Kingfisher plc has appointed Michael Loeve as CEO of B&Q UK & Ireland.
Mr Loeve, who brings with him 12 years' experience in senior roles across retail operations, supply chain, IT and strategy, will join the business in September.
He joins B&Q from Coop Danmark, Denmark's leading retailer with around 1,200 stores, where he is group retail director. In his current role he is responsible for five retail formats, including Irma, Kvickly and Fakta, where he has unlocked performance by running the business in a more unified way across multiple formats. He was previously managing director of SuperBrugsen, part of Coop Danmark and one of the largest retail chains in the country with 250 stores.
According to Kingfisher, Mr Loeve has a strong track record of leading successful business transformation, through focusing on customer needs whilst remaining close to the operations.
Commenting on the appointment Kingfisher chief executive officer Véronique Laury said: "As we announced as part of our strategic update in March, we are moving at pace with our 'One' Kingfisher plan to create a single, unified company where customer needs come first. I am delighted to welcome Michael to Kingfisher. He is an experienced retailer who will form an important part of the new diverse international team we are putting together at Kingfisher. I look forward to working with him."
Michael Loeve said: "I am delighted to be joining Kingfisher at such an exciting time in its development. Home improvement is a great market with huge potential and B&Q has a strong position within it, however there is more that we can do to maximise its strengths. With a better and more unique offer at good prices where customer needs come first, all backed by the scale of a unified Kingfisher, we will transform and grow B&Q, helping our customers to have better homes and better lives."
Michael will report to Guy Colleau, operations director, Big Box