John Browett is departing Dixons for Apple. Matt Piner, Lead Consultant comments:

“Mr Browett’s departure to Apple, while great news for him, is a major blow for Dixons and its shareholders. Dixons is a massive, unwieldy, business in an extremely turbulent market and it is was Mr Browett’s strength of vision which have guided it thus far in its recovery and helped it begin to slim down while building on its strengths. However, it still has a long way to go and the worry is, without his supervision, it will lose its way. Given the degree of the competition and size of the challenge facing Dixons, it can’t really afford even the smallest slip-up.

“Filling the vacancy internally, with Sebastian James and Katie Bickerstaffe stepping up, will provide some level of continuity. However, it was only last June that Finance Director Nicholas Cadbury left the business and this second senior departure does raise some questions about whether the respected duo actually harboured doubts about whether Dixons can be restored to its former glory.

“From Apple’s perspective, John Browett’s detailed knowledge of the retail market both across the UK and internationally will be invaluable as it continues to widen its offer in consumer electronics.”

Source: Conlumino