Blacks appoint Peter Williams as interim chairman
Blacks Leisure has appointed ex-Selfridges CEO Peter Williams as non-executive director and interim chairman whilst a permanent replacement is sought for David Bernstein.
Bernstein stood down as chairman last week after the company’s largest investor, Sports Direct, voted against his re-appointment at the company’s annual general meeting on 27 July.
Blacks said in a statement today that Williams has been working with the company in an advisory capacity for several months now and is “therefore familiar with the business and well placed to carry out the role”.
Williams left Selfridges in 2004 and since then has been an executive director at JJB Sports, helping it through its CVA in 2009, and has also worked with music company EMI. He is currently a director of a number of consumer facing businesses, including chairman of Erno Laszlo Group and senior independent director of ASOS and Sportech.
Blacks has been struggling with falling sales and has been forced to extend its banking facilities. Julia Reynolds, who joined the company as its new CEO last week, has been tasked with turning the business around.
