N Brown non-exec Gill Barr steps down

N Brown Group has said that non-executive director Gill Barr has notified the Board of her intention to step down; the move comes on the back of the home shopping group announcing falling sales in 2022.

Barr will be leaving the group, which owns JD Williams and Simply Be, following the conclusion of the Annual General Meeting in July 2023 and will not stand for re-election. Further announcements are to follow.

She was first appointed to the board in January 2018, and was subsequently named Senior Independent Director in March 2021.

Prior to her five-year stint at N Brown, Barr was a Non-Executive Director of Morgan Sindall Plc. In addition, she held the position of Marketing Director at The Co-operative Group and Marketing Director at John Lewis. Barr also spent seven years at Kingfisher plc in a variety of senior roles.

Gill Barr is currently a Non-Executive Director of McCarthy & Stone Plc., PayPoint plc, Wincanton plc, and is also the Chair of Severn Trent Water plc.

This news follows the group's announcement of falling sales in the last financial year. N Brown reported a 7.6% decrease in revenue to £249.2 million for the 18 weeks ending 31 December 2022.

The group's product revenue dropped 9.2% to £166.4 million, reflecting a "soft and highly promotional" market. Within this, strategic brand revenue was down 5.5% to £120.9 million, whilst heritage brand revenue dropped 17.6% to £45.5 million.