Moda in Pelle CEO departs and replaced with founder’s son

Sources close to the business say that Moda in Pelle staff have been told internally that former chief executive Anil Patel has resigned and been replaced by Benjamin Buck, the son of the business’s founder.

The sources said that Patel’s reason for quitting the business was due to conflicts with the founder and new ownership over the direction of Moda in Pelle. 

Patel has been with Moda in Pelle for over nine years, having joined in April 2017 as director of digital and omnichannel. He was named chief executive in May 2025. Before that, Patel was head of multichannel at The Original Factory Shop for nearly three years. 

Benjamin Buck is listed as a director of Moda in Pelle and has been with the business in one capacity or another for over 12 years. Retail Week understands Benjamin Buck has most recently been head of buying at the retailer for the last 12 months. 

In a statement, founder Stephen Buck wouldn’t confirm to Retail Week whether Patel was still chief executive, saying only: “Anil Patel continues to advise and work within the group, as he has done for many years. He is a shareholder and will hopefully continue advising the group for many years to come.”

Retail Week understands that Moda in Pelle’s head of trading, Matt Holden, has also recently left the business. Holden had been with the company since 2018.

The slew of senior resignations comes as Retail Week has been examining the issues facing the footwear retailer.

On Wednesday (May 13), it was revealed that HM Revenue and Customs issued a notice last week to MIP Employees 1975, which is one of the companies under the Moda in Pelle umbrella and is responsible for the brand’s payroll.

This followed on from news on April 30 that the owners of Moda in Pelle GlobalTech Corporation – a US-based technology firm focused on AI and big data – had drafted in financial advisers to review “the company’s financial position, including its solvency”.