7 UK retail bosses that have quit unexpectedly
Mothercare’s future on the UK high street looked promising when Simon Calver, the former head of online movie rental service Lovefilm, was appointed by chairman Alan Parker two years ago to lead its turnaround efforts.
The board banked on his online experience to overhaul its estate and turn the chain into a multi-channel retailer. But after a hefty profit warning, Calver’s time, it seems, has run out.
We look at other retail bosses that have left after a short time in the role or amid turbulent times.
1. Darren Shapland quit as chief executive of Carpetright following a profits warning in October last year, after just 17 months in post. The former Sainsbury’s finance director resurfaced last week as a senior independent director on the board of Poundland ahead of the value retailer’s IPO.
2. Didier Drouet left LK Bennett last week after reportedly being ousted by the fashion brand’s private equity owners, who were forced to inject cash into the business last year. The former boss of Italian luxury fashion brand Emilio Pucci lasted just over a year.
3. Debenhams chief financial officer Simon Herrick resigned last month just days after the department store issued a profit warning, following poor trading and heavy discounting over the Christmas period. He also came under fire for asking suppliers for a discount in the days running up to the key festive period.
4. Former Dixons boss John Browett left his post in 2012 to join Apple in the US as head of retail. However, he lasted less than six months, admitting later that he did not fit in with the company’s culture. He is now chief executive of the fashion and accessories retailer Monsoon.
5. Kate Bostock, the former head of clothing at Marks & Spencer, quit Asos abruptly last year after a short-lived seven-month stint as an executive director. She admitted that the online retailer “wasn’t the right place” for her and has since returned to the high street as chief executive of Coast.
6. Matalan losts its sixth boss in more than 12 years after Darren Blackhurst stepped down last summer. Blackhurst had been with Matalan less than two years and left as the company reported a seven per cent fall in profits. He was recently appointed commercial director at DIY chain B&Q.
7. Former New Look boss Carl McPhail was ousted from the retailer in 2011 after its private equity owners lost patience with its poor performance. Bestseller’s Anders Kristiansen was appointed as its new chief executive in 2012 after a year-long search.