Hmv Group Regulatory News (HMV)

18 Jul 2006 07:00

HMV Group PLC18 July 2006 18 July 2006 HMV Group plc today announces the appointment of Simon Fox as Group ChiefExecutive, effective from 28 September 2006. Simon Fox, 45, joins HMV Group from Kesa Electricals plc, where most recently hewas Chief Operating Officer, with responsibility for Comet in the UK, Kesa'ssubsidiaries in Continental Europe and e-commerce developments, coveringapproximately 350 stores and over £2bn of sales. Prior to his appointment as COO, he was Managing Director of Comet, which he ledthrough its demerger from Kingfisher, and established the chain's leadership ofthe online electricals market and the transition of the brand from a price-ledto a service-based proposition. Comet employs around 10,000 people in the UK. Simon Fox, joins the Group on 4 September as Group Chief Executive-designate,succeeding Alan Giles, who will retire as Chief Executive and as a director ofHMV Group at the Group's AGM on 28 September 2006. Carl Symon, Non-Executive Chairman of HMV Group plc, commented: "The Board of HMV Group is delighted to announce someone of Simon's calibre asChief Executive. He has a strong strategic mind combined with a first rate trackrecord in all aspects of retailing. We had an excellent list of talented candidates to consider, and Simon'sbackground in closely related and highly competitive retail markets, hisinternational experience and his expertise in developing leading online brandsstood out. The Board is highly confident that he will successfully lead thetransformation of HMV Group into a truly world class multi-channel retailer." Simon Fox said: "I am a huge admirer of the HMV and Waterstone's brands, which are renowned fortheir specialist positioning, passionate employees and unrivalled rangeauthority, and it will be a privilege to lead the Group. "We all know that these are highly competitive markets, but I firmly believethat the stellar attributes which are in the DNA of the brands and operatingculture will enable the Group's businesses to successfully differentiatethemselves and to compete effectively through a variety of complementary retailchannels." There is no other information to be disclosed pursuant to LR9.6.13R in respectof the director appointed. ENDS Notes to Editors Simon Fox joined Kingfisher in 1998 and held a variety of senior roles,including CEO Electricals, where as a member of the eKingfisher team he set upthe company's e-commerce activities across Europe. Prior to Kingfisher, hefounded Office World as the UK's first out-of-town office supplies retailer,growing the business to 60 stores and around £100m turnover in eight years. Hebegan his career as a graduate trainee at Security Pacific Bank and thereafterworked at Boston Consulting Group and Sandhurst Marketing plc. He is marriedwith three children and lives in Berkshire. Contacts: HMV Group:Carl Symon*Simon Fox*Paul Barker 01628 818 355 Brunswick Group:Susan Gilchrist/William Cullum/Eilis Murphy 020 7404 5959 * Carl Symon and Simon Fox can be contacted via Brunswick Group. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange