Morleys appoints former Gieves & Hawkes MD as new CEO
Department store chain Morleys has appointed Ray Clacher as Chief Executive Officer, effective 5 January 2026, with current CEO Allan Winstanley stepping down at the end of December after one year in the role.
Most recently, Clacher served as Chief Commercial Officer at BrandAlley. Prior to that, he held senior leadership roles within the Li & Fung Group, including Group Managing Director for Gieves & Hawkes, Kent & Curwen and Cerruti 1881.
Earlier in his career, Clacher worked at DH Evans and House of Fraser, which gave him “a deep understanding of the UK department store landscape”.
Bernard Dreesmann, Chairman of Morleys Department Stores, said: “Ray’s breadth of experience across premium fashion, commercial retail and department stores makes him exceptionally well placed to lead Morleys into its next chapter. We are delighted to welcome him to the business and wish him every success in his new role.”
Morleys closed the doors to its Tooting branch at the end of April after 70 years of trading, but continues to operate its seven other stores, including Morleys in Brixton and Bexleyheath, as well as Elys in Wimbledon, Pearsons in Enfield, Camp Hopson in Newbury, James Selby in north London and Roomes Fashion and Home in Upminster.
Morleys also acquired Jolly’s department store in Bath from Frasers Group earlier this year, and will be relaunching it under its original name in 2026 following a refurbishment.
On his new appointment, Clacher said: “I am thrilled to be joining Morleys Department Stores at such an exciting time, with the opening of Jolly’s in August 2026.
“The business has a proud history and a strong position in the UK department store market, and I look forward to working with the team to build on this success and drive growth in the years ahead.”
In other Morleys news, Buying Director Daren Gittins will be leaving the company “to pursue his passion for travel”. Gittins has spent 13 years with Morleys and has played a pivotal role in shaping the department store group’s buying strategy. He will be exiting the business on 30 April 2026.
