Simon Layton is a centre director at the Trafford Centre, a world-renowned shopping and leisure destination in Greater Manchester.
After nearly 20 years working at Marks & Spencer, where he became Head of Region, he joined Trafford Centre in 2023.
Now, he leads a cross-functional team that covers marketing, represents the centre, and supports its future growth plans.
From lucky breaks to the best investments he’s made, Layton shares some of the lessons he’s learnt across his life and career so far…
Which single daily habit or practice could you not do without?
My favourite part of the day is walking and talking to guests, brands and of course my team. Without fail, every day I walk the malls around 8am looking at things from a guest perspective before the stores open – I vary it daily to cover washrooms, service areas, car parks and plant rooms as well as the key guest areas such as the mall and food court.
It’s a huge site at Trafford Centre and it is important that every area is ‘guest ready. I use this time to catch up with my team as we walk and talk. I’m not sure my day would be complete without this important part as it is a great time to see everything – I also walk the malls again when the stores are busy as this is a great chance to review how we can improve our guest experience.
What’s been your luckiest break?
Earlier in my career I had opportunity to move over to Northern Ireland and become Head of Region for Marks & Spencer, leading 21 stores. It was an extremely varied role and taught me a huge amount and very quickly. I had the pleasure of leading a fantastic team but also had to operate in a unique part of the M&S business.
Logistical challenges such as turbulent seas, bad weather impacting deliveries (especially at Christmas!) and of course preparations for Brexit legislation were great opportunities to broaden my skillset. I was heavily involved in commercial decisions for several new store openings which I suppose looking back has helped pave the way for the role I do today!
What is the best investment you’ve ever made, either financial or time?
Investing in people and their development is very important to me. I’m naturally a curious person and I love to find out what’s important to each of my team, as it varies for all. Investing in these conversations are often incredibly rewarding – single conversations can spark opportunity or a career defining moment for either me or one of my colleagues. I love to spend time asking questions, coaching and helping others find a way through an obstacle.
Which podcast or book would you recommend others to read/listen to, and why?
A really good read for me was “Why should anyone be led by you” by Robert Goffee and Gareth Jones. It’s a brilliant book to get you thinking. Reading this early on in my career changed my thinking, really making me focus on being an authentic leader – it is okay to make mistakes, and showing you have weaknesses sometimes really drives encouragement. I also love one of our values which is covered in the book “dare to be different” – we should always look for better and new ways to do the same thing.
What one piece of advice would you give your 21-year-old self?
Definitely “slow down to go faster”. I was an ambitious store manager at 21 but I would love to tell myself back then that there is plenty of time. Just taking the time to plan, think strategically and make sure you win the hearts and minds of those around you is much better than jumping in two feet first, however tempting it is. Sometimes you need to react, and that’s okay, but taking the time to reflect and learn is really key to future success.
Who or what has had the single biggest influence on your working life?
When I was growing up, I loved spending time with my grandad. He certainly shaped and influenced the commercial mind I inherited at such an early age. As an antique dealer and shop owner, he could drive a hard bargain and instilled a good work ethic, as well as telling me stories of opportunities he’d seized, succeeded in, and failed, in business. I’d love going to trade events, auctions and sale rooms with him and I think it taught me the value of money, building relationships and some basics that helped set me up in my own career in retail.
Tell us something about you that would surprise people.
I’ve always loved how things work, taking things to pieces and putting them back together again. Dave, our technical services manager, must dread it when I go into a mechanical plant room! At home, I have an old Land Rover that I’ve lovingly restored over the last few years – it is unreliable, leaks like a sieve and slow but is lots of fun off-road. I love to unwind by working on the engine or fitting a new part – even better, competing in an off-road trial or event (I am quite competitive!)
If there was one thing you could change about your career, what would it be and why?
Every role I have done has presented new opportunities and I have always tried to find the fun in every job and, if I’m being honest, there isn’t anything I’d change. I think it’s always important to take ownership for your future and see the long-term benefit in a short-term appointment. Sometimes it’s necessary to move through roles flexibly and sideways – gathering skills is more important than earning more money because those rewards will come in time. I often wish I’d stepped into property management sooner but when I reflect on that, the skills and experience I built in running retail operations set me up well for what I do today.
What does success look like to you?
Winning together. Success to me in the workplace is leading an engaged team that celebrates group achievements and, of course, supports each other. There is no room for silos, we are all here to create the UK’s leading retail and leisure destination. Whilst we had a record year in 2024, my team made sure each month to call out those who smashed it – I genuinely believe that our approach to recognition and reward helped to drive better results and we have reviewed that, built a clear plan and replicated what worked for this year. I’m a big believer in sharing the plan and why it’s important, so that everyone, in every part of the operation, knows how they can get involved.
