News

Clark acting operations director at Waterstone's

08.07.11 | Lisa Campbell

Waterstone's has appointed Steve Clark as acting operations director after Roger Childs left the company last week.

Clark formerly held the position of head of retail operations at the bookseller.

Both Childs and commercial director Michael Neil left Waterstone's with "immediate effect" last Tuesday, a day before James Daunt took up his tenure as m.d of the bookseller. Waterstone's was bought from the HMV Group by Russian oligarch Alexander Mamut for £53m in a deal that officially completed last Wednesday.

In an email to staff, Daunt said: "I know that the past few months have been difficult, and that the company has seen many changes in direction and focus in recent times. It is my absolute intention that from now on we will have one clear, shared goal—to make our bookshops excellent and inspirational places in which to browse, shop and work."

As yet, no one as been appointed to the position of commercial director.

 

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By Daniel Waybridge

I've been a bookseller for almost a decade... if anyone wants to employ me at Waterstone's head office please let me know!

Sun, 10/07/2011 - 11:41
By agonising booksellers

I doubt if James Daunt has the time to read the comments which have deluged this site in the last few months, but it would have been a good idea to have someone close to him who has. As most comments have been heartfelt and honest, at least he would know what the booksellers - now his own - truly think.

I am a bit surprised though that he has appointed Steve Clark, someone from 'the inside', from the very flawed Wstones management. One can imagine that now all those managers who got us here are now fearing for their jobs and are making all the right 'noises' to keep them. Were they ALL just following orders?

Tue, 12/07/2011 - 19:58

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