There’s a big appointment at N Brown Group. The digital fashion/homewares retailer has announced the appointment of Dene Jones as its new CEO of Retail, effective 1 February. He succeeds Sarah Welsh, who last year confirmed she was departing after five years in the post.
A seasoned executive, Jones will lead N Brown’s Retail domain to continue “the evolution of a distinct brand proposition and unique product offering for customers across each of the Group’s retail brands” that include JD Williams, Simply Be and Jacamo.
As well as leading the Product, Trade, and Marketing areas of the business, he will also be responsible for the Data Analytics and Data Visualisation teams. This expansion of the role will “ensure clear accountability for the group’s commercial activity and performance and create strong alignment between the group’s Retail and Financial Services domains”, the company said.
Jones brings extensive board-level experience in marketing and data having most recently been both group chief marketing and data officer at Constellation Automotive Group, Europe’s largest digital car marketplace, which owns the Webuyanycar and Cinch brands. He previously held a number of senior roles within the Very Group and Flutter Entertainment.
Reporting directly to N Brown’s interim chair and group CEO, Steve Johnson, his new boss said: “Dene joins us at an exciting time and brings proven expertise, which will deliver greater clarity and strengthen accountability across our group-wide commercial activity as we continue our evolution into an omnichannel e-tailer.”
He added: “Sarah leaves the Retail domain in a strong position, having elevated the proposition and the unique product that we deliver for our customer, and I wish her all the very best for the future.”
With cost remaining a decisive factor for consumers, M&S said Friday (January 31) it’s continuing to cut prices of over 300 “family favourite” products with kidswear the latest target.
The high street retailer said it “re-affirms its commitment to delivering trusted value and everyday low prices on the products that matter most to its 32 million customers”.
The latest cuts include an up to 20% price reduction on over 100 products from its ‘everyday essentials’ Kidswear range.
Key pieces include its Cotton Rich Hoodie and Joggers as well as range of Sweatshirts, Leggings and T-Shirts which now start from £5.50, with the retailer saying the reduction in price will not compromise on the “quality or high sourcing standards it is known for”.
Alexandra Dimitriu, Kidswear director, Clothing & Home, said: “Now more than ever, customers are looking for trusted value. When it comes to clothing, we know value is more than just the product’s price – they also want confidence that it is made well and made to last and offers versatility.”
M&S reported positive figures for its festive trading period with total group sales increasing 5.6% to £4.064 billion, but much of the strength was concentrated in the Food area with Clothing, Home & Beauty, rising just 1% to £1.305 billion, with like-for-like sales rising ahead of the market at 1.9% as underlying sales grew 2.6%.
Burberry announced a key appointment on Friday with the luxury business saying it will soon have a new chief information officer.
It has appointed Charlotte Baldwin to the role and she’ll join the business at the end of March. Baldwin will be responsible for leading Burberry’s global technology team and will join the executive committee. She’ll report directly to Burberry CEO Joshua Schulman.
He described her as “a highly experienced technology and digital leader with a track record of leading large-scale digital transformation”.
She hasn’t previously worked in the luxury fashion sector but has wide-ranging experience across some major-name businesses in Britain.
She’s currently the global chief digital and information officer at coffee chain Costa Coffee where she oversees the company’s technology, digital and data organisation.
Prior to joining that firm, she was the chief information, digital and transformation officer at private healthcare giant Bupa’s Bupa Insurance unit. She’s also held senior roles at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Pearson and Thomson Reuters.
Burberry has been navigating a tough period of late and Schulman joined in the top job last year, tweaking the firm’s strategy. His approach seems to be paying off with the company last week porting improved results, although the turnaround is still undeniable a work in progress.
Another day, another shopping centre delivering a “record-breaking” performance in 2024. This time it’s Gloucester Quays “capping off another year of considerable growth”, for the owner/operator Peel Retail & Leisure.
That included record Christmas trading at the key Gloucester mall, which helped overall sales for the year finish 6.7% ahead of the national average. Across November and December, retail sales grew 3.6% compared with 2023.
Looking at 2024 in total, an overall 7.4% year-on-year sales increase across its tenants was split between 6.1% for retail, and 8.5% for F&B.
But there was also double-digit growth from leading fashion, homewares, and outerwear brands including Next, Skechers, All Saints, Mountain Warehouse, Puma, Crew Clothing and Suit Direct.
It said sustained growth was seen across all categories “points to the increasing relevance of the Gloucester Quays experience”.
Paul Carter, asset director at Peel Retail & Leisure, added: “There have been various headlines this month about how challenged retail was around Christmas, so to have Gloucester Quays performing so well is a real credit to our team and our brands.
“These results also serve as a reminder of how relevant and in demand this outlet is. We have experienced consistent growth for several years, and that success can be put down to the quality of our offer and waterside environment. There is no doubt our catchment is responding to how we have evolved Gloucester Quays, as an urban outlet that combines a compelling shopping environment with dining and leisure to fit all tastes and needs, benefitting from a heritage waterside setting that few regionally can match.”