The best advice David Jones boss Scott Fyfe received from his long-time mentor and former executive chairman of high street retailer Marks & Spencer, Sir Stuart Rose, was “keep your feet on the ground and keep running” and “get the best people around you and don’t try to be an expert in everything”.

Fyfe, at just 29 years old, gained the rare opportunity to be Rose’s personal assistant for 18 months in the early years of his career at the UK chain. Scottish-born Fyfe travelled the world with Rose and learnt the retailing trade first-hand back in 2008 when Rose steered M&S to achieve a £1 billion profit.