Marks & Spencer patches up sales at clothing arm March 29, 2015 Marks and Spencer is expected to report an improvement in sales at its general merchandise arm as the retailer recovers from its recent warehousing debacle and thanks to fewer clothes being left on the shelves. Citi, joint broker to M&S, expects the high street chain to report a 0.1 per cent decline in underlying sales [...]
US data and high street giants lead for coming week – London Report March 29, 2015 INVESTORS this coming week will be digesting a flurry of global economic data and corporate results from a number of prominent UK retailers. The focus is likely to continue to be on US economic indicators, given recent concerns about a slowdown in growth in the first quarter, such as consumer confidence, spending and personal income. [...]
BHS brand is losing its homeliness to high street rivals – Brand Index March 24, 2015 BHS is one of Britain’s most recognisable retailers, but has experienced troubles in recent years, prompting Sir Philip Green to sell the company for £1 to Retail Acquisitions. The new owner is already looking into the possible closures of a third of the chain’s 171 stores. YouGov BrandIndex underlines the difficulty BHS has had competing [...]
John Lewis is named the retailer with the strongest reputation March 19, 2015 Middle-class shoppers’ favourite John Lewis was yesterday declared the retailer with the best reputation in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), a survey found. The survey, by the Reputation Institute, also showed that among the firms whose reputation had improved the most between 2013 and 2014 were WH Smith and H&M. However, there was bad [...]
BHS confirms new chief executive is Darren Topp as the retailer makes transition to new owners March 17, 2015 BHS has confirmed Darren Topp as its interim chief executive, following the departure of long-standing head Richard Price. Topp has been at BHS for six years, and steps up from his current role as chief operating officer with immediate effect. The change at the top comes just days after the department store chain [...]
More boardroom shake-ups at Tesco and Marks & Spencer March 4, 2015 THE BOARDROOM clear out at supermarket giant Tesco continued yesterday, while high street icon M&S announced a new board role for its current chairman. Tesco, the UK’s biggest retailer, said non-executive director Gareth Bullock would retire from the main board today, but remain on the board of Tesco Bank. The company beefed up its board yesterday [...]
Marks & Spencer’s chairman Robert Swannell joins remuneration committee as SABMiller chairman Jan du Plessis steps down March 4, 2015 Marks & Spencer chairman Robert Swannell is joining the high street giant's remuneration committee after a shake up of the non-executive board. The move has been prompted by the departure of SABMiller chairman Jan du Plessis, who is stepping down from the Marks & Spencer board today (March 4). Du Plessis, who has [...]
Marks and Spencer Asia head quits ahead of store shake-up March 2, 2015 MARKS & Spencer said yesterday that its regional director for Asia was quitting after less than two years in the role as it announced a review of plans for China including the closure of five Shanghai stores. Bruce Findlay, a former retail director for Calvin Klein who is leaving to join Diesel, took on the [...]
Marks & Spencer to enter Beijing as it shuts five Shanghai stores March 2, 2015 Marks & Spencer is poised to open stores in Beijing and Guangzhou – but will reduce its presence in greater Shanghai. Currently M&S has around 15 stores in China, but this will be the first time it has entered the country’s capital city. The high street giant said it had “firm intent” to enter those [...]
John King steps down as CEO of House of Fraser February 18, 2015 HOUSE of Fraser chief executive John King has stepped down after eight years at the helm of the department store chain, with chief operating officer Nigel Oddy taking his place. King joined House of Fraser in 2007 just after its was bought by a consortium of investors called the Highland Group which included retail entrepreneur [...]