The appointment of M&S property director Hugo Adams as Supergroup’s new marketing and business development director is notable for a number of reasons.

adams hugo

Hugo Adams, SuperGroup

Hugo Adams boasts more than five years experience in global marketing at Kraft Foods and Dyson

Firstly, and most obviously, it’s a great hire for Supergroup.

Adams is extremely well liked and respected at M&S and over the years has become a trusted member of the senior leadership team.

He has also gained experience across a number of functions during his time with the retailer.

Having initially joined from Dyson as head of international business development in 2008 the role that was later expanded to include international strategy.

Adams spent two-and-a-half years running former chief executive Marc Bolland’s office and has been in his current post for a further two-and-a-half years.

Lining up for chief exec?

The move into a marketing function at Supergroup, combined with responsibility for business development, suggests Adams is looking to expand his experience even further with a view to positioning himself for a chief executive job in the future.

There’s little doubt that gaining experience across a wide range of functions is a must for anyone with an eye on the top job.

You’re not going to become a chief executive if you are one-dimensional, nor are you likely to lead a successful team if you have little or no experience of a range of business functions.

The move from property to marketing seems like quite a leap, however Adams boasts more than five years experience in the discipline, at Kraft Foods and Dyson where he was head of global marketing.

But even if that weren’t the case, a track record of delivering successful campaigns would not necessarily be a prerequisite to make a success of the role.

The priority for any director switching between disciplines should be to build a strong team around them, including a reliable number two, who can deal with the minutiae of the day-to-day business function, leaving the director to focus on leading and managing the team.

Looking beyond the golden quarter

I always feel that the passing of Halloween marks the point in the year when the jobs market begins to slow and all eyes turn to Christmas.

All of my new meetings are now being booked for the New Year in the knowledge that from now until the tinsel is taken down business leaders will only have eyes for the golden quarter.

It’s hard to predict how consumers will respond to the current political and economic uncertainty.

Hopefully they will continue to spend liberally and bring some much needed cheer to the high street, but if trading does disappoint I, along with other recruiters, can expect a hectic schedule in Q1 2017.

NameRoleCompany exitingCompany joiningNew Role
Krista Ann McDonough Vice president, deputy general counsel Internal promotion Michael Kors Senior vice president, general counsel
John Bovill IT and ecommerce director Monsoon David Jones Digital group executive
Andy Tudor Acting head of IT Internal promotion Monsoon Technology director
Mike Sackman Interim IT lead Internal promotion Waitrose IT director
Martin Moran Chief operating officer Internal promotion Holland & Barrett Chief commercial officer
Lysa Hardy Chief commercial officer Holland & Barrett International Joules Chief customer officer
Andy Torrance     Holland & Barrett Chief operating officer
Emma Mead Ecommerce director Internal promotion Holland & Barrett Group digital director
Mark Kendrick Group distribution director Holland & Barrett Retired  
Martin Bailie UK chief operating officer Lidl UK Primark Unannounced
Nikolas Talonpoika Strategic marketing and media director of Kering Internal promotion Kering Chief executive of the Christopher Kane fashion house
Sarah Crook Chief executive of the Christopher Kane house Kering    
Matt Pearson Acting chief financial officer Sports Direct    
Hugh Harvey   Internal promotion Brighthouse Trading director
Graeme Campbell Director of marketing Internal promotion Brighthouse Strategy and digital director
Tony Reed Managing director Tesco Convenience Palmer & Harvey Chief executive
Barry Williams Chief customer officer Asda Poundland Trading director
Simon Twigger Trading director Poundland Steinhoff International Unannounced
Giles Taylor Operations director Internal promotion Rontec Managing director
Nick Lowe   Internal promotion Rontec Director of operations
Tracy Moloney   Internal promotion Rontec Director of finance
Tom Cookson   Internal promotion Rontec Director of fuels and IT
Ed Burstell Managing director Liberty Hudson’s Bay Company Head of partnerships
Paula Nickolds Commercial director Internal Promotion John Lewis Managing director
Cedric Charbit Executive vice-president of product and marketing, Kering’s Yves Saint Laurent Fashion House   Kering Chief executive of Balenciaga
Paul Burden Director of product licensing Ted Baker Joules Head of licensing
Hugo Adams Property director Marks & Spencer SuperGroup Marketing and business development director
Steven Bennett Head of property Internal promotion Marks & Spencer Property director
Martin Williams Managing director Landmark Wholesale    

AGP

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You can call Tony Gregg on 01564 796830 or email him at tony@anthonygregg.com.

Founded in 2003 and located in Henley-in-Arden and London, The Anthony Gregg Partnership specialises in the consumer search market space.