APPLE IS hiring Dixons chief executive John Browett, who drove a recent turnaround at the British electronics retailer, to lead the iPad maker’s retail expansion.
Mr Browett, who has headed Dixons since 2007, was previously chief executive of Tesco’s successful online shopping site.
At Apple’s headquarters in Cupertino, California, he will be responsible for the company’s retail strategy and the expansion of its stores around the world from the current total of about 300.
“Our retail stores are all about customer service and John shares that commitment like no one else we’ve met,” said Apple chief executive officer Tim Cook, to whom Mr Browett will report.
Mr Browett replaces Ron Johnson, who left Apple last June to take the chief executive post at retailer JC Penney. During Mr Johnson’s tenure, Apple opened its first retail outlet – in McLean, Virginia, – in May 2001.
It now has a chain of more than 300 stores, which generated an average of $34.1 million each in the 2010 financial year and accounted for 15 per cent of the company’s net sales.
Wall Street views Apple’s stores as an important advantage in competing with rivals Google and Amazon as well as other traditional PC makers.
Apple’s retail success is likely to keep growing over the next few quarters as huge numbers of consumers continue to snap up the company’s popular iPhones and iPads.
Apple sold 37 million iPhones and more than 15 million iPads during the last quarter and its cash balance swelled to nearly $100 billion by the end of 2011.
Mr Browett’s appointment has sparked speculation in some quarters that Apple may be planning a push in its retail operations in Europe, where his expertise is greatest.
Mr Gillis however said that while his international experience was helpful, the British retailer did not appear to have the relevant expertise in Apple’s key growth markets in Asia.
In October, Best Buy abandoned plans for a chain of European megastores, while Kesa Electricals, Europe’s number three player, effectively paid a bidder to take the British money-losing Comet chain off its hands. – (Reuters)
