Graham Soult is a high-street champion who founded the retail consultancy CannyInsights.com in 2010. Based in Gateshead but working all over the UK and beyond, Graham’s work supports independent and multiple retailers as well as landlords, councils and BIDs, helping businesses and places to improve their offer and messaging.

Graham has visited over 600 retail centres across the UK, sharing insights and helping revitalise town centres, often working as a “Retail Cupid” to match empty shops with the expanding businesses that want to trade there. With a mantra that the high street is evolving, not dying, Graham is well known for his positive and inspiring take on how town and city centres can successfully navigate change.

Described by BBC Look North as “the region’s best-known retail expert” and by ITV as “a North East Mary Portas”, Graham frequently appears in the media and is a popular keynote speaker. As an on-screen talking head, recent major TV appearances include the Netflix/Channel 5 documentaries “Inside Greggs 24/7”, “24 Hours in Tesco” and “24 Hours in Lidl”.

Graham also serves as chairman of the North East business network Durham Business Group, is an elected Fellow of the Institute of Place Management (IPM), and contributed as an Expert to the government’s High Streets Task Force (2019–2024).