Holland & Barrett has promoted Emma Mead to digital director and given her a seat on the board as it sharpens its focus on its target of turning over £1bn by 2020.
Mead’s promotion from her previous role as director of ecommerce at the health and wellbeing multichannel retailer is part of an all-round strengthening of a board that is charged with creating a more integrated business to meet the changing needs of customers.
Other changes include the move of current chief operating officer Martin Moran to the role of chief commercial officer. He will be replaced by Andy Torrance, previously of Dunelm and Halfords. In this role, Torrance will be responsible for the retail operation in the UK and Ireland, and in 2017 will take on responsibility for Europe.
Peter Aldis, chief executive of Holland & Barrett International , said the opportunity to reshape the business, following the retirement of two long-standing directors, meant the business could add depth and breadth to its focus on its people and its customers.
“We are the only retailer with more than 90% of its store managers officially qualified to advise, and we remain fully committed to delivering better customer service through training and a continued emphasis on people development,” he said. “We have also invested significantly in e-commerce and digital channels which will bring us closer to our customers, helping us to better meet their needs. The changes and new appointments we are announcing today will put us in an excellent position to deliver our ambition to become a £1billion business by 2020 and I am confident that I have a new senior team in place that will drive us on to great achievements.”
International expansion will continue to be led at board level by international development director Kyle Rowe, while Colinda Hoegee has been promoted to the corporate board as managing director, Benelux.
Lisa Garley Evans takes on the role of group legal director from Roger Craddock who, along with group distribution director Mark Kendrick, is retiring from the business.
“I should like to take this opportunity personally to thank both Mark and Roger for their significant contribution in their respective areas of the business and for their long and loyal service,” said Aldiss. “On behalf of the company and their colleagues I wish them both well as they embark on their retirements.”
Today’s news comes almost a year after Holland & Barrett, a Top50 retailer in IRUKTop500 research and a leader in the Strategy & Innovation dimension set out its plan to become a £1bn retailer by expanding at home and abroad, through stores and online.
