Carpetright announces changes to management team
Carpet and floor coverings retailer Carpetright has announced changes to its senior management team as founder Lord Harris scales back his day-to-day involvement in the business.
Graham Harris, who is no relation to the Harris family, will join the group as trading director with effect from 7 May 2013.
In this newly-created Executive Committee-level role, Harris will be responsible for product, buying and logistics. Harris is a former commercial director of Tesco and has also worked with House of Fraser and Burton Group.
Meanwhile Martin Harris, Lord Harris’s son, will become group development director. This is a new Board-level role reflecting the group’s increased focus on the development of Carpetright’s customer-facing activities including store development, marketing and the digital channel.
Lord Harris is reducing his day-to-day executive involvement in the business in line with the group’s succession plan announced in May 2012, but will work closely with Graham Harris to ensure a smooth handover.
Darren Shapland, Carpetright chief executive, said: “As part of the management succession plan, we have been working hard over the last twelve months to put in place the best possible future management structure. The changes announced today are the next step in this plan as we focus on the continued growth of the business.
“I’m pleased to be welcoming Graham Harris to the group. He is a highly experienced retail executive, with a near 30 year track record at some of the UK’s largest and most successful retailers, and his background in hardline categories leaves him well-qualified to take on the newly-created trading director post.
“Graham’s appointment as trading director will free up time for Martin to focus on critical growth aspects of our business, such as the development of our customer proposition, including how our stores look and feel, the Carpetright brand, our marketing programme and developing our digital channel, which is increasingly important to the business.
“In line with the succession plan we began implementing in mid-2012 Lord Harris will reduce his day to day involvement but will be working closely with Graham and the team over the coming period to ensure a smooth transition.”
