Matalan announces appointment of two senior executives

Matalan has strengthened its senior team with two new hires.

The company has appointed James Dorling as director of property, responsible for overseeing Matalan’s network of over 220 UK stores and Keith Down as a non-executive director and chair of the audit committee following Paul Copley’s decision to step down from the company’s board.

Commenting on the new hires, Karl-Heinz Holland, Matalan’s executive chair, said: “We are thrilled to welcome James and Keith to the business, who both join with relevant expertise that will prove highly valuable as we continue to execute our strategic plan.”

“I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Paul Copley for his significant contribution to the business, particularly during his time as chair,” Holland added.

The company said that Dorling will ensure that Matalan’s property strategy is optimised, forward-looking and contributing to the business’s wider transformation strategy. He joins Matalan with extensive experience in property management and leadership, having held positions at Gymshark, Wilko, Walgreens and Walmart, following a 10-year property career at Tesco.

Down, the company added, has extensive experience in retail and finance and brings valuable expertise from leadership roles at Selfridges Group, Dunelm, Tesco, and Topps Tiles. Down will continue to sit on the boards of Tortilla and Topps Tiles, in addition to his new non-executive role at Matalan.