WH Smith, the London-listed journey retail group, is drawing up plans to establish a brand new chairman amid a battle to revive traders’ religion within the firm.
Sky Information has learnt {that a} seek for two new non-executive administrators is anticipated to result in the recruitment of a candidate able to changing Annette Court docket inside about 18 months.
WH Smith, which was plunged into disaster by the emergence of accounting errors which despatched its shares spiralling within the second half of final yr, has mentioned it desires to nominate a brand new board member with expertise of the North American journey retail market – a key area for the corporate.
Ms Court docket, who has solely chaired WH Smith for 3 years, can be on the board of the accounting software program group Sage.
Final week, she was appointed senior unbiased director of Subsequent, the FTSE-100 clothes retailer.
One particular person with data of the WH Smith appointment course of mentioned that Russell Reynolds Associates was advising the corporate.
They added that whereas Ms Court docket was not anticipated to step down throughout this calendar yr, she could achieve this in 2027.
A supply near the corporate mentioned that Ms Court docket had been deeply concerned in addressing its troubles in latest months and that its board was centered on efficient succession planning moderately than an energetic seek for a brand new chair.
WH Smith is anticipated to face a string of questions from shareholders at its annual assembly early subsequent month in regards to the accounting disaster.
The corporate is already and not using a everlasting chief government after Carl Cowling stepped down when the size of the problems grew to become clear.
It has appointed Andrew Harrison, who beforehand ran its UK journey division, as its interim boss.
WH Smith is now beneath investigation by the Monetary Conduct Authority over the accounting points, with former senior executives now anticipated to have elements of their bonus awards clawed again.
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Its travails with regulators capped a tumultuous yr for the corporate, which included the sale of its historic excessive avenue chain to Modella Capital, a specialist retail investor.
WH Smith has additionally drawn consideration from activist traders together with Palliser Capital, which acquired a stake within the enterprise final summer time.
Shares within the firm closed on Friday at 643.5p, giving it a market capitalisation of about £810m.
The inventory has fallen by about 45% during the last yr.
A spokesman for WH Smith declined to touch upon Sunday.
