Group retail director of Co-op Danmark, Michael Loeve takes role

Kingfisher has announced Michael Loeve, 41, will take the role of CEO of B&Q UK & Ireland, starting in September.

Loeve has 12 years’ experience in senior roles across retail operations, supply chain, IT and strategy, with a track record of leading business transformation, through focusing on customer needs whilst remaining close to the operations.

He joins B&Q from Co-op Danmark, which boasts 1,200 stores, and where he is currently group retail director. There he is responsible for five retail formats, including Irma, Kvickly and Fakta, and where he has reportedly ” improved the business performance by running it in a unified way across multiple formats”.

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Prior to this, he was managing director of SuperBrugsen, part of Coop Danmark, and which is one of the largest retail chains in that country with 250 stores.

Commenting on the appointment, chief executive officer of Kingfisher Véronique Laury said: “As we announced as part of our strategic update in March, we are moving at pace with our ‘One’ Kingfisher plan to create a single, unified company where customer needs come first.

“I am delighted to welcome Michael to Kingfisher. He is an experienced retailer who will form an important part of the new diverse international team we are putting together at Kingfisher. I look forward to working with him.”

Michael Loeve said: “I am delighted to be joining Kingfisher at such an exciting time in its development. Home improvement is a great market with huge potential and B&Q has a strong position within it, however there is more that we can do to maximise its strengths.

“With a better and more unique offer at good prices where customer needs come first, all backed by the scale of a unified Kingfisher, we will transform and grow B&Q, helping our customers to have better homes and better lives.”

Loeve will report to Guy Colleau, operations director of Big Box Kingfisher