A change in leadership at Harvey Norman appears to have contributed to a renewed sense of momentum at the Australian retail giant. Haydon Myers — the man who replaced long-time executive David Ackery — has been credited by suppliers and insiders with bringing about a “refreshing” change at the domestic arm of the business. Myers took over from Ackery after his 30-year tenure, during which he was regarded as a stabilising force in the company’s electrical and appliance business.

Earlier today the national CE, appliance and furniture retailer reported a 9.1% increase in aggregated sales across their network.

Franchised stores in Australia also increased increasing by 9.1% for the period 1 July 2025 to 20 November 2025 when compared to aggregated sales for the period 1 July 2024 to 20 November 2024.

Harvey Norman’s shares closed down 1.4% at the end of the day as investors absorbed the news.

In their last reporting period, Harvey Norman posted a strong full-year result.

The company recorded a net profit of A$ 518.0 million — up 47% from the prior year.

At the same time, the group also saw broad-based sales growth, driven in large part by robust demand in consumer electronics, AI-enabled devices, home furnishings, and appliances.

Heydon Myers Harvey Norman

Some suppliers and franchisees say that Myers’ appointment has had an immediate positive effect on business relationships. Executives at major appliance vendors expressed optimism about continuing long-term collaboration under Myers’ stewardship rather than feeling unsettled by Ackery’s departure.

One vendor noted that whereas Ackery could be “combative to deal with,” Myers is viewed as more collaborative — leading to a smoother supply-chain and better in-store execution. (As one supplier put it: “Haydon is incredibly well placed to succeed.”)

At the same time, analysts and market watchers have taken note of Harvey Norman’s improving financial metrics.

The uplift in profit and a stronger margin profile — together with a stable and well-recognized property portfolio — has reinforced investor confidence in the company’s ability to weather consumer headwinds while incrementally gaining share.

Some believe that the leadership change was well-timed. With Myers now in charge of the Australian electrical and appliance network — and with growing interest from consumers in tech (notably AI-enabled devices) — Harvey Norman may be better positioned to capitalise on shifting shopping patterns than under the previous regime.

Myers a long-time Harvey Norman executive was elevated to take over the responsibilities of David Ackery, who retired in 2023 after decades as the head of the Electrical Division.

“Ackery was more combative to deal with” claims the head of a major appliance supplier.

Previously he held General Manager roles within the electrical and appliances category with even Harvey Norman Franchisee sing his praise.

One long standing NSW franchisee said “Haydon is widely admired and works closely with franchisees”.

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“He is widely regarded internally as experienced, steady, and well-aligned with Harvey Norman’s operational culture, which has led to better relationship with suppliers they claimed”.

David Ackery had been with Harvey Norman for over 30 years and was a major public face of the company.

His retirement created a significant leadership gap, and Myers—already deeply embedded in the electrical division—was the natural successor according to insiders.

One analyst claimed “Maybe he is the guy to run Harvey Norman if Gerry Harvey decides to step down”.