Dixons’ chief executive John Browett is quitting
to join Apple as senior vice president of
retail. He will be based at Apple’s headquarters in California.
Browett has been chief executive of UK-based Dixons since 2007,
he steps down from the board on 20th February leaves the company
on 20th April, following a handover period. Sebastian James,
currently group operations director, will succeed Browett as
group chief executive. Katie Bickerstaffe is appointed to the new
role of chief executive, UK and Ireland.
Online pet supplies retailer PetPlanet.co.uk is
investing in new facilities and strengthening its senior team as
it surpasses £10 million in annual turnover. Kevin Hague,
managing director of PetPlanet’s parent M8 Group Ltd, says the
business has come a long way in a very short time,
“Petplanet.co.uk is now a £10 million-plus retail
brand in its own right and continues to grow at over 30 per cent
year-on-year. Only four years ago Petplanet.co.uk had a turnover
of less than £2 million.” The company is now investing
in additional infrastructure and personnel to see it through its
next stage of growth. Martin McGreskin, formerly
Amazon.co.uk’s inbound and outbound operations
manager joins at director of operations. His appointment comes
as M8 secured a new 26,500 square-foot premises in Livingston,
which in addition to becoming PetPlanet’s warehouse, will also
serve as the new headquarters for M8 Group’s commercial
operations.
In the year ended 27th November, gross sales at online grocer
Ocado increased 16.6 per cent to £642.8
million. EBITDA was also up, from £22 million to £27.9
million and the company delivered an operating profit of
£1.1 million, compared with a £5.4 million loss in
2010. As “customer demand during the year continued to
exceed Ocado’s operational capacity”, the company saw the
percentage of “items delivered exactly as ordered”
and “deliveries on time or early” dip compared to
last year. Its making further investment in its Hatfield
distribution centre to meet demand.
Office, the Silverfleet Capital-backed shoe
retailer, reports a 26 per cent growth in like-for-like sales in
the five weeks to 31st December. It has also announced the
appointment of Allan Leighton, a former chief executive of
Asda, ex-chairman of Royal Mail
and former finance director and managing director of young
fashion brand Jane Norman.
Light at the end of the tunnel? Consumer confidence was up in
January, writes the Telegraph.
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