Ultimate appoints adviser for Europe
Ultimate Products, the owner houseware brands Salter and Beldray, has hired Simon Hathway as an external adviser to its European business.
An experienced non-executive director with over 25 years’ experience in international retail, Hathway’s career has included stints as commercial director for Dutch discount chain Action, head of multichannel at Wilko, and business solutions director at Superdrug owner AS Watson. He has also held a variety of senior roles at Sainsbury’s.
Ultimate is currently eyeing growth in Europe.
Simon Showman, chief executive of Ultimate Products, said: “We are hugely excited about the prospects for Ultimate Products in Europe. We already have a strong business in the region with a number of leading European supermarkets and also have a growing online presence there. Simon’s appointment will add even more strategic focus and operational-know how to our European operations, and we are delighted to have someone of his vast international retail experience on board.”
In its last financial year, Ultimate’s non-UK revenue accounted for 34% of total sales. It currently sells into 38 countries worldwide with Germany performing particularly well.
Hathway said: “I see enormous growth potential for Ultimate Products’ outstanding portfolio of homeware brands with European retailers, and supermarkets in particular. Ultimate Products is a business that I have worked with as a customer and admired for many years, and I look forward very much to supporting the team in achieving their ambitious international growth plans.”
