Severino is a charismatic but distinctly low-key man. His word is his bond and he believes passionately in his principles, in his company and in his people.
Airports
Tales of transformation and two-storey grandeur in Singapore
The Louis Vuitton store in T3 is a brilliant combination of a great brand proposition, an instagrammable experience and a thrilling affirmation of Changi Airport’s justifiably renowned shopping offer.
Read More
Airports
All quiet on the eastern front
As always at HKIA there are plenty of ‘Opening Soon’ hoardings, such as the ones for Cartier and Miu Miu pictured. I love the way that Airport Authority Hong Kong never sees its job as done and constantly refreshes its retail and food & beverage offer.
Read More
Miscellaneous
Uneasy calm in Hong Kong – but for how long?
“Finding an exit strategy is almost always the most difficult part of anti-government mobilisation, and it remains unclear how the spiral of violence can be halted now.”
Read More
Airports
Hitting a new kind of high note at Beijing Airport
This seems a sure-fire bet, with a return per square metre way better than most luxury boutiques.
Read More
Airports
Portrush beams even as the weather gods frown
This was a day that had it all. Streams of sunshine, torrents of rain, high winds and even a rainbow or two, all served up by the weather gods whose moods the people of Northern Ireland know only too well. I’m in Portrush for the 148th running of The Open, golf’s oldest major championship, and
Read More
Travel
Buoyant in Beijing, sleepless over Siberia
In both culinary and commercial terms there are plenty of exciting options on the menu.
Read More
Airports
Beauty and arrivals duty free boom in Beijing
Beijing Capital International Airport never fails to amaze. But today it wasn’t the architecture that caught my eye so much as the heavy business being done at the Sunrise Duty Free arrivals store and the amount of airport advertising space taken up by beauty brands.
Read More
Airports
Back where it all began and embracing the spirit of west Ireland
I suspect that after the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open a certain Colm McLoughlin, who began his duty free career 50 years ago at Shannon Airport in 1969 may have stopped too to pay his respects to Dr O’Regan.
Read More
Airports
Southern hospitality at DFW
A remarkable week at FAB 2019 concluded for me with a memorable tour of Paradies Lagardère’s restaurants and retail stores at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), where I was reminded again of the warmth of Texan hospitality and the rich blend of culinary culture in this southern state. The quality of food also underlined
Read More
Events
“Y’all come back to Dallas.” We sure will
What could have been a standard Q&A session turned into a warm, deep and revealing chat, which left me and the audience knowing a lot more about the how and why of these two contrasting companies’ success stories.
Read More
Airports
A new benchmark for luxury spirits at DXB
While temperatures have hit more than 40 degrees here in Dubai this week, those of us in town for the celebration of The Macallan’s new airport boutique have enjoyed something akin to a northern European season, at least for a few hours. On Tuesday night, Edrington Global Travel Retail and retail partner Le Clos marked
Read More
Events
Moodie Davitt Interim Moscow Bureau opens for business
As always, I’ve got a bit of catching up to do with Colm. If I reach 50 years in the business that will make me 81…