Selfridges chief executive and former finance and property director Peter Williams has resigned.
Williams has been CEO of the company since March 2003 when Vittorio Radice moved to Marks & Spencer.
He stayed on to oversee the company’s transition from public to private ownership when it was bought by Canadian billionaire Galen Weston last year for £628m.
Williams’ own consortium, backed by Blackstone, lost out in the battle to acquire Selfridges last year but the former CEO insisted that his split with Selfridges was amicable.
Observers had commented on business differences between Williams – who spearheaded Selfridges’ ambitious plans to expand outside its traditional London base to cities including Birmingham, Bristol, Glasgow and Newcastle – and Weston, who announced shortly after taking over the business that he was keen to focus on the main Oxford Street store.
Paul Kelly, managing director of Weston’s Brown Thomas in Ireland, will take over the position of chief executive of both Selfridges and Brown Thomas.
Kelly has worked with Weston since 1984 and has been MD of Brown Thomas for the last 10 years.
Allan Leighton, currently an adviser to Weston, will also join the board of Selfridges as deputy chairman.
References: EGi News 06/02/04
