// Ted Baker has poached Debenhams’ CFO Rachel Osborne for a similar role
// She will replace Charles Anderson, who is joining Mulberry as new group CFO next month
// Osborne’s start date with Ted Baker will be agreed in the next few months
Ted Baker has revealed the appointment of Rachel Osborne as its new chief financial officer, replacing Charles Anderson resigned last month after 17 years with the fashion retailer.
Osborne, who will also join Ted Baker’s board at a date to be agreed within the next few months, will be making the move from Debenhams, where she has been chief financial officer for a year.
Osborne has 20 years of experience in the retail and brand sector and is a chartered accountant.
Prior to joining Debenhams, she was chief financial officer for Domino’s Pizza, which she left with immediate effect in June 2018 after less than two years in the role.
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She also had stints in senior financial roles with Vodafone, Kingfisher, Pepsi and John Lewis.
“Rachel’s career to date makes her a great fit for the board and we are delighted to welcome her to Ted Baker,” chairman David Bernstein said,
“As our strategy to grow the business continues, Rachel’s experience of working in the challenging retail environment we currently face will be highly valuable.
“We look forward to leveraging her significant brand and retail experience and expertise moving forward.”
Osborne said: “I am thrilled to be joining Ted Baker as chief financial officer.
“Ted Baker is an outstanding global brand and I am hugely looking forward to the opportunity to contribute to the next phase of its development.”
Meanwhile, her successor Anderson is poised to join luxury retailer Mulberry as its new group finance director from next month.
During his time at Ted Baker, he played a role in developing and overseeing its global finance function.
He also focused on international expansion and systems transformation and oversaw its investor relations programme.
Osborne’s appointment comes as Ted Baker recovers from a rollercoaster of a year which climaxed when founder and chief executive Ray Kelvin left the business in March following allegations of sexual misconduct – which he has denied.
Since his resignation, an internal independent committee has been investigating the allegations along with law firm Herbert Smith Freehills.
In June, the fashion retailer issued a profit warning, saying that as a result of “extremely difficult” trading conditions, heavy discounting and consumer uncertainty across key markets full-year profits were expected to be between £50 million to £60 million.
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