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Greggs CEO named keynote speaker as European marketing conference heads to Newcastle

Newcastle Business School at Northumbria University will next month play host to The Academy of Marketing Conference 2016, whereby Greggs CEO Roger Whiteside will deliver a keynote presentation.

One of Europe’s leading annual marketing conferences, the event - now in its 49th year - will see over 400 marketing experts from around the world flock to Newcastle from July 4th to the 7th.

This year’s theme is ‘Radical Marketing’ as an emerging concept which will combine research and practice in contemporary marketing as well as consumer behaviour and also showcase advances which challenge the traditional status quo.

Mr. Whiteside’s delivery, titled ‘Time to get Radical, will give delegates an insight into the Greggs journey from enhancing the brand and new product development, to redefining the customer proposition and reinforcing the company’s position as the UK’s leading food-on-the-go retailer.

Roger said: “Greggs is a much loved and trusted brand with a strong bakery heritage. In recent years the market we operate in and our customers’ expectations have undergone huge change resulting in our traditional business model coming under pressure. It was time to get radical!

“The Greggs brand and customer experience is undergoing a radical transformation as we move from our traditional bakery base to a modern, attractive food-on-the-go retailer. Understanding our customers’ needs and audience segmentation has been key to our new strategy.

“Our new plan is working but the market around us is fiercely competitive and changing fast – ultimately we win by understanding our customers and delivering their needs better than our competitors – however radical that needs to be.

“Given Greggs’ strong links with Newcastle Business School and its North East roots, I feel privileged to have been invited to share Greggs’ journey at an event which celebrates the region and showcases its successes to marketeers from across the world.”