Permanent appointment for Studio transformation director

Studio.co.uk has appointed James Le Brocq as its permanent transformation and operations director after he successfully completed a 12-month contract with the online retailer.

James's wealth of experience in the retail sector includes roles with The Cooperative Bank, Barclays and O2 Money, where he led the turnaround of the device insurance business.

His new role at Studio is the result of a structured development and succession plan implemented by the board over the past two years. The appointment follows Paul Kendrick’s promotion managing director to CEO.

James said: "This is an incredibly exciting time to join Studio.co.uk on a permanent basis. Over the course of the last 12 months, I have been able to fully get under the hood of the business and understand the growth ambitions Paul Kendrick and the team have. I look forward to bringing these ambitions to fruition as part of the Studio.co.uk team.

"As we continue to grow, it is imperative that we have the best structure in place and that the business is positioned to accelerate our growth and digital transformation plans. Equally we must continue to deliver great customer experience throughout the growth process and invest in our colleagues, so that they grow with the business."

Studio reported record levels of trading during its peak third quarter trading period that included Black Friday and Christmas, with product sales 32 per cent ahead of the previous year. The Covid-19 lockdown has further accelerated Studio’s digital transformation plans and its app has almost 1 million users, which produced over 20 per cent of sales in 2020.

Paul Kendrick, chief executive, said: "James has a proven track record in business and digital transformation, his skills are therefore pivotal to our ambitious plans to grow and expand the business. We have already seen fantastic results from James and look forward to seeing what he brings to an already strong leadership team on the challenging journey we have ahead of us."

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