Paula Nickolds

"I've inherited a business in really good shape, but we need to change"

"We are seeing input prices rising substantially, no doubt... but we don't yet know how much will be passed on."

"It's a pretty volatile environment."

"We do regular customer insight and we are seeing slightly more uncertainty in the way people are thinking about their personal finances."

"Do I believe in shops? Absolutely"

"Shops are not just a route to sell things, they are an invitation for customers to experience our brand, and what we stand for."

"When I'm talking about reinventing the department store, I'm not talking about physical space, I'm talking about the holistic provision of services that a department store can provide."

"At those times the model came under strain, John Lewis got closer to the customer. In the 1950s and 60s as the supermarkets arrived on the scene, John Lewis set out to identify human needs and fulfil them. For instance, we did a daily food delivery service to caravans and holiday homes."

"It has something very special about it and so I am very mindful during my time that I stay true to the principles of this brand and what it stands for - in other words, a better way of doing business. This is precisely why I wanted this job"