Kingfisher appoints new finance chief

B&Q owner Kingfisher said that Bot, who formerly worked for global technology platform Travelport Worldwide, will join on October 21.

Interim chief financial officer John Wartig, who has held the post since April, will take up the new role of chief transformation and development officer.

At Travelport Worldwide, Bot’s responsibilities included strategy and transformation as well as finance.

He brings ecommerce experience after being “integral to the repositioning of the company from a traditional travel content distributor to a digital-led commerce platform”, Kingfisher said.

He also has “significant experience in large-scale transformation programmes, logistics and supply chain management, technology and digital services”. Bot also previously worked at delivery company TNT Express and consultancy McKinsey.

Kingfisher chief executive Thierry Garnier said: “Bernard is a highly experienced CFO whose credentials and track record are ideally suited to Kingfisher.

“His career at international businesses has also given him strong capital markets expertise as the group CFO of companies listed in the US, UK, Ireland and the Netherlands. We look forward to him getting started later this month.”

Wartig will remain on Kingfisher’s group executive in his new role. He will be in charge of transformation, IT, business development and property, and will report to Garnier.

Garnier said: “I am delighted that John will be staying at Kingfisher. In the short time he has been here, he has made a notable impact both in finance and in our ongoing transformation, our IT capabilities and our property portfolio.

”The knowledge he has built up already, as well as his expertise in these strategically key areas, will be extremely valuable for the business going forward.”