Wright told Retail Week that he had met with Blacks chairman David Bernstein, but as yet had not received a formal offer.
Many potential candidates have shied away from the role while majority shareholder Mike Ashley’s intentions for the company remain unclear, as revealed in today’s Retail Week magazine.
“There are many similarities between Moss Bros and Blacks,” said Wright, who has five years’ experience of working with Blacks from when he was sales and marketing director at Millets. “[The role] is about realigning the Blacks and Millets brands, getting cash in, getting debts down, stock out of the stores and getting morale higher.”
He added that a decision would need to be made over the future of the O’Neill brand.
Acting chief executive Keith Fleming, who was drafted in in June after Russell Hardy left the retailer, is facing a coup led by groups of rebel shareholders. The shareholders, led by Principle Capital Trust, are understood to want Bernstein to appoint fresh blood to inject the business with a fresh impetus.
A source close to the situation said: “There are three groups that want an external candidate bought in and a couple that want Fleming, who is Bernstein’s favourite candidate.”
Wright added: “There are a lot of investors being quite vocal, but it is what happened when I went into Moss Bros. It is going to be quite a combative role.”
Blacks declined to comment.
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