Electricals group DSGi is poised to axe as many as 400 head office staff, as chief executive John Browett reshapes the business to put it on the road to recovery.
Browett will confirm a headquarters restructuring on Thursday, when he unveils findings of his strategic review, but the process is unlikely to be concluded until the end of this month while affected staff are consulted.
It is understood that between 20 and 25 per cent of the 1,700 staff at DSGi’s head office – which the store group calls its “retail support centre” – will be culled.
Browett intends to deliver efficiencies by eliminating back-office duplication across the retailer’s flagship Currys and PC World chains, in fields such as finance and supply chain and thereby deliver group efficiencies.
A DSGi spokesman declined to comment on “speculation” and said the retailer looked forward to Thursday’s announcement.
Since joining DSGi last December, when the business was already mired in difficulties, Browett has been working on a recovery programme. The task has become more urgent following two profit warnings this year.
Analysts believe he may close up to 200 shops, shift more business online and run more PC World and Currys stores under one roof.
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