N Brown Group has promoted Dan Joy to chief executive as the business looks to accelerate the growth of its financial services arm.
Joy succeeds Steve Johnson, who has left the business after a decade in the top role. Johnson had most recently served as executive chair as well as group chief executive.
Joy has led N Brown’s financial services division as chief executive for the past six years and previously held a number of senior roles at Ikano Bank, including group chief commercial officer.
The group has also appointed Malcolm Le May as chair. He brings more than 40 years of experience in consumer finance and banking, having held senior roles at Provident and Vanquis, as well as board positions across a number of public and private companies.
N Brown, which owns online retail brands JD Williams, Jacamo and Simply Be, said the leadership changes reflect its continued focus on modernising and expanding its financial services offering, which it sees as a key driver of future growth.
Joshua Alliance, majority shareholder, thanked Johnson for his contribution to the business over the past decade.
“Firstly, I’d like to thank Steve for his tireless service to N Brown over the past 10 years,” he said.
“His drive and commitment successfully led the business through a number of pivotal moments, including the global pandemic, refocusing the group’s efforts on its strategic brands, and progressing the development of our financial services offering.
“I’d also like to welcome Malcolm and Dan to their new roles. Both bring the knowledge and expertise to lead the business in its next phase of growth, focused on expanding our financial services offering to meet changing customer needs and capture the significant market opportunity this presents.”
Le May said the appointments would support the next stage of the group’s strategy following its delisting last year.
“I am delighted to be appointed chair of N Brown,” he said. “It is a business with a clear purpose: delivering vital support to a large and loyal community of customers who have placed their trust in the group for over 160 years.
“The managerial changes announced today facilitate the continued evolution of the strategic rationale set out when the company delisted last year, with the support of the Alliance family.”
The reshuffle comes just months after another senior leadership change at the group. In January, chief customer operations officer Clare Empson left the business after two years in the role.
Empson had joined N Brown from Ted Baker, where she spent 24 years, and during her time at the group helped establish a new distribution centre and led the design and delivery of an enterprise-wide efficiency system.
Her departure was followed by the appointment of Natalie Rogers as chief operating officer earlier this month.
The latest changes suggest N Brown is continuing to reshape its leadership team as it sharpens its strategic focus on financial services and long-term growth.
