Nigel Oddy has resigned from his position as chief executive of The Range, just over 18 months after he joined the value retailer.
According to Retail Week, Oddy’s departure was amicable and by mutual agreement with The Range founder Chris Dawson.
The news comes after Dawson paused plans to float The Range on the stock market due to “crap” market conditions and focus on other ways to grow the business instead.
Reports indicate that had the retailer pursued an IPO, it could’ve been worth up to £2 billion.
Dawson had reportedly hired Oddy to help enhance The Range’s appeal to potential investors.
The retailer raked in sales of £869 million last year, but profits dropped 22 per cent to £42.6 million thanks to the devalued sterling’s impact.
The Range was founded in 1989 in Plymouth and has 150 stores across the UK.
Prior to The Range, Oddy was chief executive of House of Fraser.
He resigned in April 2017, after almost two and a half years in the role and 10 years with the department store chain.
Click here to sign up to Retail Gazette‘s free daily email newsletter
5 Comments. Leave new
Try being a Customer!! My 83 year old Mother bought a cupboard from the Range. The wrong parts were delivered initially and then when we finally erected it the side panels were warped. Three emails (all unanswered) and numerous phone calls have resulted in no response from The Range. I would advise people to avoid this chain.
Chris Dawson a man who can sell achieved mass wealth but still treats staff like dirt. He may have all the money but he will never be accepted for a handshake by a mason as he is socially thick and will always be a crooked market trader with no panache.
I too have just had a bad experience with the Range. Ordered furniture online. It arrived damaged. No response to numerous emails, was kept hanging on 45 mins on their “Customer Care” line. If they treat customers like that, it’s no surprise staff are treated like dirt.
Well, they’ve picked the wrong one to hack off. If I get no reply today, It’s an email direct to Chris Dawson, copy to his wife ( who is FD I think). If no response, it’s trading standards next.
Oddy did little to support stores, he had ideas that the long term team at head office wouldn’t engage with.. His sidekick did a little over a few months with the business before departing. Chris Dawson no doubt got bored of the waffle coming from Oddy…
An absolute joke of a CEO. No idea what The Range was about. Overall a disgusting place to work