Embattled baby product retailer Mothercare has snapped up LoveFilm International head Simon Calver as the company’s new CEO.
The chain – which recorded £82m half-year losses in 2011 – has completed its four-month hunt for a new chief.
It follows the departure of former head Ben Gordon amid a number of profit warnings last year.
Calver – who will officially join the company’s board on April 30 – has been LoveFilm CEO since 2005, during which time it was bought by Amazon.
Struggling Mothercare confirmed last year it planned to slash almost a third of its high street stores by 2013 to 266 from 373.
And commenting on the appointment, chairman Alan Parker said: “Calver is a highly successful business leader with experience heading multinational consumer-facing organisations.
“His e-commerce and brand expertise will enable Mothercare to accelerate its development as a multi-channel retailer in the UK and his international perspective will be invaluable to the continued rapid expansion of Mothercare and Early Learning Centre globally.”
And incoming Calver – who has also previously worked at Dell and PepsiCo – added: “Whilst there are near term challenges ahead, I am committed to the recovery of the UK business and the accelerated growth of these aspirational brands around the world.”
Mothercare’s pre-tax profits last year also slumped from £32.5m to £8.8m.
By Andy Pearce
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