CityBeat: Location, location, location
Glynn Davis assesses the part geography plays in the career decisions of top retail executives
April 3 2003
It has been suggested that part of the problem Boots is having finding in a new chief executive is down to its head office being in Nottingham. Maybe the lack of a sexy location does actually deter many top-flight executives from joining a company.
Certainly man-about-town Stuart Rose was quickly removed from the frame for the Boots job, and he is renowned for preferring to work in London. He spent an uncomfortable period working up North for Iceland and Booker, before returning to Central London to head up Arcadia.
Former Littlewoods boss Barry Gibson also liked the bright lights of the capital, and lived in the ultra smart area of Belgravia even though the company is based in Liverpool. This ultimately didn’t work out for Gibson and he parted company with the family-owned business. I wonder if part of this was because his heart was always more in the capital.
It’s not only London that holds an attraction for the big-timers. Chris Gorman, boss and owner of Gadget Shop recently moved his company’s head office up to his native Scotland rather than remain based in Hull, which he clearly disliked and made it known.
For those companies whose head office locations lack redeeming features, Asda seems to have found the right solution. When recruiting to its Leeds HQ, Asda certainly chose its former boss Allan Leighton exceedingly well – he is a rabid Leeds United supporter. And so, I understand, is the current chief operating officer Richard Baker.
So if there is any hotshot retailer out there that also happens to be a supporter of Nottingham Forest or Notts County then I’m sure Boots would love to hear from you.
Glynn Davis was previously a fund manager in the City, and has since become a business journalist specialising in the retail sector. He regularly contributes to national newspapers and specialist trade publications. email Glynn@busicomm.fsnet.co.uk
