Shapland gets top Carpetright job
Former finance director to become chief executive.
Darren Shapland, a non-executive director of the chain is to become Carpetright chief executive on Monday, with Lord Harris relinquishing his executive role to become chairman.
Shapland had been seen as a likely successor to Harris since his return last September, with the non-executive role viewed as a period of re-familiarisation.
'I am delighted that Darren has agreed to become chief executive. He was an outstanding finance director from 2002 to 2005 and knows our business well. Since leaving Carpetright he has had extensive experience at Sainsbury, first as finance director and then as group development director. I am confident he will make a huge contribution to the future of the business,' says Harris.
Baroness Noakes, Carpetright's senior independent director, will also become deputy chairman.
'The non-executive directors have been discussing the chief executive succession with Lord Harris for some time and are very pleased that Darren has agreed to take on the role. Lord Harris has been in the carpet business for over 50 years and he has built Carpetright from scratch since 1988. He is a hard act to follow and the board is also pleased that he will stay with the company as chairman,' she says.
Claire Balmforth and Andy Corden, executive directors, will retain their full executive responsibilities for the UK and European businesses respectively, but have stood down from the board to retain an appropriate balance between executive and non-executive directors.