Argos retail boss Steve Carson promoted to Home Retail Group role

Carson, who played a pivotal role in developing Argos’ new format digital stores, will retain his retail operations responsibilities at Argos but will take on responsibility for customer and property services functions across the group, which also includes Homebase.

Carson has been at Home Retail Group since 2006 and has held a number of senior retail roles in Argos and Homebase. He became Argos retail operations director in 2011.

His new role will include controlling Home Retail Group’s customer contact centres.

Home Retail Group chief executive John Walden said: “Steve has been a strong leader of the Argos transformation among our critical Argos store colleagues, and driven good results.

“Having worked in both the Argos and Homebase businesses, he will now align services to actively support the customer proposition for each operating business.

“Property is an important element of both Argos and Homebase’s strategies and will enable us to use our asset base more effectively across both of our businesses. I believe this is a hugely exciting time for Home Retail Group and we have the right strategies and the right team to be successful.”

Carson added: “The highest levels of customer service are critical at all customer touch points. Combining the seamless and integrated systems, tone of voice and service wherever a customer contacts us is going to become an important point of difference.

“Likewise, the distinction of our property portfolio against our competitors will enable us to be a point of destination.”