Superdry announces board changes
Superdry has bolstered its executive management team with the hiring of Silvana Bonello as chief operating officer.
In addition, the fashion retailer has appointed Julian Dunkerton as chief executive on a permanent basis and has announced that Peter Williams has decided to step down as chairman.
Dunkerton previously held an interim contract which was due to expire on 2 April 2021. As the founder of the business, he is currently the largest shareholder with a 20.3% stake.
Commenting on Dunkerton’s appointment, Williams said: “On behalf of the board, I am delighted to confirm Julian’s appointment as permanent CEO. Since re-joining the business last year, Julian has been driving forward the transformation of the business and resetting the Superdry brand with the launch of the AW20 range in the most challenging of times.”
When she joins the business on 1 March, Bonello will report directly to Dunkerton and become a member of the executive team. She will be responsible for the company’s end-to-end operations and planning processes, encompassing merchandising, logistics, IT, business transformation, sourcing processes and corporate strategy.
She previously worked with Nike for 18 years in numerous senior operational and strategic roles in the US and the Netherlands, but also recently worked as vice president of operations at Vans EMEA.
Dunkerton said: “Silvana’s appointment as COO is an important next step for the business. With Silvana joining the executive team, we now have the right operational leadership to steer the business through these most uncertain times and drive the brand reset as we seek to inspire our customers with design-led, sustainable product and engage with them through our digital channels.”
Meanwhile, Williams will be stepping down as chairman in 2021 once his successor is appointed. He took up the role in April 2019 to support the reset of the brand, Dunkerton’s return to the business, and the formation of a new board and management team.
Dunkerton added: “Peter has been a key figure in getting Superdry back on track, and a great support to me and colleagues in the business over the past 18 months. We now have a strong board and leadership team, and a great platform from which to continue the transformation of the business and reset of the brand. Peter leaves Superdry in a much stronger position than when we joined. For that, the board and I are tremendously grateful, and we wish him every success in the future.”
