Entertainment retailer HMV Group has filled a vacant position in its video games team, it was announced today.
Mike Fethers joins the retailer as its new Games Peripherals & Digital Buyer, a position previously occupied by Gavin Howes who left the company recently to join Carphone Warehouse.
Most recently a consultant for a leading peripherals – the controllers used with video games consoles – manufacturer, Fethers has also been Games Peripherals Buyer for leading supermarket group Tesco.
Commenting on the appointment, HMV‘s Head of Technology & Games Ewan Pinder said: “I‘m delighted to welcome Mike to HMV, not just for the great experience and fresh approach he will bring but also by way of giving much greater focus to our games peripherals and digital business, which is an increasingly important category for us.”
HMV will be hoping to take advantage of the problems faced by specialist video games retailer Game Group, which earlier this week confirmed that it was entering into administration and closing 277 of its UK stores.
In recent months HMV has been focusing more intently on the consumer electronics markets as part of its own strategy to revitalise its business model and boost flagging sales.
Christmas like-for-like sales fell 8.2 per cent year-on-year for the retailer, which has conducted a major store closure programme itself, although new product lines of technology goods reportedly sold well over the period.
Regarding his new role, Fethers said: “I‘m thrilled to be joining HMV at this exciting time – a company that has great heritage but is now also responding to the fresh opportunities that are being increasingly presented by the new and different ways that gamers are discovering and enjoying games content.”
