HMV boss picked as chairman

HMV chief executive Alan Giles is to become non-executive chairman of fashion brand Fat Face, which is understood to be gearing up for sale.

Giles, who is in a handover period at HMV after stepping down from his role as chief executive at the music chain, takes up the Fat Face post on October 1.

Fat Face owners Advent International are poised to sell for about£150 million, according to reports, just 15 months after it bought the company.

Alan Giles said: ‘Fat Face is an innovative brand that is set apart from the rest of the high street through its unique offering and philosophy. I am very much looking forward to working with the talented management team to build on Fat Face’s successful growth strategy that has consistently delivered strong results and impressive performance.’

Fat Face chief executive Louise Barnes added: ‘We are delighted to welcome Alan to the Fat Face team at this exciting stage in our growth strategy. The business continues to go from strength to strength, as evidenced by our recent results, and Alan’s long experience and extensive knowledge of working in retail and with brands will prove invaluable as we continue to build Fat Face to the next level.’

Giles has been chief executive officer of HMV Group since 1998 and is scheduled to leave September 28. He has also held posts at WHSmith Group and The Boots Company during his 20-year retail career. He is also a non-executive director of Rentokil Initial and Wilson Bowden.

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