Majestic appoints Dutch DIY boss as new MD

Majestic has appointed a former CEO of a Dutch DIY retailer to head up its wine retail business.

John Colley

John Colley, who has twenty years retail experience outside the wine industry, is set to join the business from 1 October. He will be responsible for all Majestic stores, including its warehouse outlet in Calais and report directly to CEO Rowan Gormley.

However, the company confirmed there was there would be no change to its current strategy.

Colley joins Majestic from Dutch DIY chain Praxis Netherlands, where he was CEO, with responsibility for 135 stores across the Netherlands. He has previously worked for Kingfisher, DIY and gardening chain B&Q as marketing director, and commercial director at trade tools and hardware warehouse retailer, Screwfix.

Other companies within the Majestic Group – including Majestic Commercial, Naked Wines and Lay & Wheeler – are run by individual managing directors.

It is the first senior appointment since Majestic acquired Naked Wines for £70m in April and appointed Naked’s founder Gormley as CEO.

In July the company launched a click and collect service for Naked Wines in Majestic Stores, followed by its first own-label wine range.

The company reported a fall in pre-tax profits of 22.5% in June, its first results since buying Naked Wines, which it attributed to exceptional one-off costs related to the deal, and a competitive trading environment. It reported revenue up 2.3% to £284.5m, with share at its highest level and like for like sales also up 1.9%.