Frontier Awards 2011 Judges
Francis Gros
Group Travel Retail Director
Luxottica
Francis has over 20 years of experience in the luxury goods and fragrances industries. This includes
overseeing the Japanese market for make-up brand Bourjois, developing the fashion accessories
business for Mantero Seta where he became the company's chief marketing officer, and as managing
director of niche fragrance and scented candles business diptyque. In 2007, he joined Luxottica and
became responsible for the eyewear company's dedicated worldwide travel retail division. Under Francis'
leadership, Luxottica Travel Retail has expanded rapidly, with regional offices established in Dublin,
Miami and Singapore, doubling the division's sales inside 4 years. Francis has also taken an active
role in promoting the wider sunglasses category, which now ranks amongst the fastest-growing in travel retail.
Isabel Zarza
Strategy and Corporate Development Director
WDF-Aldeasa
Isabel has a long history in the company starting as international analyst in 1996. After a spell
working for the Strategy and Business Architecture branch of Accenture in Madrid, Isabel returned
to Aldeasa as Investor Relations in 2002 and after the takeover bid she held a position in the
Corporate Development Department. Among other projects, she had a direct participation in Vancouver,
Atlanta, Saudi Arabia and the acquisition of WDF. Currently she is responsible for the Strategy
and Corporate Development Department of the Group reporting directly to Jose Maria Palencia,
CEO of Aldeasa. Isabel is also a member of the board for a cruise port company in Spain,
Creuers del Port de Barcelona. Isabel graduated in Law at the University of Salamanca, Spain;
among other qualifications she has a Masters Degree in Business Administration from the
University of Houston, and a diploma in Mergers and Acquisitions from the Instituto de Empresa.
Keith Hunter
Senior Vice President
Qatar Duty Free and Qatar Airways Inflight Duty Free.
Keith joined Qatar Airways in October 2008 as the senior vice president of their duty-free
business at the Doha International Airport. Keith is also responsible for the onboard
duty-free business of Qatar Airways, one of the fastest growing airlines and operating
one of the youngest fleets in the world. Prior to joining Qatar Airways in 2008, Keith
was the retail consultant for Bourne Leisure Group, parent company of Warner Leisure
Hotels, Butlins and Haven Caravan Parks, in the UK. Keith specifically focused on retail
opportunities within their 12 Warner Leisure Hotels and retail synergies between the 3
companies, including centralised purchasing. Keith started his Airport Retail career
in 2002, when he joined Alpha Airports group as the regional manager of their multiple
award-winning Glorious Britain Gift and Souvenir stores in Heathrow, Stansted and
Gatwick airports. In 2005, Keith was appointed Regional Manager for the South of
England retail operations, covering multiple businesses in tax and duty-free, CTN,
fashion, gifting, and food beverage.
Patrick Bouchard
General Manager Travel Retail
Puig
Patrick has worked in the Perfume Cosmetics industry for the last 12 years, following 3
years in the Wine Spirits industry. He has held several executive positions within Puig
whose brand portfolio includes, among others, Paco Rabanne, Carolina Herrera, Nina Ricci
and the perfume licences of Prada and Valentino. In 1999, he established Puig Middle East in
Dubai, defining a new route-to-market in travel retail and strategic local markets in the
region for the company. In 2004, he moved to Singapore where he became Managing Director of
Puig Asia Pacific. In 2006, Patrick joined the Puig headquarters in Barcelona to set-up and
manage the Group's Travel Retail unit.
Selwyn Grimsley
Chief Executive Officer
Tourvest Duty Free
Selwyn completed an honours degree in commerce and qualified as a chartered accountant.
He held financial positions with bluechip companies including Unilever. He has twenty-three
years' experience in consumer-facing businesses, with twelve years in commercial, operations,
business development and general management roles. He also has industry experience in film
distribution, with licenses from Disney, 20th Century Fox and Sony Pictures and in multiplex
cinema exhibition both in Southern Africa and Europe, operating from Johannesburg and London.
Selwyn was appointed CEO of Tourvest Duty Free in 2007. His vision for TDF is to be market
leader in in-flight retail with concessions spanning the world within five years.
Stuart McGuire
Group Managing Director
Scorpio Distributors Ltd
Stuart studied Law and Politics at the University of Newcastle Upon Tyne. He started Scorpio
Distributors in 1994, built on the knowledge previously learnt in the family business Clifford
International, a specialist supplier to airline retail. The original business was based on offering
Beverly Hills Polo Club watches and fashion accessories to the global airline market. Since then
the company has become a leading distributor of a wide variety of luxury goods, including
fragrances, cosmetics, watches, jewellery, electronics and travel accessories. In partnership
with Gebr Heinemann, Scorpio also manage exclusive supply contracts, including Guernsey
International Airport. The company concentrates on building long-term partnerships with suppliers
and customers, and prides itself on customer service.