Analysis: Who remains in House of Fraser’s boardroom?

Oddy has resigned after less than two years in the role. But he will remain at the helm until a new chief executive is appointed. 

Commercial and logistics director Ray Kavanagh is also understood to be leaving the business.

Oddy’s resignation is the latest in a number of exits at the Sanpower Group-owned department store chain.

His departure follows that of his second in command, Andy Harding, who left his position as chief customer officer back in April.

Since the beginning of the year, director of global multichannel trading Martin Francis, clothing and accessories boss Jackie Hay and head of home, food, and head of home, food and beauty Ysanne Jenkins have all left the group.

Oddy’s predecessor as boss, John King, departed in 2015 after eight years at the top, hot on the heels of retired chairman Don McCarthy. Finance boss Mark Gifford also left the retailer last year.

This exodus begs the question: which of House of Fraser’s decision-makers are left in the boardroom?

Frank Slevin, executive chairman

Slevin is a relatively new arrival to the world of retail. Global vice-president at House of Fraser’s Chinese owner Sanpower since the beginning of this year, he arrived at the retailer in 2014.

Since 2015 he has been chairman at toy retailer Hamley’s, which is also owned by a Chinese conglomerate.

Slevin has spent the majority of his career in Asia, working for a variety of international banks including HSBC, Citi and BNP Paribas.

On his return to London, he became managing partner of business consultancy Novus.

Peter Gross, chief operating officer

Gross succeeded Oddy as chief operating officer when Oddy was promoted to his current role. Formerly executive director of retail operations, Gross also sits on the board of the New West End Company.

Colin Elliot, chief financial officer

Also a relative newcomer to the retail world, Elliot joined House of Fraser as its finance boss last year.

He had previously held the same role at hospitality groups De Vere and Malmaison, spending around three years at each.

His first major role was at Whitbread, as chief operating officer for international.

Julian Burnett, chief information officer

When former John Lewis exec Burnett joined House of Fraser in 2015, his arrival was regarded as a coup for the department store chain.

Prior to his arrival, he spent around three years apiece at Sainsbury’s as chief technology officer and John Lewis, where he served as head of IT strategy, architecture and business process.

David Walmsley, chief customer officer

Walmsley arrived at House of Fraser just a few months ago, after spending five years as digital director at Marks & Spencer.

He left M&S as part of a slew of high-profile names who departed in the wake of an internal shake-up by new chief executive Steve Rowe.

Before his time at M&S, Walmsley held the director of ecommerce role at Dixons for two years.

He also served as John Lewis’ s head of web selling and customer services between 2007 and 2009, and worked outside of retail in various marketing and web roles.

Maria Hollins, executive director for product and trading

Hollins joined House of Fraser earlier this year from fashion etailer Asos, where she spent two years as trading director before being promoted to product and trading director.

Prior to her time with the pure-play business, Hollins spent almost 20 years at Arcadia, leaving the role of merchandise director to take on two interim roles at Whistles and Fenn Wright Manson, before joining Asos.

Peter Hearsey, executive director for legal, HR and property

By far the longest-serving member of the board, Hearsey joined House of Fraser in 1998 as company secretary. He spent four years at law firm Fieldfisher before moving in-house to the legal teams of companies such as Southern Electric and Graseby.