N Brown unifies trading and marketing under new director
N Brown Group has strengthened its leadership team with the appointment of Arfan Sabir to a newly created Trading and Marketing Director role. The new role brings together Trading and Marketing under one leader for the first time in the company’s history, reflecting the shifting dynamics of digital-first retail.
The restructuring forms part of N Brown’s wider push to tighten its commercial performance while elevating its customer experience across brands including JD Williams, Simply Be and Jacamo.
Sabir joins with more than 25 years’ experience in transforming e-commerce and omnichannel operations. His previous roles include senior positions at Lego, Mothercare and Dreams, and most recently Vice President of E-Commerce at global electronics distributor Avnet.
Dene Jones, CEO of Retail at N Brown, said: "The creation of the Trading and Marketing Director role reflects our commitment to driving commercial excellence and delivering an outstanding customer experience. Arfan’s proven track record in omni-channel digital transformation and growth makes him the ideal person to lead this combined function."
The move comes at a pivotal time for N Brown, which is midway through a long-term transformation programme to modernise its platforms, sharpen brand differentiation, and deepen relationships with its core demographic.
Sabir added: "I’m thrilled to be joining N Brown at such an exciting time. Bringing Trading and Marketing together will ensure an even sharper focus on commercial trading opportunities, while delivering a cohesive and customer-focused approach that drives growth and strengthens the Group’s market position."
Earlier this year, the company appointed Dene Jones as CEO of Retail, creating an expanded leadership remit. Taking up the role in February 2025, Jones now oversees product, trade, marketing, as well as data analytics and data visualisation.
This executive reshuffle follows N Brown’s approved £191 million take-private acquisition in late 2024, and is part of a broader effort to reorient the business toward a digitally led, data-driven future.
