Register to get free articles
Want unlimited access? View Plans
Already have an account? Sign in
Jo Whitfield, the former Co-op supermarkets chief, has reportedly emerged as a frontrunner to run Liverpool-based fashion retailer brand Matalan, according to Sky News.
The outlet reports that following her decision to step down as the Co-op’s food chief last year, Whitfield is now in detailed talks with Matalan’s new owners. It is thought Whitfield is in direct competition with Matalan’s current interim CEO Nigel Oddy.
Whitfield previously worked for Matalan as a financial officer in the early 2000s.
The news comes after Matalan founder John Hargreaves lost control of the group after its lenders finalised a rescue deal that eliminated his equity, despite the retail tycoon submitting his own takeover bid for the group.
Matalan’s lenders, Invesco, Man GLG, Napier Park and Tresidor are seeking a CEO to lead its turnaround after pumping £100m into the business.
