Change, not rest, for Mary
Mary Portas made her name by creating change. After transforming Harvey Nichols she founded her own retail consultancy and for the past 25 years has worked with businesses including Louis Vuitton and Mercedes.
In 2009, after developing a concept for the reinvention of charity shops, Mary went into partnership with Save The Children. To date, the 26 Mary’s Living & Giving shops have raised more than £30 million for charity.
Her review of the future for high streets for the UK Government saw her recommendations on commercial, community and legislative changes become part of the mainstream narrative.
After writing her autobiography Shop Girl in 2015, Mary’s first non-fiction book Work Like A Woman was published in 2018. It detailed her vision for change in the way we work – breaking down barriers for women and enabling men to take a more active part in caring for children and parents.
In 2021, her second non-fiction, Rebuild, was published.
Mary become co-chair of a coalition of businesses calling for a change in the law to ensure every company aligns their interests with those of wider society and the environment.
In September, Mary launched her podcast Beautiful Misfits – interviewing fellow changemakers.