Debenhams appoints John Walden and Kevin Conroy to board

Debenhams Group, a multinational retailer, has appointed John Walden and Kevin Conroy as non-executive directors of Celine Jersey Topco Limited, parent company of Debenhams. Walden was formerly CEO of Home Retail Group plc & its subsidiary Argos. Conroy is founder & CEO of Conroy Media, providing advisory services to early stage and high growth companies.

 

Debenhams Group, a multinational retailer, has appointed John Walden and Kevin Conroy as non-executive directors of Celine Jersey Topco Limited, parent company of Debenhams. Walden was formerly CEO of Home Retail Group plc & its subsidiary Argos. Conroy is founder & CEO of Conroy Media, providing advisory services to early stage and high growth companies.#

Walden stepped down at Argos following the its sale to Sainsburys in 2016. Walden has also held senior management roles at Best Buy Co and Sears Holdings in the United States. He is currently chairman of Naked Wines plc (formerly known as Majestic Wine plc) and was previously executive chairman of Holland & Barrett International. He also served on the advisory board of L1 Retail until October 2019.

 

Debenhams Group, a multinational retailer, has appointed John Walden and Kevin Conroy as non-executive directors of Celine Jersey Topco Limited, parent company of Debenhams. Walden was formerly CEO of Home Retail Group plc & its subsidiary Argos. Conroy is founder & CEO of Conroy Media, providing advisory services to early stage and high growth companies.#

Conroy was formerly president, digital & media for MGM Inc. He has held a range of senior global, strategic and operational roles at Univision, AOL and Bertelsmann, among others. He is currently also a non-executive director of Mattress Firm and has previously served on the boards of Newell Brands and Sotheby's.

 

Debenhams Group, a multinational retailer, has appointed John Walden and Kevin Conroy as non-executive directors of Celine Jersey Topco Limited, parent company of Debenhams. Walden was formerly CEO of Home Retail Group plc & its subsidiary Argos. Conroy is founder & CEO of Conroy Media, providing advisory services to early stage and high growth companies.#

"We are delighted to appoint two such distinguished figures to the board. John brings multi-line and multi-channel expertise with a deep understanding of the UK retail environment, while Kevin's digital/online experience and entrepreneurial background, with a wide-ranging international perspective will be very valuable. I know Stefaan and the operational team will welcome their insight and strategic understanding. We are assembling a strong board and, with a supportive investor group, substantial resources and a clear plan, Debenhams is well set to implement its turnaround," Mark Gifford, chairman of Celine Jersey Topco Limited, said in a press release.