Burberry chief creative officer Christopher Bailey to add CEO role to duties as Angela Ahrendts joins Apple
Digital brand Burberry has announced the appointment of Christopher Bailey as chief creative and chief executive officer following the decision of existing CEO, Angela Ahrendts, to step down by mid-2014 to assume a new role at Apple as head of retail.
Bailey’s career with Burberry began in 2001 and he has served as CCI for the past six years, a role which includes oversight of consumer-facing activities, including product design and development, creative marketing, store design, consumer technology and digital innovation.
Bailey said: "I am profoundly moved and humbled to be asked to take on the CEO role at this company that means so much to me. I also feel privileged to be keeping my role as chief creative officer, as I believe that creativity and innovation have been at the heart of our success in the last ten years and will be even more so in the decade ahead. We have a clear strategy to build on, an increasingly powerful brand and an inspiring management team. Together, we will continue to push the boundaries of design, technology and communication while never forgetting our heritage, our Britishness and our values.”
Ahrendts added: "Burberry is in brilliant shape, having built the industry's most powerful management team, converted the business to a dynamic digital global retailer, created a world class supply chain, state of the art technology infrastructure, sensational brand momentum and one of the most closely connected creative cultures in the world today. It has been an honour to have partnered with Sir John Peace and Christopher for the last eight years.“
Meanwhile, the company has announced a growth in total underlying revenue of 14 per cent, to reach £1,031m, with retail revenue having increased by 17 per cent to reach £649m for the first half of its financial year.
The brand has also reported double digit growth in Asia Pacific and EMEIA, while its beatury wholesale revenue was £51m, with wholesale excluding beauty down by 7 per cent to £244m.
In her new role at Apple, Ahrendts will also lead the company's online stores.