N Brown poaches Original Factory Shop boss Angela Spindler to become chief executive replacing Alan White

Spindler, who has been chief executive of the discount retailer since January 2009, will join the business in July.

White revealed he is to retire last July after 25 years with the business including the last 10 as chief executive. He plans to build a portfolio of non-executive roles.

Spindler began her career in marketing and sales with Coca Cola UK, before spending ten years in a variety of marketing and sales roles at Pedigree Masterfoods. 

She then spent ten years at Asda in marketing, trading and retail project development roles. Her final position was managing director global for the grocer’s own label clothing brand George. This was followed by a year as managing director of Debenhams.

Spindler will be relocating to her native Cheshire to take up the role at the online, catalogue and stores retailer.

Spindler said: “N Brown is a fabulous business which has been very successfully adapted to benefit from the multichannel retail revolution. I am really looking forward to working with a great team and to building on the momentum they have established. The business has some excellent brands and is well placed to deliver growth both in the UK and internationally.”

N Brown chairman Andrew Higginson said: “She brings a tremendous breadth of experience to the role, most recently as a successful chief executive and the board firmly believes she has the personal qualities to lead the team, and the business, as it continues its growth online and internationally.”