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(Alliance News) - Card Factory PLC on Monday announced the appointment of Darcy Willson-Rymer - former chief executive officer of rival gift retailer Clintons - as CEO, starting in March.
Shares in the Wakefield-based card and gift retailer were 13% lower at 38.55 pence on Monday in London. From Sunday, areas in the South East currently in Tier 3 were moved into a new Tier 4, closing all non-essential retail shops, after scientists said a new coronavirus variant is spreading more rapidly.
Once Willson-Rymer starts on March 8, Executive Chair Paul Moody will step down from the role, and revert back to being a non-executive chair.
In late June, it was announced that CEO Karen Hubbard would leave her role, starting with her being on garden leave from June 30, and the end of her employment expected to be at the end of December.
Willson-Rymer will be joining Card Factory from York-based retail chain Costcutter Supermarkets Group Ltd, where he has been chief executive officer for eight years since 2012.
Prior to that, he was CEO of Epping-based Clintons from 2011 to 2012.
"I am delighted to announce that Darcy is joining Card Factory as our CEO. Darcy has excellent credentials and experience to lead Card Factory through the next phase of our evolution and to continue to lead the implementation of the refreshed strategy. He has experienced successfully leading a complex, multi-site retail business in Costcutter, held senior positions in two customer service-centred global branded businesses in Starbucks and Yum, in particular, where he led a business with an operating model encompassing both owned and franchised units," Moody said.
By Dayo Laniyan; dayolaniyan@alliancenews.com
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