Borders UK appoints commercial director
Cathy Ferrier to oversee buying & vendor relations
Borders UK has appointed Cathy Ferrier to the newly created position of Commercial Director.
Ferrier joins the book retailer on March 14 and will have overall responsibility for buying, inventory management and vendor relations in a period of unprecedented growth for the bookselling chain.
Marketing director Louise Collinge will continue to concentrate on the areas of brand building and communication.
Cathy Ferrier was director of books at WH Smith until June 2003, when she left to take up a position as trading director at single price retailer Poundland, implementing merchandising and buying systems to support the business through extensive growth.
Borders UK managing director Philip Downer said: “Cathy is a senior and respected retail professional with unrivalled credentials and I am delighted that Borders UK has been able to tempt her back into the book trade. We have made a long term commitment to significant store growth and we are investing in first class people and systems to drive that growth.
“Cathy is passionate about books, she has enormous experience of dealing with suppliers and managing a large inventory, and I am confident that she will enhance the infrastructure and systems to support our Borders and Books etc stores.
“I am also pleased that this appointment will allow Louise Collinge to devote her full attention to the vital areas of brand building and communication strategy when she returns from maternity leave in April. Louise will continue to direct all our promotional activity, media campaigns and customer relationships, while Cathy oversees the commercial functions of the business.”
Ferrier said: “I enjoyed my time in the book industry immensely and was hoping for a chance to come back. Borders is definitely my favourite bookstore and this is a fantastic opportunity to get back to books and also to add the new challenges of the entertainment market. Borders has the best offer on the high street at the moment and I look forward to helping them expand in the UK market.”
Books category manager Gaynor Peat and her buying teams will report to Cathy, as will the music, periodicals and DVD/Video buyers. The Borders buying department has recently been strengthened with the appointment of senior children’s book buyer Julian Exposito and senior music buyer Peter Selby. Further appointments will be announced shortly.
Borders UK currently operates 28 Borders superstores and 35 Books etc. high street and airport bookshops. Five more superstores are scheduled to open this year.
