Morleys department stores appoints Chief Trading Officer

Independent department store Morleys has appointed Melanie Smallwood as its newly created Chief Trading Officer (CTO), where she will take full responsibility for the group’s buying and merchandising functions.

Smallwood will join the company in April and report directly to Morleys' new CEO Ray Clacher, who joined earlier this year, as well as the company's board.

Melanie brings over 30 years of senior leadership experience in the global fashion and lifestyle industry to her new role. She previously spent nine years as Chief Commercial and Brand Partnerships Officer at Global Fashion Group, where she led trading and commercial strategy across 12 countries.

Prior to this, she also spent four years at eBay UK as Head of Fashion and Merchandising, and another four years at Harvey Nichols, where she served as Global Buying Director. She also held P&L responsibility for the Womenswear and Kidswear divisions at the Harrods department store.

Bernard Dreesmann, Chairman of Morleys Department Stores, commented that he was delighted to welcome Melanie to the Group at this "critical time for the business".

Clacher added: “Many of us in premium/luxury retail know Melanie well. I could not be happier that we managed to convince Melanie to join us on this exciting journey for this Group, which will proudly be 100 years old in 2027. I look forward to working with Melanie and all the senior team to show that the community department is still a vital mainstay of the British high street.”

Morleys Department Stores is a group of department stores, most of which are in and around the Greater London area. Its Jolly's store on Milsom Street in Bath, which closed earlier in 2025, is set to reopen later this year following a multi-million-pound investment.

Morleys closed the doors to its Tooting branch on 30 April 2025 after 70 years of trading. The site, the largest homestore in Tooting, was shuttered as part of a trading review.

The appointment follows a series of senior leadership changes at Morleys, with Judd Wilson taking over as Chief Financial Officer last October, and Clacher joining earlier this year.