Kingfisher plc (LON:KGF) has announced the appointment of Ian McLeod to its Board of Directors as a Non-Executive Director with effect from 20 January 2025.
Ian is a seasoned retail executive with over 40 years of experience across various different international markets, most recently as Group Chief Executive at DFI Retail Group, overseeing operations across 13 countries in Asia with over 10,500 retail outlets. Ian’s career also includes leadership roles at Asda and Halfords Group in the UK, Walmart International and CEO of Coles Retail Group in Australia. He later joined Southeastern Grocers in the United States as CEO before joining DFI Retail Group in 2017, based in Hong Kong. In 2010, Ian was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in his native Scotland for his contributions to business and retail.
Additionally, Catherine Bradley CBE, Senior Independent Director, has decided not to stand for re-election and will therefore step down from Kingfisher’s Board of Directors at the conclusion of the Company’s 2025 AGM. Catherine has served on Kingfisher’s Board for four years, during which time she has played an important role in the Board’s engagement with our colleagues and, in 2024, successfully stewarded an orderly Chair succession process. Catherine has indicated her desire to reduce her governance portfolio and dedicate additional time to her other roles, including as non-executive chair of interactive investor Limited. The Board would like to thank Catherine for her valuable support to the Company, not least in her role as Senior Independent Director, and wishes her well for the future. An announcement on the successor for the Senior Independent Director role will be made in due course.
Commenting on the changes, Claudia Arney, Chair of Kingfisher’s Board, said:
“We are delighted to have someone of Ian’s calibre joining our Board. His long and distinguished career in retail speaks for itself and the depth of experience that he will bring will help support the execution of our strategic initiatives. We look forward to welcoming Ian later this month and benefiting from the new and valuable perspectives he will bring to the Board’s discussions.
Whilst Catherine will be remaining on the Board until our AGM in June 2025, I would like to thank her for her many contributions to the Company over the past four years both as Senior Independent Director and as the Board representative on the Kingfisher Colleague Forum. In recent months Catherine has led the Chair succession process and played a pivotal role in ensuring that we have continuity of leadership at such an important time in Kingfisher’s strategic journey.”
Notes:
This announcement is made in accordance with Listing Rule 6.4.6. The following information is disclosed in accordance with Listing Rule 6.4.8:
Whilst at DFI Retail Group between June 2017 and July 2023, Ian was a director of its associate companies Yonghui Superstores Co., Ltd, PT Hero Supermarket Tbk, and Robinsons Retail Holdings, Inc. which are listed in Shanghai, Indonesia and the Philippines, respectively.
Ian served as a director of Southeastern Grocers from April 2015 to June 2017. Between March and May 2018, Southeastern Grocers implemented a pre-packaged reorganisation through a voluntary Chapter 11 process.
There are no further matters to be disclosed in respect of Ian’s appointment under Listing Rule 6.4.8.
