Carpetright names new Chief Executive

Carpetright, the FTSE small cap flooring specialist, has appointed Wilf Walsh as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) from July 21st this year. Walsh, who was most recently Chairman of Fortuna Entertainment Group, is replacing Lord Harris of Peckham, who will become Non-Executive Chairman on the same date, before retiring in early September. He will remain available to Wilf Walsh in an advisory capacity thereafter, the group said. Carpetright has now begun a search for a new Chairman, but said if this has not been successful by Harris's retirement date, Baroness Noakes, currently Deputy Chairman of Carpetright, will become Interim Chairman until a replacement is found. Lord Harris said: "I will be 72 this year and shareholders will be aware that I have been planning a managed hand-over of my responsibilities for some time. "I am delighted that Wilf Walsh has agreed to join Carpetright as Chief Executive. He has strong retail and online credentials and a successful track record in managing multi-site consumer-facing businesses. I am confident that I will be leaving the business in safe hands." Wilf Walsh said Harris would be "a hard act to follow", but that the market-leading position he has built for the business "is an excellent place from which to start". The group also announced the departure plans of Martin Harris from his role as Group Development Director, who will also step down in early September. Graham Harris, the Chief Operating Officer, has left with immediate effect as the appoint of a new CEO has made his role redundant. NR