Wilko owner hires Matalan’s property director in growth drive

CDS Superstores, the company behind The Range and Wilko, has appointed Antony Darbyshire as its new head of property. Darbyshire, who has more than 30 years’ experience in retail property, joins CDS from Matalan, where he was director of property for a decade. In his new role, Darbyshire will be tasked with expanding Wilko’s concept stores, building on recent launches in Exeter, Luton, Plymouth, Rotherham, St Albans and Poole, and expanding The Range’s portfolio. CDS chief executive Alex Simpkin said: “Antony’s extensive experience and expertise in property management are exactly what we need as we accelerate our expansion plans and build on our success to date. He will play a critical role in ensuring that both The Range and Wilko continue to thrive and reach even more communities across the UK.” He added: “We are particularly excited about the opportunities to regrow the Wilko brand through our innovative new concept stores, and we encourage landlords with suitable spaces to proactively contact us regarding potential occupancy as we ramp up our store launch programme.” Photo courtesy of Brazen PR