Business with Dr Sukky Jassi, Alistair MacAuley & Dr Esther Pugh

Dr Esther Pugh

Leeds Beckett University

Esther is the research lead for retail and consumer behaviour, encouraging collaboration in research and publication across the business school. She is passionate about the retail experience and extending research in this area, to encapsulate emotional, subjective and symbolic shopping. Esther's research interests are fashion retail, consumer behaviour, visual merchandising, and the sensory retail experience in physical stores. Currently, Esther is researching charity shop donations behaviours, the role of British Vogue in shaping the ‘Slow Fashion’ agenda, and the role of mirrors in physical fashion and beauty shopping spaces. She is publishing from her PhD the conceptual contribution ‘Spatial Fabric’ and her innovative participative smartphone photographic methodology. Prior to entering the academic world, Esther was in charge of visual merchandising for global fashion retail brands, Oasis and Coast. Esther has also run her own vintage fashion business and continues to maintain a keen interest in vintage fashion, the circular economy and sustainable lifestyles. In all her teaching, Esther extends learning beyond the classroom into the world of retail, marketing and business with real organisations and real life problems. Her extended network is always brought in to support the students with real projects, assignments and the opportunity to engage externally with future potential employers. This develops students’ transferable skills and confidence. Esther is also passionate about the students she teaches and especially their sense of belonging. She is undertaking a large and multi-departmental project with the student union, IT, wellbeing, the library, careers and admin to investigate this. By exploring the undergraduate students’ feelings about sense of belonging, Esther aims to improve wellbeing and resilience to enhance belonging, which will in turn improve student success, continuation and outcomes.

Alistair MacAuley

Course Director for BA (Hons) Business Management & Pathways

Leeds Beckett University

Alistair is an experienced academic, educational specialist and Course Director for the Business and Management provision at Leeds Business School. He has over 12 years experience teaching across all levels at the university and has delivered on a number of programmes including Business & Management, Retail Marketing and Management and Degree Apprenticeships at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Alistair has held a number of positions in both grocery retail and licensed retail before entering academia. His specialism is in the retail environment, innovation and technology. Alistair has stayed true to his business roots ensuring that his students are exposed to the world of business, working on a number of projects throughout their university journey, striving to bring the world of business academia to life. Alistair is in the final year of his doctorate, which focuses on student experience, wellbeing, resilience and belonging. His research has had a significant impact when enhancing the student journey and experience at Leeds Business School.

Dr Sukky Jassi

Course Director BA (Hons) International Business

Leeds Beckett University

Sukky is an experienced academic and research professional at Leeds Business School. She has taught across a range of undergraduate, postgraduate and degree apprenticeship programmes with expertise in retail, innovation, research methods and consultancy. Sukky’s current role is overseeing the BA (Hons) International Business programme, which includes developing the course and curriculum, managing performance and ensuring the best experiences and outcomes possible for students. Sukky is a research and consultancy professional by background with years of experience delivering qualitative and quantitative applied projects in both the public and private sector - the outcome of which has driven decision making, problem solving, policy making and the improvement of products and services. Sukky's research is focused on the integration of two theoretical perspectives, innovation adoption and resistance to support the implementation of new technology. More specifically, her doctoral research investigated consumer perspectives on intelligent packaging on food products. Understanding the relationship between product packaging and the consumer is imperative because intelligent packaging has the potential to transform the consumer experience, reduce food waste, support industry innovation, improve food safety and encourage market competitiveness. Other interests include a range of topics relating to the way in which consumers interact with retail products and services.