BRC board welcomes Kingfisher and AllSaints executives
Seljeflot and Wood will succeed Melanie Steel and Benjamin Fletcher, who are stepping down in May and September respectively
The British Retail Consortium (BRC) has announced that Kate Seljeflot and Peter Wood have joined its board as non-executive directors.
Seljeflot is currently the chief people officer at Kingfisher, a company whose brands include B&Q and Screwfix. The BRC said she has a “breadth” of experience in retail and business transformation, built across an international career in human resources.
Prior to Kingfisher, Seljeflot worked in a similar role at Costa Coffee, and has also held senior positions in Diageo and Shell.
Meanwhile, Wood is CEO of AllSaints and John Varvatos. He joined AllSaints as CFO in 2010, then worked as COO before being appointed CEO in 2018. American luxury menswear brand John Varvatos joined the group during the pandemic. Prior to AllSaints, Wood was CFO at Vets Now and USC.
Seljeflot and Wood will succeed Melanie Steel and Benjamin Fletcher, who are stepping down in May and September respectively.
Tony DeNunzio CBE, chairman of the BRC, said: “I’m very excited to welcome Kate and Peter to the BRC board. Their experience and drive will help the BRC meet the needs of our many members now and in the future.
“The Covid-19 pandemic brought about a level of business disruption unheard-of in our generation, and I believe our board is well placed to support the BRC to meet the challenges that lie ahead, not least the huge rise in costs being faced by the whole industry. I thank Melanie and Ben for their significant contribution to the success of the BRC and the value it generates for its members.”
Seljeflot said: “Retail plays an incredibly important role in providing quality jobs in local communities, developing essential skills, and championing social mobility. I want to put my passion for people into supporting the BRC and its members at this critical juncture, in particular by driving forward its Diversity & Inclusion Charter and its new Learning business.
“As labour markets around the world tighten, it will be those retailers who truly engage and develop their people who will be rewarded.”
Wood added: “The BRC provided strong leadership and support for our industry throughout the pandemic, and I am delighted to have the opportunity to become more involved.
“The ways customers can engage and shop with retailers continue to evolve and expand at pace, and as the largest private sector employer, our industry has a fantastic pool of talent to work with. I look forward to offering my passion and experience to help the BRC and its members harness these positive dynamics and overcome the challenges that we face.”
