28th Jun 2005 07:05
HMV Group PLC28 June 2005 HMV Group plc: Board Changes HMV Group plc today announces that Brian McLaughlin, Chief Operating Officer andActing Managing Director of Waterstone's, will retire on 31 December 2005, ayear later than originally announced. HMV Group is pleased to confirm that Brianwill thereafter remain on the Group's board as a non-executive director. The Board will be further strengthened by the appointment of Steve Knott,Managing Director of HMV UK and Ireland, who will join the HMV Group Board on 1August 2005. With experienced leadership now in place throughout all the Group'sbusinesses, and a proven senior team at Waterstone's, the Board does not intendto appoint a new Group COO. The Group has started the process to appoint areplacement Managing Director at Waterstone's. Robin Miller, Chairman, said: "We are indebted to Brian for building HMV UK and Ireland into a highlyrespected market leader, with an outstanding group of talented employees and apassionate, performance driven culture. During the last four years he has made amuch wider contribution to performance improvement across the Group, and we aredelighted that he will continue to share his experience and wisdom in anon-executive capacity after his retirement. On behalf of the Board and everyonein the Group I would like to wish Brian a happy and fulfilling retirement. We are delighted to welcome Steve Knott to the Board. He brings with him awealth of retailing experience and this promotion is a richly deservedrecognition of the contribution he is making in leading the Group's largestbusiness." Ends Contacts : Paul Barker Head of Corporate Communications 01628 818 300 HMV GroupSusan Gilchrist Brunswick Group LLP 020 7404 5959 Notes: About Brian McLaughlin Brian McLaughlin, 55, has spent almost all of his working life with HMV havingoriginally joined the Portsmouth branch as a sales assistant in 1968. He workedhis way through the organisation via store and regional management positionsbefore being appointed Operations Director. In March 1987 he was appointedManaging Director of HMV UK, becoming Managing Director of HMV Europe in 1996.Mr. McLaughlin was appointed to the Group's Board in March 1999, and becameGroup Chief Operating Officer in January 2001, assuming operationalresponsibility for Waterstone's and the HMV businesses in Europe, North Americaand Asia Pacific. Mr. McLaughlin received the prestigious Music Week STRAT Award in 1997 and theMusic Industry Trust Award in 2001. He is credited with establishing the BritishAssociation of Record Dealers (BARD) in the early 1990s as an importantinfluence in the music industry. In 1998 he was invited to join the UKGovernment's inaugural Music Industry Forum. Mr. McLaughlin has also establishedHMV as the largest single fund-raiser for one of the UK music industry'spreferred charities, Nordoff Robbins Music Therapy, of which he is now theChairman. About Steve Knott Steve Knott, 52, Managing Director HMV UK and Ireland took up his current postin April 2003, having re-joined the Group in November 2001 as Managing Directorof Waterstone's after three years as Managing Director of World Duty Free(Europe) Limited, a subsidiary of BAA plc. He joined HMV UK in 1990 asOperations Director and became Managing Director of HMV Germany in 1996. Beforejoining HMV he had ten years experience in retail management with the BurtonGroup, after spending five years with BHS Limited which he joined as a graduatetrainee in 1976. He is currently Chairman of BARD and also of The OfficialCharts Company. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock ExchangeRelated Shares:
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