Retail guru Mary Portas to speak at our 2026 GCA Conference
Businesswoman, broadcaster, author and activist Mary Portas OBE will be speaking about retail at our annual conference at Carden Park Chester on Monday, January 26.
Mary made her name creating change and in 2024 she was awarded an OBE for her services to business, broadcasting and charity in the King’s New Year Honours’ list.
Biggest names in global retail
Our Chairman Elect and Operations Director of Haskins Garden Centres, Ben Harrison, who is organising the conference with GCA CEO Peter Burks, explains: “Aged 30, Mary became a board member at Harvey Nichols before founding her own retail consultancy.
Evergreen Garden Care
“She has since worked with some of the biggest names in global retail and we’re very excited she has agreed to be one of our keynote speakers for our 2026 conference. We’re also delighted that our associate member Evergreen Garden Care has very generously agreed to sponsor Mary for our event.
BBC series – Mary Queen of Shops
“Her BBC series – Mary Queen of Shops – premiered in 2007 and she has presented on television and radio for the BBC and Channel 4 ever since. In 2009, she partnered with Save The Children to reinvent charity shops. To date, the 26 Mary’s Living & Giving shops nationwide have raised more than £30 million for charity. She also conducted a review of the future for high streets for the British government in 2011.”
Kindness Economy
Mary is the author of three books: an autobiography Shop Girl (2015) and two non-fiction books – Work Like A Woman: A Manifesto (2018) which looks at the restructuring how we work for the future; and Rebuild: how to thrive in the new Kindness Economy (2021). The Kindness Economy podcast was #1 on the business chart.
Peter Burks, our CEO, says: “Our 2026 conference explores the theme of ‘Growing a Better Future’ with a focus on profitability, sustainability and innovation in the industry, so Mary will fit in brilliantly.”
Better Business Act
As co-chair of the Better Business Act, Mary heads a coalition of businesses calling for a change in the law to ensure UK companies align their interests with those of wider society and the environment.
In addition to presenting two series of ‘Portas: On Style’ for BBC Radio 4, Mary is also a podcaster – in her latest series ‘Beautiful Misfits’ she interviews fellow changemakers taking the imaginative leap to create a better world.
The Great Climate Fight
Most recently, Mary took on the government with Kevin McCloud & Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall in The Great Climate Fight on CH4.
Book tickets now
Peter adds: “To find out more and book tickets, please go to the conference pages on our website members’ section or here. There is also a dedicated email conference@gca.org.uk for any queries anyone may have. If non-members would like to join us, so they can attend, please email info@gca.org.uk.”
The 2026 GCA Conference takes place at Carden Park Chester from January 25 until 28.
Not a member?
If you’d like to join us so you can attend our annual conference, please get in touch here.