The Clinkard Group appoints new managing director of Charles Clinkard
The Clinkard Group has appointed Tim Payne as the new managing director of Charles Clinkard, the group’s retail and trading division.
Established in 1924, The Clinkard Group is now one of the largest independent footwear retailers in the UK.
Historically, the company has been managed by the Clinkard family with current group managing director Charles Clinkard being the third generation of the family to run the business. However, Payne is now the first non-family member to be appointed as managing director of Charles Clinkard.
Payne joined the group in 2008, initally working in a senior role within the supply chain, and was promoted to the position of trading director of Charles Clinkard in 2016. He began his career in retail as a distributor for Disney Store at its London head office, then spent seven years at Debenhams working in merchandising.
Payne said: “My primary aim initially is to manage our cash flow position without damaging the integrity and positioning of Charles Clinkard and the brands we offer. Once that’s been achieved, we’ll look to put building blocks in place to ensure we’re ready for growth opportunities when the Covid fallout has passed and the UK returns to something like normal.
“This will likely centre around pushing our ecommerce offer to ensure we’re satisfying our customers, balancing this with the right store portfolio and also reviewing internal processes to ensure they’re fit for purpose and the demands of the post-Covid world.”
