Photographic retailer Jessops said today that Chief Executive Chris Langley had resigned to pursue other business interests.
Langley will remain with the group until the end of November to help planning for Christmas. Executive Chairman David Adams would take a more hands on role in the interim period, the company said.
The move comes as Jessops prepares to close 81 of its stores and shed up to 550 staff.
The UK-based company said the stores will be closed by September 30th, 2007. Of these, 47 stores overlap too closely with nearby stores, 31 are loss-making, and three are subject to redevelopment, the company said.
Its only store in the Republic, on Grafton Street, Dublin, is to close, while two of its six shops in Northern Ireland, in Bangor and Arthur Square in Belfast, will also close.
All three stores will shut by the end of the month.