lift Neck and Deck serum because you can honestly see a difference when you use it, it has massively improved by décolletage. I am also obsessed with the La Mer Body Lotion, still after 48 hours my legs are still as smooth as ever.

NS: How do you wind down in the evening?

DR: I feel as though through lockdown, I was really able to take time to wind down and obviously be away from the stresses of work. I indulged in Aromatherapy baths, listening to podcasts, cooking and reading.

NS: What advice would you give to anyone starting their career?

DR: I would say to always give it your all and work hard, yourself forward when the opportunity presents itself or better still come up with the opportunity yourself. Never look over your shoulder and what everyone else is doing. Love what you do.

NS: The best advice you ever received?

DR: Keep doing what you’re doing and push yourself forward.