Kamshim Lau Named President of International Association of Department Stores
PARIS — The International Association of Department Stores announced Monday that Lifestyle International’s Kamshim Lau has been named president.
Lau previously held the position of vice president at the retail organization for two terms. She succeeds Holger Blecker, chief executive officer of German retailer Breuninger GmbH & Co.
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The appointment of Lau marks the first time a woman has held the position in the organization’s 95 years.
Lau’s appointment “is another testament to the IADS members’ agility and commitment to addressing the most pressing challenges in retail,” the organization said.
Hong Kong-based Lifestyle International Holdings Ltd. operates the landmark Sogo department store, which has been a member of the organization for 10 years. Lau is also a member of the executive committee of the Hong Kong Retail Management Association and a member of the Retail & Tourism Committee within the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce.
As part of the move, Blecker will take up a position on IADS’ executive committee, alongside El Palacio de Hierro CEO Juan Carlos Escribano, Galeries Lafayette CEO Nicolas Houzé and Magasin du Nord chair Peter King.
The Paris-based retail trade association was founded in 1928 as a think tank for retailers. It has adopted the new strategic direction over the last three years, which saw the group welcome two new members in 2023: Turkey’s Boyner Group, which operates 105 stores, and United Arab Emirates Chalhoub Group, which operates 750 stores throughout eight countries in the Middle East.
Under Lau’s leadership, the group will continue to develop its programs and services with “solution-driven problem-solving processes for its members so that they are prepared to face the future of the retail industry,” the organization said.
As part of these initiatives, IADS will continue to modernize the organization’s support for its department store members, implementing a series of strategic partnerships launched in 2020, including working with consulting agency NellyRodi on trends identification, business-to-business sourcing solution The Style Pulse to identify new brands, Retail Hub on tech solutions and platforms, and the Retail and Hospitality Information Sharing and Analysis Center on cybersecurity.
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