Bensons for Beds appoints chief retail officer

Bensons for Beds today has confirmed the appointment of Paul Owen to join its leadership team as chief retail officer.

Owen will join Bensons after almost three years as board member and director of store operations for Magnet Limited.

The group said he has “significant experience” of the bed and mattress market, serving for four years as retail director at Dreams.

His extensive retail leadership background also includes roles at Fraser Hart, Carphone Warehouse and B&Q.

Bensons chief executive officer Nick Collard said: “Paul is a retailing expert who brings over 30 years’ experience in retail but specifically has a strong history within the high-ticket sector and retail organisations of scale where colleagues are vital to the customer journey.

“Like us, he understands the pivotal role the expertise of our colleagues plays in helping customers find the right sleep solution for them. I’m looking forward to that colleague-focus helping us further unlock the power of our own people.”

He added: “Having sat on the operating boards of both Dreams and most recently Magnet, Paul’s wealth of experience will help us further develop our wider customer and colleague proposition as we continue to grow.”

Owen will take-up his role in early July.

In April, Bensons reported 9% like-for-like sales for the quarter to end of March, building on the 7% like-for-like sales growth in the previous quarter, and unveiled plans to step up its growth through further investment in stores and its digital offer.