Superdry has undergone a boardroom reshuffle that entailed the appointment of a new chief operating officer, the resignation of its chairman, and making co-founder Julian Dunkerton chief executive on a permanent basis.
Dunkerton, who also holds a 20 percent stake in the fashion retailer, was first appointed interim chief executive after a boardroom battle last year that saw Euan Sutherland being ousted from the business.
Dunkerton’s return as chief executive on a permanent basis comes as his interim contract was due to expire in April next year.
His remit includes delivering the strategic plan across Superdry’s product, brand, and distribution channels, focusing on sustainability.
Superdry also hired Silvana Bonello as a chief operating officer, effective from March 1 next year. She will report directly to Dunkerton.
Bonello’s previous roles include 18 years spent at Nike in numerous senior operational and strategic positions in the US and The Netherlands, and most recently she was operations vice-president for Vans EMEA.
As Superdry’s new chief operating officer, she will be responsible for enhancing operations and planning processes, covering merchandising, logistics, IT, business transformation, sourcing processes, and corporate strategy.
Meanwhile, the fashion retailer confirmed that Peter Williams has decided to step down from the board and his role as chairman next year once a replacement is found.
Williams was first appointed to the role in April 2019 to aid Dunkerton’s return to Superdry.
The retailer added that the search for a new chief financial officer was still underway.
“Since rejoining the business last year, Julian has been driving forward the transformation of the business and resetting the Superdry brand with the launch of the AW20 range in the most challenging of times,” Williams said.
“There remains much to do – particularly against this current backdrop – and so we are also pleased to strengthen the team further with the appointment of Silvana as COO. She brings a wealth of relevant operational and strategic experience to Superdry.
“I joined Superdry as chairman with a clear goal of ensuring a smooth transition following the change of management last year.
“I am proud of the progress we are making to stabilize the business and reset the Superdry brand since last April.
“Julian and Silvana’s appointments are among the last steps in putting the right team together to secure the turnaround of the business.
“With the search for a new CFO well advanced, the completed executive team will be in place early next year and so 2021 is an appropriate time for me to step down.”
Dunkerton said: “With Silvana joining the executive team, we now have the right operational leadership to steer the business through these most uncertain times and drive the brand reset as we seek to inspire our customers with design-led, sustainable product and engage with them through our digital channels.
“Peter has been a key figure in getting Superdry back on track, and a great support to me and colleagues in the business over the past 18 months.