Matalan news and archive

Former Matalan CEO Jo Whitfield names chair of BRC

Jo Whitfield, retail veteran and former chief executive for Matalan, has been appointed chair of the British Retail Consortium (BRC). She will succeed Andy Higginson, whose tenure comes to an end on October 2. Whitfield, who is the first female chair of the BRC, brings to the role 25 years of experience in retail, having previously served in...

Fashion

Sloggi expands reach in the UK with Matalan deal

Comfort-first underwear and bodywear brand Sloggi is expanding its reach in the UK with a wholesale deal that will launch key collections across 20 Matalan stores. Sloggi will be selling its signature collections, including Basic+, which offers super soft fabrications across maxi, tai and midi styles with smooth seams; GO Crush, designed for...

People

Matalan names new chief product, brand and commercial officer

British department store Matalan has appointed industry veteran Sarah Welsh to the new position of chief product, brand and commercial officer. Welsh will take on the role from March 10, after which she will be responsible for positioning customers at the centre of the company’s proposition, growing market share and appealing to a broader...

People

Former Matalan chief Jo Whitfield returns to Asda board

Jo Whitfield, the former chief executive officer of Matalan, has returned to supermarket giant Asda’s board as a non-executive director. Whitfield had served in a number of senior leadership positions at Asda and its clothing company George from 2008, including in the retailer’s e-commerce, operations and commercial divisions. She went on to...

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Fashion

Watch: From hero gnomes to stylish goats, all the festive fashion films to know for 2024

It’s that time of the year, again. Brands and retailers across the globe have begun unveiling their always highly anticipated festive campaigns. This season, trends seem to revolve around flipping the script on the stress usually associated with the season; incorporating well-known (animated) figures into the storyline; and proposing new...

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Matalan announces appointment of two senior executives

Matalan has strengthened its senior team with two new hires. The company has appointed James Dorling as director of property, responsible for overseeing Matalan’s network of over 220 UK stores and Keith Down as a non-executive director and chair of the audit committee following Paul Copley’s decision to step down from the company’s board....

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Matalan CEO to depart after 18 months at helm

The chief executive officer of British department store chain Matalan has announced her exit from the company just 18-months into her tenure. Jo Whitfield’s departure was confirmed in a press release, in which it was stated that she had decided to step down to “pursue a portfolio career”. During her time at Matalan, Whitfield was credited with...

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Business

Matalan full year sales drop but losses narrow

For the full year, Matalan reported revenues of 1,082 million pounds, down 6 percent on a like-for-like basis, while EBITDA jumped 92 percent year-on-year to 53 million pounds as a result of gross margin improvements, tightly controlled costs and delivery of operational improvements. Gross margin for the year improved 8 percent to 495 million...

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Business

Matalan brings 17 new third-party brands to platform

Matalan has announced the expansion of its range of third-party labels, with 17 new brands having now joined the retailer’s offering across core categories. Among the newly added names in the apparel division are Mountain Warehouse, Threadbare, Brave Soul, ToeZone and Regatta, all sitting alongside Matalan’s existing roster and building on the...

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Business

Matalan launches ‘multi million’ brand platform dedicated to ‘family moments’

British retailer Matalan has revealed a new brand platform dedicated to families as part of its ongoing business transformation. With the goal of showing families that “we get you, and we’ve got you”, the platform looks to “celebrate the reality of everyday family moments”, marking a return to “family roots” for the retailer in a bid to cater to...

People

Matalan strengthens leadership team with five senior hires

Matalan has announced the appointment of five senior executives. Commenting on the new appointments, Jo Whitfield, chief executive officer of Matalan, said: “To attract talent of the calibre of each and every one of these individuals is testament to the strength of the Matalan brand and the opportunity that we have to deliver sustainable future...

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Business

Matalan introduces GenAI to marketing tools

Value retailer Matalan has announced the introduction of Generative AI (GenAI) to its systems, providing a tool that creates detailed product descriptions of items listed on its website. To launch such a feature, the retailer partnered with digital consultancy Kin + Carta, which is helping to implement GenAI across all departments of the...