Laura Ashley’s long-serving chief financial officer Sean Anglim will step down from his role at the end of the year after more than 20 years with the clothing retailer.

Anglim, who joined the fashion and homewares firm in 1996 and also acts as its co-chief operating officer, will be succeeded by Sagar Mavani as chief financial officer.

Mavani is currently group financial controller of the retailer, a role which he took on earlier this year.

Anglim joined Laura Ashley as group financial controller and held the role until 2005 before becoming chief financial officer and co-chief operating officer. It is not known if he has another role lined up.

His departure comes at a difficult time for the clothing and homewares specialist, which has issued two profits warnings this year.

The retailer fell into the red in its full-year results in August, exacerbated by a 3.5% decline in like-for-like sales.

However, the retailer, which recorded a 9.2% uplift in like-for-like fashion sales during the period, said it plans to open a “very different” flagship in Westfield London in a bid to further drive sales.