Encouragement, cajoling and volumes of literature and music continue to fill my electronic and postal mailbag as I plough into my prolonged medical treatment programme. As one would expect from this industry, plenty of it has been of the cheeky kind. David Spillane of Travel Retail Sales picked up on Brian Collie’s urging that I should continue
Miscellaneous
Raising the bar at Belfast
HMSHost’s new-look food & beverage offer at Belfast City Airport, which was launched at a special event this week, hits some real high notes for the all-important qualities of newness and Sense of Place, we believe. The Autogrill-owned concessionaire, which crucially, has an investment-friendly 10-year contract at the airport, unveiled a new Harvest Market concept,
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People
A new chapter for Rod Wiltshire
On Friday 23 July, our industry bade farewell to one of its longest-serving and most respected and popular retailers – Aldeasa US President Rod Wiltshire (pictured second from right above), who is taking well-earned retirement from full-time work (though he will remain an advisor/consultant to the Autogrill-owned company). Rod worked with Alpha/Aldeasa for 15 years,
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People
Maingreaud – the right man for the role
Tax Free World Association’s (TFWA) appointment of Alain Maingreaud as Managing Director appears a sound and logical move. Maingreaud, who replaces former CEO Olivier Charriaud, has been Exhibitions & Business Development Director of TFWA since 2007, and before that Commercial Director. In other words he is expert at the association’s core business – running successful
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Airports
Good taste in every sense
One of my favourite stories of 2010 to date is Airport Authority Hong Kong’s superb ‘Tasting Hong Kong’ community art campaign at Hong Kong International Airport – in my view a classic example of how airports can (and should) contribute to their local communities and cultures. Tasting Hong Kong showcases visual artworks from ten local
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Airports
Dubai Duty Free – Number one in so many ways
Dubai Duty Free has won so many awards and other accolades down the years that it’s perhaps easy to gloss over them. But that would be a mistake. For underneath the sales achievements and the often brilliant marketing and consumer campaigns, lies a tale of extraordinary brand development and a retailer that stands for much
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Miscellaneous
Florrie rocks the house at Nina L’Elixir launch
Puig and Nina Ricci put on a show – literally – in London last week, at the launch of the new feminine fragrance, Nina L’Elixir. The scent, which will begin rolling out in travel retail in September, is an edp interpretation of the original Nina edt, launched in 2006. The fragrance face is 21-year-old British
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Events
‘The test of the morality of a society is what it does for its children’ – Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Out of the mouths of babes hast thou ordained strength – Psalm 8:2 You know the symptoms. Your heart is racing. Your blood pressure is rising and your pupils dilating. Dry mouth, shaking hands and there’s a maddening, giveaway tremor in your voice. Just about anyone who has had to address a public audience will
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Miscellaneous
L’Oréal’s exclusive new line extension
The L’Oréal group has released preliminary details of its latest line extension – and it’s a very precious limited edition. International Communications Director Travel Retail Worldwide Gersende de Barbeyrac gave birth to a beautiful baby boy, Ferréol de Saint-Exupéry, on 5 June. Everyone here at The Moodie Report would like to extend our congratulations to
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Airports
Travel retail gets a kick out of football’s World Cup
Since the departure of the brave All Whites from New Zealand (my apologies to all Italian readers for our role in the demise of the Azzurri), my allegiances have switched constantly in this most compelling of Football World Cups. The event, so wonderfully organised by South Africa, has gripped the attention of millions worldwide, and
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People
The comfort of strangers – and friends
“And I’ll drink and dance with one hand free Let the world back into me And oh I’ll be a sight to see Back in the high life again” – Warren Zevon, Back in the High Life Again In what seems the blink of an eye, the Royal Marsden Hospital in London has replaced Heathrow
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Events
Waxing lyrical over Neil Towns
From Neil Towns, Head of Buying at P&O Ferries, comes news that he has smashed his recent charity fund-raising target – and had a unique, albeit painful, beauty treatment in the process. On 18 July Neil is taking part in a 105 mile stage of the Tour De France in the Pyrenees. The ride this
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Miscellaneous
The Moodie Report’s LA Adventure: Day 3
Up bright and early today for the outdoor 7.30 am yoga session, led by celebrity instructor Mark Blanchard, who trains the likes of Jennifer Aniston, Drew Barrymore and Andy Garcia. The Moodie Report is feeling fairly confident – we are reasonably fit, have done a few years of yoga and went easy on the vino