Retail Gazette and executive search firm Oresa round up the biggest people moves of the month in March.
- John Lewis Partnership has appointed Nish Kankiwala, the ex-Hovis boss, as first group chief executive. He has been a non-executlve director at the partnership for the past two years. Oresa chief executive Orlando Martins says: “How to steer the much loved John Lewis Partnership back to health has become a cause célèbre. “Nish’s high commercial acumen, EQ and the benefit of two years’ experience of the inner workings and spirit of the partnership should provide him with an advantage that CEOs rarely have.”
- Asos appointed former Made.com chief customer officer Dan Elton to the newly-created position of senior customer director.
- The Co-op has hired N Brown CFO Rachel Izzard to become group CFO
- Matalan has hired former Lidl CEO Karl-Heinz Holland as chair and ex-Co-op food chief Jo Whitfield as CEO. Martins says: “It could be a tough gig but the well-respected Whitfield returning after 15 years to Matalan, with an enhanced tool kit and a cultural appreciation for the business, should be just the tonic Matalan needs.”
- Ex-New Look and House of Fraser CEO Nigel Oddy, who has been leading Matalan on an interim basis, will replace Gary Favell as boss of American Golf.
- MatchesFashion has appointed Asos head of technology Christopher Hart
- There were lots of departures from Ted Baker over the month. Chief customer officer Jason Beckley joins Boux Avenue as CMO,womenswear head of buying Fiona Heygate has joined sustainable fashion brand Omnes and head of creative Anthony Cuthbertson has stepped down
- Burberry has named former TalkTalk and McLaren finance head Kate Ferry as its new chief financial officer
- Currys appoints Fredrik Tønnesen as new chief to warm up its troubled Nordics business
- Sweaty Betty bosses Julia Straus and Mark Smith have stepped down
- HanesBrands appoints Dr. Martens’ EMEA president Lorenzo Moretti as president of Champion Europe
- eBay has promoted CMO Eve Williams as its UK general manager as Murray Lambell takes a global role at the business
