Liberty London is set to lose a key executive. Buying director Sarah Coonan, regarded as a major influence in the luxury departments store’s renaissance, is to leave at the end of January after 15 years. Liberty has yet to name a successor, while Coonan has also yet to reveal her next move.
Photo: Sandra Halliday
She joined the high-end retailer in 2010 as an assistant buyer and rose through senior roles, including head of buying for beauty, home and Little Liberty, before becoming buying director.
She was appointed retail managing director in 2022, becoming the chief executive’s second-in-command and taking charge of the store’s day-to-day running, refurbishment projects and the teams behind its modernisation.
“After 15 years at Liberty, it’s been an enormous privilege to be part of such an extraordinary establishment,” The Times newspaper reported her as saying.
“Liberty’s spirit of creativity and independence is truly unique and it’s been an honour to build and lead a team so dedicated to that vision.”
Liberty chief executive Adil Mehboob-Khan said Coonan left “a legacy of success… We enjoyed a decade of retail growth thanks to her contributions at retail and company level. She has been a force in continuing to drive Liberty as one of London’s most distinctive and design-led retail destinations.”
He added that Coonan “has built a strong organisation, has embodied the Liberty spirit and culture, and has been a great coach and friend to many. With sincere fondness, respect and gratitude, I wish Sarah all the best for her future.”
Her departure comes after a period of strong momentum for the retailer, where shoppers have returned, buoyed by post-pandemic demand for physical shopping and its enduring demand as a tourist shopping destination.
Profit before tax rose to £7.7 million in the year to 1 February, up from £2.6 million the previous year, while revenue increased from £124 million to £129 million, according to Liberty Retail Limited accounts filed at Companies House.
The retailer is owned by a consortium of private equity groups led by Glendower Capital, which acquired a controlling stake in 2019 from BlueGem Capital, Liberty’s owner since 2010.
