River Island has named Suzy Slavid as its new trading managing director, following the return of Ben Lewis as CEO.

Slavid brings over 13 years of experience with the fashion retailer, having worked as a merchandise manager for kidswear and ladieswear from 1999 to 2012.

She then moved to Boden in 2012, where she served as director of merchandising and marketing before becoming chief trading officer in 2019.

Most recently, Slavid was CEO of the premium womenswear brand Wyse London – a role she held for two years since January 2023.

Her appointment comes after a period of leadership changes at the business, including the return of Ben Lewis to the CEO role earlier this month.

Lewis, nephew of founder Bernard Lewis, had previously led the company for nearly a decade before stepping down in 2019.

The reshuffle follows the departure of Richard Bradbury, who has stepped down from his role as executive chair due to personal reasons. Bradbury, who rejoined River Island in December 2022, brought significant experience and oversaw key developments during his second tenure with the company.

In addition to Slavid’s appointment, Clive Lewis, the son of River Island founder Bernard Lewis, has returned to his previous role as non-executive chair of River Island, effective immediately.

These leadership changes come amid ongoing restructuring efforts at the retailer, which recently saw job cuts across departments including buying, merchandising, and HR at its London head office as part of a broader cost-saving strategy.

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