Monsoon etail chief Kristine Kirby quits

Monsoon Accessorize ecommerce and multichannel director Kristine Kirby has left the business after a year with the company.

Kirby - named as ‘One to Watch’ in Retail Week’s Etail Power List in 2010 - is understood to have resigned without a new job to go to and left two weeks ago.

As well as being head of its online operations, Kirby was responsible for Monsoon Accessorize’s customer loyalty programme.

The highly regarded American joined Monsoon Accessorize in June 2010 from fellow fashion retailer Fat Face. Prior to that she spent two years developing the ecommerce offering of young fashion brand Lipsy before its takeover by Next.

Kirby is understood to be travelling and could not be reached for comment this week.
Monsoon declined to comment, but it is understood that in an internal announcement the company said it planned to recruit a replacement. In the meantime managing director Peter Ridler will be taking on responsibility for the retailer’s ecommerce operations.

During her year with the business, Kirby oversaw the launch of the standalone Accessorize website, and the launch of international websites to grow the brands overseas. Monsoon has also introduced the RedPrairie warehouse management system to support the growth of online sales across the business.

Monsoon, led by the low-profile founder Peter Simon, has been performing well after it returned to its ethnic product roots. Last month it revealed that pre-tax profits more than tripled to £98.2m for the year to August 28, 2010, up from £27.9m the previous year. Turnover increased almost 4% to £561.7m, up from £540.3m. Simon paid himself a £16.4m dividend.

The growth was driven by increased international sales. Monsoon now trades in 62 countries worldwide. It has kicked off a brand revamp with refurbished stores in an attempt to go back to its ethnic-inspired roots.