// Office CEO Lorenzo Moretti departs after just one year in the role
// COO Kerry van der Merwe appointed interim managing director with immediate effect
Office chief executive Lorenzo Moretti has departed the footwear retailer after just one year in the role.
He will be replaced by chief operating officer Kerry van der Merwe, who has been appointed as interim managing director with immediate effect.
Moretti joined Office as chief executive-designate in October last year and assumed the role on a permanent basis a month later.
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Before Office, he spent four years at Nike.
Van der Merwe has been with Office parent company Truworths for 14 years, but has specifically been with footwear retailer since 2016.
The news comes shortly after Truwoths concluded an agreement to refinance the funding for Office and confirmed that close loss-making store closures would go ahead, after the footwear retailer experienced a period a decline due to a tough retail market in the UK.
“I regret to announce the resignation of Lorenzo Moretti as chief executive officer and I would like to thank him for his invaluable contribution during his time at Office,” Office chairman Michael Mark said.
“Kerry has had an extraordinary track record with Office as leader of a diverse spread of business operations including finance, IT, HR and property.
“This broad responsibility has enabled her to actively participate in the development, implementation and successful execution of multiple business strategies.
“The business is in strong hands under Kerry and her senior team’s leadership and they will continue to drive significant improvement and growth initiatives in Office in close collaboration with the many brands with whom we partner.”
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