Arcadia names senior digital trio as e-tail focus grows

By

Sandra Halliday

Published
Nov 7, 2019

As Arcadia focuses more heavily on its e-commerce operations, the giant fashion retail group has announced three new senior appointments in its digital team.

They include group chief digital officer Rafaele Petruzzo, chief information officer Karl De Bruijn and director of digital and retail technology Simon Pakenham-Walsh.

The first of the trio has joined from digital payments provider Nets Group, where he was chief transmission officer. His previous posts include time spent as chief digital and technology officer at Homeserve, and other senior digital roles at supermarkets chain Tesco and banking giant Barclays.

De Bruijn meanwhile has direct fashion sector experience and joins from Primark where he had been IT transformation director. His previous roles include both Cath Kidston and eyewear chain Specsavers.

Finally, Pakenham-Walsh, who reports to De Bruijn, come from Sainsbury’s, although he wasn’t working in the Tu Clothing operation there as he was technology director and chief information officer for food.

Arcadia is ramping up its efforts to grow online as it closes physical stores and has boosted its links with multibrand e-tailers such as Asos, Shop Direct and Zalando, as well as investing in its own websites.

Its CEO Ian Grabiner said this latest set of appointments is part of its aim to "drive forward digital ambitions and boost sales from online channels”.