Selfridges promotes management trio, Pitcher and Forster step up

By

Sandra Halliday

Published
Oct 10, 2018

Selfridges has unveiled a raft of senior management changes with its key leadership team being promoted as the retailer continues to go from strength to strength.

The moves include a big reward for Selfridges boss Anne Pitcher and comes after the company has powered ahead with impressive sales and profits increases and the accolade of Selfridges being named the world’s best department store this year. 

Starting from the top, from next February, Selfridges Group MD Paul Kelly is to be MD of Wittington Property Investments in the UK and Europe. This puts him in charge of the development of the group’s property portfolio, as well as overseeing the Selfridges Hotel and Neighbourhood Plan, a massive responsibility.

Importantly for the store chain itself though, current Selfridges & Co MD Pitcher succeeds him as group MD with her role now including oversight of the business across the UK, Europe and Canada. She will be tasked with driving growth and innovation with the group also saying she will lead it as its sets new standards for luxury customer experiences.

She has in recent years overseen the massive investment that the company has made in its stores, including the giant accessories hall in London and Birmingham’s enlarged shoe offer. 

But her new role will be even bigger and includes ultimate responsibility for the Selfridges chain in Britain, as well as Ireland’s luxury stores Brown Thomas and Arnotts, Holt Renfrew in Canada, and de Bijenkorf in the Netherlands.

Current Selfridges & Co customer director Simon Forster becomes Selfridges & Co MD in her place, running the four luxury department stores the group has in the UK (that’s three physical stores in London, Birmingham and Manchester, plus its online store).

Selfridges Group deputy chair Alannah Weston said she’s “had the absolute pleasure of working with each of these individuals over many years and it is a reflection of the talent we continue to build that we are able to fill these important roles by nurturing our talent and planned succession from within the business.”