Whitfield Leaves Amidst Transition, Citing Portfolio Career Pursuit
Jo Whitfield, CEO of Matalan for the past 18 months, has announced her departure from the company as she pursues a portfolio career. Despite the transition, the company has acknowledged her contributions to stabilizing the business during a challenging period.
During her time at the helm, Whitfield was instrumental in leading significant changes at Matalan, working to enhance product offerings to better meet consumer demands and strengthening the leadership team with key appointments, including executives Ali Jones, Ben Smith, and Phil Hackney.
Karl-Heinz Holland, the current chair, will take on the role of executive chair until a successor is appointed. Holland praised Whitfield for her focus on improving operations and ensuring that both customers and employees remained at the core of the company’s strategy.
In her parting remarks, Whitfield expressed confidence in Matalan’s future, noting that her tenure had laid important groundwork for continued progress. While Matalan experienced losses in the 2023/24 financial year, improvements in operational efficiency and profit margins helped offset the revenue declines driven by strategic decisions and market challenges.