#BWSMAGAZINE
Karen comes across as smart, ambitious and
dedicated to her job, but above all she is a
champion of the retail sector, fiercely passionate
about what a great industry it is to work within.
Karen recently launched a pioneering careers
programme with the Livingston secondary
school, James Young High School. The project
gives students from the local community real-
life insight into the world of retail with hands-
on work experience, hoping to inspire and
educate them on a potential career in the
retail sector in the future. The initiative mirrors
the Scottish Government’s pledge to reduce
youth unemployment across the country by
improving careers advice and work experience
available to the next generation.
Edinburgh has been home to Karen since
1982 where she completed her secondary
education before going on to study Commerce
and Business at Edinburgh Napier University.
It was there she developed her managerial
skills that eventually led her to work for some
of the country’s most renowned retailers,
including House of Fraser and Debenhams.
Despite travelling across the country, Scotland
is where she calls home and she’s had roles
at Edinburgh’s Cameron Toll and Dundee’s
Overgate before finding her place at Scotland’s
largest designer outlet.
“I love retail – I always have. Either at a store of
Head Office level, I suppose shopping centres
give you both at once. Outlets are exciting,
fast-paced and always changing which is what
I love most about my role.”
“I’ve had so many great role models over the
years, without whom I wouldn’t be where I
am today. I feel it’s my responsibility to give
back and inspire the next generation of retail
professionals. We gave young people the
opportunity to work alongside senior personnel
in the outlet, to help them see the opportunities
a career in retail can present.What about quotes
to live by for the retail queen? “If you work hard
and do your best you can do anything. The only
way to do great work is to love what you do.”
Karen believes the long-lasting appeal of
the retail sector is based around the idea of
community and its prioritisation of its staff.
While the sector faces many challenges in an
increasingly digital world, she believes working
with a great team of people is essential to
meeting the challenges within the continually
evolving industry.
Karen has a year filled with ambitious activity
at the centre as it is set to welcome even more
big name designer brands. To top it off, she’s
gearing up to learn to scuba dive in the Adriatic
Sea later this year. What a woman!
“Every day is different in retail but the most
rewarding part of my job has to be working
with the brands to maximise their potential. I
like understanding what inspires our brands
and customers, looking at the insights behind
customer behaviour and how we can match
this by thinking differently, innovating and
recreating whilst keeping true to Livingston’s
original values and vision.”
livingston-designer-outlet.co.uk
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