// Fortnum & Mason CEO Ewan Venters steps down after eight years in the role
// He will leave the luxury department store & food retailer next year for the top job at art gallery Hauser & Wirth
// The recruitment process for a new chief executive is already underway
Fortnum & Mason has revealed that its chief executive Ewan Venters is poised to resign and leave his role in the new year.
Venters, who has been chief executive of the luxury department store and food retailer since 2012, is leaving to take up the top job at art gallery Hauser & Wirth.
Fortnum & Mason confirmed that a search for a successor is already underway.
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During his tenure at the luxury retailer, Venters oversaw consistent profit and sales growth while extending its footprint by driving its travel division and international expansion.
He also spearheaded an overhaul of the retailer’s ecommerce offering.
Fortnum & Mason chair Kate Hobhouse said Venters has been a “highly successful leader”.
“Ewan had a vision to make our brand more relevant to more people more often and he has certainly fulfilled that,” she said.
“He leaves behind a business that is positioned to overcome the current difficulties of the retail sector and achieve even more success and he deserves great credit for this.
“I wish him all the very best in his new role.”
Venters said: “It is a tremendous wrench to leave Fortnum’s, which is truly one of the world’s great brands.
“I have enjoyed every minute of my time here, loved working with Kate and I have had magnificent support from my team of executives, who I know will go on to achieve more success.
“It is, however, time for a new challenge and I have no doubt that Fortnum’s, which has overcome all manner of difficulties in its 313-year history, is in excellent shape.”
Prior to Fortnum & Mason, Venters held roles at Selfridges and Sainsbury’s.
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