Gavin McKechnie has seen plenty of challenges during a long career in retail and other customer-facing sectors that began many years ago as a management trainee at McDonald’s (“I still say I learned more there in ten months in terms of people management than I’ve ever learned since”). But he’s never seen anything like the opportunity
People
Creating smiles – and managing miracles – all across China
Meet Monica, Shell and Robert – the small, amazingly dedicated team who run The Smile Train China. I dropped into their office in downtown Beijing today to hear from Shell Xue (second from left), who heads the team, about their success to date and their plans for the future. What an inspiring story it is. Amazingly,
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People
Golfer McDowell proves a banker for Ballantine’s
If Northern Irish golfer Graeme McDowell should ever find himself short of a sponsor – though after his victory on Sunday in the Barclays Scottish Open at Loch Lomond, he should have few such worries – he would probably find the doors at Chivas Bros flung open to welcome him. Sunday’s triumph, ahead of a top-class field including
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Airports
Proving that partnership can prosper
Virtually unannounced, one of travel retail’s most successful and enduring partnerships celebrated its 10th anniversary this week. The partners were The Nuance Group and A.S. Watson, which, on 7 July, marked a decade of combined achievement at Hong Kong International Airport. The reason for the lack of overt celebration wasn’t any shyness – it’s just that
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People
Rest in peace Philip Morris: DFNI designer and creator of Florida Fox
The Moodie Blog is deeply saddened to report on the passing away of Philip Morris, long-time design and layout manager at Duty-Free News International and along with his wife Jeanette a valued contributor to the early success of The Moodie Report. Philip was a lovely, gentle man with a uniquely creative and free spirit. Work was
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People
Why we do like Mundays
The Moodie Report is delighted to have reported on many instances of corporate and personal generosity down the years. Travel retail remains an industry of great conscience, which has proved time and again it has the ability to make a difference to the lives of those less fortunate. So here’s a lovely story from one
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People
‘Mossie’ Burke bounces back
A welcome guest at the first-ever Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at the weekend was Maurice Burke, long-time General Manager of Bahrain Duty Free and one of the great contributors to the Middle East travel retail business and to parent company Aer Rianta, for whom he worked for 38 years. Maurice left Bahrain Duty Free in
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Airports
German company on the ball with Russian media
At the opening of Russian travel retailer RegStaer’s impressive new duty free store at Moscow Sheremetyevo Airport this week, the company’s Chairman Alexander Baev was joined at a press conference for Russian media by Pierre Viarnaud (pictured centre), Area Director for Russia and the CIS for RegStaer’s main supplier, Gebr Heinemann of Germany. The eager
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Events
Unleashing the Power of polo
King Power International (Thailand) Chairman Vichai Raksiaksorn has always had to be on the ball, especially during the past year as the Thai travel retailer has had to fight the toughest battle imaginable to retain its Suvarnabhumi airport contracts in a long-running (and politically motivated) battle with Airports of Thailand. Now, with that battle seemingly
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Events
You are unique – you are Magnifique
The Devil may wear Prada but the scarlet woman wears Magnifique. That was certainly the case at the spectacular launch of Lancôme’s much-anticipated new feminine fragrance in Paris this week. The setting (le Grand Palais in Paris), the organisation, the Brand Ambassador (more of her in a moment) and the new scent were all, in their differing
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People
Inspirational World Duty Free duo lead incredible fund-raising effort for the blind
Here’s a heart-warming story from World Duty Free’s Gatwick Airport team.Lynda Armstrong and Moira Smith have raised £100,000 in aid of Guide Dogs For The Blind – that’s an amazing £65,000 over their original target. Thanks to their combined efforts – and the generosity of donors – World Duty Free was able to sponsor 12 puppies
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People
Who was that masked man?
“Who was that masked man?” we ask again for the second time in recent weeks on The Moodie BLOG*. Our picture was taken during the recent TFWA Asia Pacific show in Singapore on the Escale stand where the company unveiled Amala, its new natural skincare brand. Escale also hosted the world premier launch for
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People
The Brains Trust gives cause to smile
Meet the Brains Trust. Mother Jilly and daughter Jessica (Jessie) to be precise. The mother and daugher combination behind Jakk, the Australian jewellery brand that has become one of the most vibrant independent forces in the business over the past 16 years since Jilly showed her first collection internationally. She – and the business –