Consumer Expert, Retail Consultant & Former Customer Experience Director for John Lewis

Peter Cross is a leading figure in the retail industry, famed for his former role as the Customer Experience Director for John Lewis. Having also formerly worked alongside Mary Portas and for L’Oreal, Peter is considered a foremost authority on consumer needs and wants and is now booked as a leading public speaker. With a plethora of corporate clients in his roster, Peter is booked to speak at events on topics such as the consumer of the future, customer service, retail leadership, a culture of innovation and more.

Helping retailers to retain customers by stepping comfortably into the future of shopping, Peter is famed for his years spent working as the Communications Director and the Customer Experience Director of John Lewis. Before working with John Lewis, Peter spent several years as Mary Portas’ business partner, working as a Managing Partner for Yellowdoor and Portas. With a unique blend of consultation and practical retail management experience, there are few who can match Peter’s expertise in retail.

Deepening relationships with consumers and employees in his work, Peter has also formerly worked as the Global Director of Communications, Communications Director and Communications Manager for L’Oreal and the Director of Global Marketing Communications for Alfred Dunhill. During his time working for major retailers, Peter oversaw customer service agendas, resetting of purposes and values, Christmas ad campaigns and predictions of the future of the high street. Other prominent roles of Peter’s include Vice President of the Institute of Customer Service, a Member of the HM Government Future High Street Forum and an Ambassador of the Retail Trust.

With countless years of retail experience under his belt, Peter is now booked as a speaker for a range of corporate and public events to share his expertise. Helping retailers to remain irresistible to their consumers, Peter shares examples from his time in retail, promoting brand purpose and authentic human connection. Challenging current ideas and thinking, Peter encourages corporate audiences to think about the future of commerce and other business factors such as internal culture and innovation. Ensuring that audiences leave his speeches with a clear vision of the future of retail, book Peter Cross as a retail speaker for your next event to put the future into perspective.

How to hire Peter Cross

Contact the Champions Speakers Agency to provisionally enquire about hiring Peter Cross for your next event, today. To get in touch, simply call an official booking agent on 0207 1010 553 or email us at [email protected] for more information.

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Peter's official speaking topics are listed below:

Meet the Consumer of the Future - Whilst much has changed irreversibly and there are things none of us saw coming, there are aspects of the modern consumer that remain timeless and universal. Without the babble so often associated with consumer forecasting or contemporary customer experience, Peter shares his view of the core trends that have changed how we shop, live and behave and how all this influences the needs, values and aspirations of the modern shopper. Within the talk, Peter offers his own manifesto for customer service applicable across all channels and sectors.

Customer Service Now - Peter believes that customer service could be one of the unspoken casualties of our age. Sidelined by the pandemic, reduced to CX touchpoints or lost in the opportunities and complexities of digital disruption, Peter reveals the timeless cardinal sins and eternal truths of outstanding customer service across all channels based on first-hand experience and a lifetime serving customers.

The Human Side of Business - Drawing on eight years in charge of culture and internal communications at the UK’s largest employee-owned business and a deep-seated passion for the power of communities to drive human connections and happiness, Peter shares his views on why understanding people remains a core driver of business success

Magpies, Merchants and Astronauts: Eternal Truths from a Life in Retail Leadership - Peppered with stories from a life in retail, Peter reveals the most ambitious projects, the craziest ideas and all the highs and lows that have made him the retail leader he is. Whilst insightful and often amusing, these stories reveal some of the core character traits Peter believes it takes to succeed.

The Power of Purpose - Life as a quest is not a new idea. Humans have sought meaning in life since the very beginning of life but not all have grasped and harnessed the power of purpose. Similarly, companies have been emboldened by values, visions and missions for several decades but few have truly pivoted their entire business model into a single defining purpose. This chapter explores how the most powerful driver of them all, the will to live, can be as effective in powering and propelling organisations. And how individuals can propel themselves into a new more dynamic opportunistic future by applying the core principles of purpose throughout their lives. As we enter a new age of “purpose-led” organisations and against a backdrop of woke, increasing consumer expectations and the urgency of building a more sustainable future, Peter clarifies the difference between having a mission and being guided by a mission with meaning and suggests that connecting with a fellow human's authentic life values and principles can ultimately be far more powerful than the most extravagant marketing campaign.

Building a Culture of Innovation/ The Power of a Curious and Inquiring Mind - Most of the invention and progress throughout history, from flints to self-driving cars, has been fuelled by curiosity. The impulse to find the new and explore and experience novel possibilities is a basic human attribute and yet whilst most leaders in business say they treasure inquisitive minds, most stifle curiosity and ultimately innovation. The audience will be taken on a journey of understanding why curiosity is mission-critical to a businesses performance. Curiosity makes us think more deeply and rationally, it can lead to more creative solutions and enables more trusting and inspirational relationships. Audiences will be encouraged to embrace complexity rather than fear it and will build a new deeper understanding of the power of curiosity to reveal new opportunities.

Peter is often booked as a speaker for a range of corporate events, read his latest feedback below.

"Portas's real success stems from her partnership with the international marketing genius Peter Cross" - The Independent

"Peter was an exceptional speaker at our internal away day for 100 colleagues. We were looking for an inspirational leader with a ton of experience, who could inspire the team, illustrate the messages with compelling stories and energise everybody for the day. Peter exceeded our expectations and we would love to have him back for a future event." - Adrian, CMO, ITV Studios

"Peter is charismatic, intelligent and highly entertaining. Business needs more like him" - Mary Portas

"Peter took part in our inaugural Spring Fair @Home event as we pivoted to provide digital access to our events during the Covid-19 crisis. He was a highly valued speaker who was able to provide interesting, practical insight and advice to our audience. Peter was able to gain and hold the audience’s attention during the session and brought ideas to life through real-life case studies and easy-to-understand language. Our audience loved his delivery. Along with a highly impressive background to draw upon, Peter is capable of speaking to a range of individuals and tailoring his approach to the audience at hand. I would not hesitate to invite Peter again to speak to the Spring and Autumn Fair audiences" - Niamh, Senior Content Producer, Fashion & Retail - Hyve Group Plc

"Peter is a trailblazing marketing maven, customer experience colossus and public relations power ranger. I've had the pleasure of knowing Peter for many years and also working with him on several initiatives. It's a genuine pleasure to recommend Peter. A highly effective and passionate leader with a canny eye on tend and creative detail. He delivers high-value powerful activation strategies and compelling communication and CX tactics. Peter is also an exemplary public speaker, holding audiences captive with his magnetic charisma, insightful and impactful insights and engaging delivery. Peter certainly stands out from the crowd" - Justin, Global Director of Brand & Marketing Transformation