Myer, led by Oliva Wirth who was appointed as CEO earlier this year, has undertaken a major restructure of the executive team at the department store including creating new roles and hiring additional management.

In a staff email sent on Wednesday, Wirth noted that there will be a greater emphasis on digital and e-commerce, a bigger push into women’s and beauty, and also announced the arrival of a former colleague from Qantas, the airline where Wirth previously led the loyalty programme.

“I wanted to update you on some significant changes to the executive management team and senior leadership positions we’re announcing today as we reposition the business for growth and implementation of our Full Potential Plan,” Wirth told staff in her email.

The new roles created within the company include general manager merchandise for beauty, accessories and services and a general merchandise manager for women’s apparel, as well as a new role of general manager for digital commerce.

The move is expected to see the exit of a number of Myer veterans some of whom have been at the retailer for almost 40 years, according to The Australian.

The other new role created by Wirth is that of a chief transformation officer and will be filled by Andrew Taylor who was the head of corporate development at Qantas Loyalty.

Taylor is not the first senior exec from Qantas to join Wirth. She also poached 10-year Qantas marketing veteran Clarabella Burley to be Myer’s chief marketing officer, with Burley having begun in that role in July.

 

As part of Wirth’s digital transformation strategy, chief information officer Ben Fitzgerald will leave the business immediately. After 36 years with Myer, Tim Clark has decided to retire as executive general manager, property, store design and development on March 31.

Their exit comes alongside previously announced departures of supply chain head Tony Carr and chief merchandise officer Allan Winstanley in the second half of the year to return to the UK to be with their families. Chief operating officer Tony Sutton, along with three others, will oversee the supply chain until Carr’s replacement is chosen.

With Wirth having created a new general manager role focusing on beauty, accessories and services, Annabel Talbot, currently in charge of womenswear, intimates, footwear, accessories and beauty, will be leaving the business.

Also, Susan Braidwood – general manager stores for Victoria/Tasmania will be departing from the business after 36 years with Myer.

The new role of general manager for digital commerce will be taken over by Warwick Blunt beginning from November. Blunt has previously worked in the US at companies including Walmart and Cedar Brands.

The major changes in management come as Myer is believed to have engaged Boston Consulting Group to conduct a company-wide review.

Myer, which operates 56 stores, said that its net profit fell 28 per cent to $43.5 million, and it also saw a 26 per cent fall in profit before restructuring and impairments to $52.6 million for the 12 months to July 27.

The combination of Myer with Premier’s Apparel Brands business was proposed via an all-scrip merger earlier this year. Myer would buy brands such as Portmans, Just Jeans and Dotti from Solomon Lew’s Premier Investments, and take on more than 700 stores. Analysts have estimated the merger could result in $55 million in annual savings, and give the combined company a market capitalisation of more than $1 billion.