Masterclass: Niclas Ekeroth, Global Vice President of Retail, Burberry

Masterclass: Niclas Ekeroth, Global Vice President of Retail, Burberry

On Thursday 1st September, we were joined for our latest Masterclass session by Burberry’s Global Vice President of Retail, Niclas Ekeroth.


Niclas has been in the industry for nearly three decades, making his way from the shop floor to the London HQ of one of the most historic fashion houses in the world.

In the early 2000s,  Burberry acquired an unwanted association with the UK’s infamous 'chav culture'. As a business, they were determined to overturn this image. The appointment of Riccardo Tisci as Chief Creative Officer marked a turning point in the Burberry ethos – with an aim to turn the brand into a luxury powerhouse to rival the top fashion labels – a quintessentially British equivalent of Gucci.

Niclas joined the company to help ensure this luxury ethos was embraced at a retail level. As VP of Global Retail, Niclas took change of reimagining the in-store customer experience, evolving it from a standard high-street affair to a high-end experience based on a blend of pampering and professionalism.

One of the key takeaways from Niclas' talk was his belief in the power of a motivated, competitive team. Everyone in the Retail  team has a voice, a valid opinion, and a right to voice concerns about the direction of travel. It felt like an important message on the shift in direction of the working world – from Devil Wears Prada-style dictatorships to a more democratised workplace.

Some of our team’s other key takeaways included:

  • The importance of brand ambassadorship in staff members
  • How to shift the perceptions of a brand through customer experience
  • Having negative role models – the people you DON'T want to emulate through your career

Niclas' vast experience meant that his Masterclass was both informative and inspiring and, fittingly, he ended with his mantra – one which rings true with team tree:

Don't decrease the goal. Increase the effort.

And remember, if Burberry can go from knock-off market stalls to perfume ads starring Adam Driver as a hot centaur, so can you. Probably.