Oak Furniture Land boss Jason Bannister becomes chairman amid management reshuffle

The business has poached Watchshop chief executive Alex Fisher to take on the role of chief operating officer, as it presses ahead with its ambitious growth plans.

Terry King, who previously served as chief operating officer, will step up to the newly created role of chief executive.

That has paved the way for managing director Bannister to become executive chairman.

The reshuffle comes as Oak Furniture Land presses ahead with plans to grow its UK store estate, opening stores at a rate of one per month.

It already has a portfolio of 100 sites across the country.

The retailer is also planning to open shops in the US, where it already operates a transactional website.

Fisher, a former Mothercare trading director and Tesco category director, said: “Re-enforcing the distinctiveness of our already excellent brand and product offer needs to be at the forefront of our focus.

“A seamless experience across all of our customer touchpoints will ensure that we’re able to attract and retain both new and existing customers across all markets as we accelerate our global ambitions.”

Bannister added: “Alex brings a wealth of multichannel and international experience which will prepare us for our next phase of rapid growth, and will particularly help strengthen our digital capabilities and overseas opportunities.”