Philip Downer
Owner/Director, Front of Store

Website | @frontofstore | Attendee Directory Profile

Philip Downer is the owner of Front of Store, a consultancy that supports retailers and publishers.

He’s at TOC because he cares about the future of bookstores and reading – not from a Luddite “all change is bad” standpoint, but rather because he believes in working with retailers and publishers to ensure that today’s fundamental (and exciting) changes to format, distribution etc are as positive as possible for readers and the next generation.

Philip was CEO at Borders UK, and has also held senior positions at WH Smith/Waterstone’s (including 2½ years working in the US), as well as spending his formative years in the record business.

In addition to working with retail clients, Philip writes for a number of trade publications, and runs a popular blog. He is a member of the Publishing Advisory Board at Kingston University, London, where he has lectured MA students on “Publishing and Bookselling in the Digital Age”.

Philip has recently published an ebook available to Kindle users entitled “A Year at Front of Store”, which reviews events in retailing and books through 2011.