I have an exciting announcement to make…

Oh dear, oh dear! 

They say a week is a long time in politics, but PMQs this week must have felt like an eternity to our beleaguered PM. 

No matter your political persuasion, the Peter Mandelson controversy has been front and centre of the nation’s conversation. 

The appointment. The cover up. The perfidious revelations. The sorry saga has all the makings of a Hollywood thriller – or 8 episodes on Netflix… season 1! 

And now it is being suggested that Epstein was a Russian spy. So, not only did the convicted pedophile have a man on the inside of the British Cabinet, but also our beloved PM then inserted Putin’s source into the US embassy! 

All we need now is a shower scene where it turns out that Ronald Reagan is still alive and has been on the phone to Mikhail Gorbachev all of this time, and the madness will be complete. Tell you what, Maggie would have NEVER sanctioned any of this nonsense! 

Appointments matter. They always have. And the Mandelson soap opera has shone an unforgiving spotlight on how damaging it can be when people are placed into high-stakes roles without the right process, the right scrutiny or the right alignment with organisational values.  

So what better timing could there be for me to be joined by a remarkable new colleague…  

Don’t worry we have vetted her more thoroughly than any government appointee… we have searched using Google and double checked by asking her outright!  

We are absolutely delighted to announce that Deborah Edwards is joining me at Cotton’s as a full-time consultant.  Please feel free to check Deborah out at:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/debora-edwards-6a09a0b/

Debs brings a wealth of global experience across business change, transformation and IT integration programmes. Experience gained whilst working with a large number of huge global names such as Lloyd’s Banking Group, London Stock Exchange, Unilever, GSK, HPE and Centrica, what a list –  I’ve certainly worked at a few places in retail that would have benefited from the skilled pragmatism of a Debs!  

But just as important as her technical expertise is her approach: collaborative, principled and relentlessly focused on delivering real, measurable value for clients. 

She is the Practice Lead for all things integration and business change. And she got the job despite having no criminal convictions or convicted felons for friends! Yes folks… it can be done! 

Debs and I are going to be on hand to meet and greet at this year’s Retail Risk – On the Move, Coventry event.  

Cotton Associates will have its own stand – a physical space where we can meet retail leaders, share our thinking and showcase the breadth of what we now offer. 

At a show somewhere, I saw an exhibitor build a cocktail bar. Opening at 3pm, it was rammed and everyone was having a good time.  

I thought that was a great idea and have been pleading with Paul Bessant at Retail Knowledge to let me buy a double stand so I could borrow the idea. I know. “Typical consultant.” Trouble is, the damn show is sold out!  

So maybe there will only be room for me with my trusty hip flask this year. But still, come and see me if you fancy a snifter!