Burberry chief quits to join Apple

Agence France-Presse

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Apple said Angela Ahrendts would oversee the "strategic direction, expansion and operation" of its retail and online stores

FROM BURBERRY TO APPLE. The CEO of Burberry fashion house Angela Ahrendts arrives for the British fashion house Burberry's show at the Chelsea College of Art and Design in London, Britain, 22 September 2009. EPA/Daniel Deme

LONDON, United Kingdom – British luxury fashion group Burberry said on Tuesday, October 15 its long-serving chief executive Angela Ahrendts will step down next year to take up a newly-created position with Apple.

Burberry’s chief creative officer Christopher Bailey will take over from the 53-year-old US national, adding chief executive to his title, the company said in a statement to the London Stock Exchange.

Burberry’s share price slumped 6.0% at the open in reaction to the surprise announcement. It later stood down 4.23% at 1,517 pence on London’s FTSE 100 index, which was 0.65% higher.

Apple said Ahrendts would oversee the “strategic direction, expansion and operation” of its retail and online stores.

“I am thrilled that Angela will be joining our team,” said Apple chief executive Tim Cook.

“She shares our values and our focus on innovation, and she places the same strong emphasis as we do on the customer experience. She has shown herself to be an extraordinary leader throughout her career and has a proven track record.”

Ahrendts will have been chief executive of Burberry for about 8 years by the time of her departure in 2014.

The London-listed firm, famous for its trademark red, camel and black check design on clothes and handbags, has undergone huge expansion into emerging markets with Ahrendts at the helm.

Bailey, who has been at Burberry since 2001 and chief creative officer for the past six years, said he was “profoundly moved and humbled to be asked to take on the CEO role”.

Burberry chairman John Peace described his appointment as “a natural progression”.

Separately on Tuesday, Burberry reported sales of £1.03 billion pounds ($1.65 billion, 1.21 billion euros) in the group’s first half, up 14% compared with the six months through to the end of September 2012.

“The impressive update has been overshadowed by the news that the chief executive will be leaving,” Richard Hunter, head of equities at Hargreaves Lansdown Stockbrokers, said in a note to clients.

“The shares have had a rocky ride yet have still managed to outperform the market strongly. Over the last year Burberry has added 41 percent to its price, as compared to a 12-percent hike for the wider FTSE 100,” he noted.

Burberry opened 14 stores and closed eight during the first half.

“Store openings included a net two in China and one additional store in each of Brazil, Mexico and India as the group continued to invest in high potential markets,” it said on Tuesday.

Founded in 1856 by dressmaker Thomas Burberry, the company went on to invent the gabardine waterproof raincoat and provided kit to officers in the British armed forces during World War I. – Rappler.com

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