Management changes at Cherry Lane Garden Centre owner, QD Stores

QD stores is making some key changes to its management team following the resignation of group managing director Justin Farrington Smith.

James Collins and Karl Ottolangui have been promoted to associate directors with Collins taking on trading and Ottolangui responsibility for logistics. In addition, former Morrisons operations controller David Haycox is joining the QD board as operations director, reporting to group chief executive Nick Rubins.

Farrington Smith is leaving the 52-store value chain to take on a senior role within the global logistics market. Since joining QD from Safeway in 2006, he has overseen a near doubling of the group's store numbers, the development and introduction of house brands, and the launch of a transactional online facility spanning all of QD's product lines.

"QD is a wonderful company with some great people and I've loved my time working here," said Farrington Smith. "However, I have been made an offer with tremendous prospects I felt I should take with a rising star in the containerisation sector.

"I advised the board of my intention in June of last year and announced the same to all my colleagues last week at our managers' conference following several key posts being filled."

Norwich-based QD Group is an independently-owned chain of value retail outlets comprising QD Stores, Cherry Lane Garden Centres, Lathams and Thingmebobs. The stores extend from the group’s heartland in the East of England and Home Counties to Doncaster in the north and Wrexham in the west.

Source : Retail Bulletin
www.theretailbulletin.com/news/qd_stores_bolsters_management_team_29-01-14/