Carpetright chairman Lord Harris to take his leave after 26 years
CARPETRIGHT founder and chairman Lord Harris announced yesterday he would be stepping down – and this time for good – after naming Mitchells & Butlers boss Bob Ivell as his successor.
Harris first announced his retirement in May only to reveal weeks later that he planned to stay on as non-executive chairman until a replacement had been found.
He originally stepped down as chief executive in 2012 after 24 years at the helm, but resumed the role of executive chairman last year after the shock exit of his self-appointed successor, Darren Shapland.
The retail stalwart, who will now retire at the end of the month said: “After 57 years in the carpet business, it is time for me to focus on my other interests and I retire from the board confident that I leave behind a strong leadership team.”
Carpetright has had a tough year after issuing a string of profit warnings. Leisure industry veteran Wilf Walsh was appointed as the group’s new chief executive in July.
PROFILE: BOB IVELL
IF BOB Ivell’s long and successful career in the leisure industry is anything to go by, the new non-executive chairman of Carpetright could be just the man to help turn around the fortunes of the struggling retail business.
Ivell began his career in the leisure industry in 1976 after graduating with a Higher National Diploma in hotel and catering adminstration from Brighton Polytechnic. After spending almost three years with GrandMet Hotels, Ivell joined leisure giant Whitbread where he became managing director of Beefeater Restaurants.
After almost 13 years with Whitbread he jumped ship to rival brewer Scottish & Newcastle, where he rose through the ranks to become chairman and managing director of S&N Retail, its pub and restaurant business.
Ivell joined Mitchells & Butlers (M&B) as interim chairman in 2011, but took up the role on a permanent basis during a turbulent year that saw the pub group fend off a £3bn bid from its billionaire shareholder Joe Lewis.
As well as M&B, the golf and tennis enthusiast is also a senior independent director of Robinson squash-maker Britvic and AGA Rangemaster.
He stepped down as chairman of David Lloyd Leisure last year after 10 years with the fitness chain.