Uniqlo appoints UK chief
Former Body Shop MD to take the helm at Japanese clothing chain
October 25 2002
Japanese fashion retailer Uniqlo has appointed Bernie Foster, the former Body Shop UK managing director, as chief operating officer in Britain, reports Retail Week.
The appointment aims to bring some local market knowledge to Uniqlo’s UK operations. The store group admitted earlier this season that that it had failed to transfer Japanese lines successfully to the UK.
Foster left Body Shop in August after three years as managing director, and was previously MD at Miss Selfridge. In her newly-created role she will report to Uniqlo chief executive Masatoshi Morita, who is also financial director of parent company Fast Retailing.
A Uniqlo spokeswoman quoted by Retail Week said: “We were always looking for someone from the market here too.”
There are plans to increase the number of UK-only lines sold in Uniqlo’s UK stores, which will increase to 25 by next spring.
