Bensons for Beds appoints new Chief Commercial Officer
UK bed specialist, Bensons for Beds, has today announced the appointment of Mark Slater as Chief Commercial Officer. The role will see him become part of the Executive team.
Having joined the business in an interim capacity in February, Slater brings a wealth of experience, having previously served on the executive team of Howdens plc, a £4.7 billion FTSE100 company. Prior to this, he held several senior commercial roles at Travis Perkins, Currys, and The Walt Disney Company, among others.
During his tenure at Howdens plc, he established the brand’s first commercial team, achieving a 65% increase in sales and growing PBT from £239 million to £406 million, which also significantly increased market share. Slater led the redesign and reinvigoration of the company’s product proposition, depot, and customer pricing structure, accelerating new product sales and significantly improving promotional impact. He also oversaw the development and implementation of Howdens’ ESG strategy.
As the new Chief Commercial Officer, Slater will be responsible for the business’ commercial, marketing, digital, and services teams, alongside product innovation and new business development with a key focus on growing the brand’s sales and overall market share.
Nick Collard, CEO at Bensons for Beds, says: “Following our return to profitability, this appointment plays a critical role at Bensons as we accelerate our efforts to create a more distinctive, compelling, and sector-leading offer for our customers.
“Mark’s commercial knowledge and experience of working in assisted sale, vertically integrated businesses will be a strong addition to our leadership team, and it’s a testament to the progress that Bensons has made in recent years that we have been able to attract someone of Mark’s calibre to be part of our journey.”
Mark Slater, Chief Commercial Officer at Bensons for Beds, says: “The turnaround that Nick and the team have managed amidst a highly volatile consumer market has been impressive. Bensons’ expertise and manufacturing capabilities present significant opportunities, and I am excited to help drive this momentum forward.”
Last month, Bensons posted an EBITDA profit of £1.5 million in the 53 weeks to 30 September 2023, up from a £15.4 million loss in 2022, as sales jumped 7.5% to £257.5 million due to its ongoing investment into improving its product offer and customer experience.
Bensons plans to open more than a dozen new stores in 2024 as it continues with its store expansion drive.
