// Mamas & Papas names chief operating officer Nathan Williams as chief executive
// He’ll be responsible for leading the company’s next phase of growth
Mamas & Papas has promoted current chief operating officer Nathan Williams to chief executive.
He is set to lead the company’s next phase of growth, which includes expansion into new and existing international markets.
Current boss of the high street nursery retailer, Mark Saunders will become executive chairman.
Williams first joined Mamas & Papas back in 2018 as merchandise director following senior merchandising roles at Very and Primark, becoming COO in 2020.
Since then, the business said “he’s been a key figure in the company’s turnaround”, leading its successful concession rollout with Next and Marks & Spencer in the UK, innovating its range and implementing the brand’s new ESG strategy.
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Chief executive Nathan Williams said: “We’ve built excellent momentum in the past few years in all areas of the business, from our store footprint to our digital offering, from our product to our purpose and from our domestic market to our overseas partnerships. This has helped us win a record share of the market, which is set for further growth.
“With the continuing support of our investors and with Mark as Chairman, I’m looking forward to delivering our long-term growth strategy and fulfilling our goal of being the most accessible nursery brand with an unrivalled commitment to its customers. This means more concessions, more international trade and further investment in our brand, product, communities and colleagues as we aim to become the global nursery brand of choice.”
Mark Saunders said: “Having helped design and deliver our turnaround strategy over the past three years, Nathan is ideally placed to lead the business during this next period. As a business, we have an unprecedented opportunity to grow our scale and share. I’ll be working closely with him, the rest of the executive and our shareholders to help realise the ambition we’ve set for the business.”
The retailer recently posted record Christmas trading figures, with sales up 16% in the eight weeks to 25 December as shoppers flocked to its stores during the retail sector’s crucial trading period.
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