Matalan strengthens senior leadership team

Matalan has announced a series of senior hires, within buying and design, trading and merchandising, customer and loyalty, and e-commerce.

Jo Bennett has joined the company as director of buying and design to lead Matalan’s product and design strategy, bringing experience from Tu clothing and John Lewis, where she led the Womenswear & Accessories business.

Meanwhile, Jon Williams has stepped into the newly created role of director of trading, planning and merchandising, bringing over 20 years’ multichannel retail experience from brands including John Lewis, Tesco and Primark.

Moreover, Eilidh MacAskill has joined as director of marketing, bringing senior experience across retail and fashion journalism, including roles at Ocado, Asda and Monsoon Accessorize.

Lastly, Andreas Nicolaides, has been appointed director of digital to drive Matalan’s omnichannel strategy, bringing extensive experience from N Brown, John Lewis and digital media agencies across the UK.

The appointments follow the changes implemented by Karl-Heinz Holland and the executive team earlier this year in which product, customer and commercial were brought together into one team, led by Sarah Welsh who was appointed chief product, brand and commercial officer in March 2025.

The move also follows the announcement of a significant investment programme in Matalan’s store estate and supply chain, underpinned by the £25m of additional funding secured from its anchor investors earlier this year.

Holland, executive chair of Matalan, said: “We are making strong progress on our transformation plan. Combining product, brand and commercial capabilities has enabled us to put customers at the heart of everything we do and deliver on our promise to provide excellent quality, value and style.

“With fresh investment, a modernised store estate, invigorated product and the right talent across the business, we have both the strategy and means to grow our market share, attract new customers and deliver sustainable, profitable growth. I am proud of everything we’ve achieved so far on this journey.”

Welsh added: “Bringing together product, brand and commercial under one structure gives us the focus we need to relentlessly deliver the everyday style, quality and value our customer deserves. I am delighted to welcome the new team and look forward to inspiring our customers, innovating within our product and marketing and building our share in the market.