Hotel Chocolat appoints Jon Akehurst as new chief financial officer

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Hotel Chocolat has named Jon Akehurst as its new chief financial officer and executive board director.

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Jon Akehurst will join Hotel Chocolat as CFO in May

Akehurst will join the specialist retailer from his role as chief financial officer at Japanese medical supply company Terumo Corporation’s Aortic division.

He brings with him “extensive experience across branded goods, manufacturing and international development”, having previously held leadership roles at General Mills, Mars and Aggreko.

Hotel Chocolat’s former chief financial officer Matt Pritchard left the retailer after nine years at the end of last month and Akehurst will replace the retailer’s interim chief financial officer Peter Harris in May.

Co-founder and chief executive Angus Thirlwell said: “Jon joins at an exciting time for Hotel Chocolat. His skills will underpin our determination to get back to running a tight-ship operating model, with EBITDA of 20%-plus in 2025 within our sights.”

The appointment of Akehurst follows the retailer’s proposed changes to its operating model internationally, as well as its plans to open 50 new stores over the next three years.