Health and wellness retailer Holland & Barrett has appointed Wilko retail director Anthony Houghton as its new group retail and property director.
Houghton has worked at Wilko for nearly two years.
He has also held senior positions at Pedigree Group, Woolworths and Home Retail Group, including retail store director for Argos, with accountability for all 846 stores.
He began his career in retail with Dixons Stores Group in 1988 as a weekend sales adviser and rose through the ranks at Curry’s and Dixons in a range of roles, including store manager and area manager.
Holland & Barrett chief executive Peter Aldis said: “Like me, Anthony has been a retail man since the beginning, working his way up, which gives him a unique insight into every aspect of how large-scale retailers operate.
“Coming so soon after our acquisition by L1 Retail, Anthony’s appointment is another clear signal of our intent to become one of the world’s leading health and wellness brands.”
Houghton said: “My background of creating innovative customer experiences in large-scale retail helps me understand what consumers are looking for in what is a rapidly evolving and changing market.
“I am looking forward to working with a strong global team to drive continued expansion ambitions both in the UK and in markets across the world.”
Holland & Barrett operates more than 1,100 stores across the world, including 788 branches in the UK and Ireland. It was acquired by L1 Retail in September 2017.
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