8th Sep 2005 15:28
HMV Group PLC08 September 2005 HMV Group plc appoints Gerry Johnson as Managing Director of Waterstone's 08 September 2005 HMV Group plc today announces the appointment of Gerry Johnson as ManagingDirector of Waterstone's. Gerry Johnson, age 45, is a career retailer. He began his working life at Tescoin 1978, holding a variety of roles over 11 years, latterly as SuperstoreManager. He spent five years at Asda Group's Allied Maples Division, beforemoving to Wickes PLC in 1994. In 2001, he was appointed Managing Director ofBooker and was a main board director of its parent company, Big Food Group PLC. Following the acquisition of Booker by a Baugur-led consortium, he completed ahandover, before leaving at the end of April 2005. His appointment is effectivefrom 1 October 2005. Brian McLaughlin, Chief Operating Officer of HMV Group, said: "I am delighted to welcome Gerry Johnson to Waterstone's and to the Group. Gerryhas almost 30 years retailing experience and a proven track record. We lookforward to working with him as we continue to build on Waterstone's reputationas the UK's most successful book retailer." Gerry Johnson said: "Waterstone's has made great strides in the last three years. It has a marketleading position, an unrivalled range and knowledgeable and enthusiastic staff.Waterstone's is one of the UK's most exciting businesses, and I am lookingforward to becoming part of a first-class retailing team." Enquiries: Paul Barker HMV Group plc 01628 818 3000 Susan Gilchrist Brunswick Group LLP 020 7404 5959William CullumEilis Murphy Notes to editors: Gerry Johnson lives in Oxfordshire with his wife and two young children. He is acareer retailer, having discovered his love of the sector as a part-timeemployee at Tesco whilst still at school. On joining Tesco full-time, he enteredthe company's management trainee programme and thereafter quickly progressedthrough the organisation. In 1985, he became Manager of a Tesco superstore. Hefurthered his career by joining Allied Maples, part of the Asda Group, initiallyin a field management position, where he developed his first hands-on experiencein supply chain, before progressing through the company to became a member ofthe Allied Maples Executive Board and a key player in the rebuilding andultimate sale of the division. At Wickes, he ran the company's highly successfulrenewal programme, which was a key element in the turnaround of Wickes. He hasspent the last four years in charge of the £3.5 billion Booker wholesaleoperation, where he oversaw a successful change management programme, thecollaborative rebuilding of the supply chain for the benefit of the company andits suppliers and delivered consistent profit growth in a cost-inflationaryenvironment. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock ExchangeRelated Shares:
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