CEO of UK’s Selfridges to exit; replacement named
In an unexpected move, the chief executive of Selfridges is stepping down.
Andrew Keith is departing the iconic luxury British department store retailer “to pursue new ventures,” according to a company statement. Keith, who will leave in the fall, joined Selfridges in early 2021 as managing director and was named CEO in June 2023. Prior to Selfridges, he led Hong Kong’s Lane Crawford department store company.
Andre Maeder, CEO of Selfridges Group, will take on the added responsibilities of CEO of the Selfridges banner following Keith’s exit. (Selfridges Group includes Selfridges in the U.K., De Bijenkorf in the Netherlands and Brown Thomas Arnotts in Ireland.)
Keith has led Selfridges during some of the most eventful years in the storied department store’s history, a time that included the COVID-19 pandemic and its acquisition in 2022. Most recently, Selfridges has been challenged by the general slowdown in the British retail market.
“The launch of the Selfridges Strategy under Andrew’s leadership has resulted in many new customer innovations and enhancements," said Tos Chirathivat, chairman of Selfridges Group and executive chairman and CEO of Thailand’s Central Group, which co-owns Selfridges, in a statement reported by WWD. “He has also been instrumental in helping to drive and champion the brand’s creative expression through a roster of world-leading collaborations and thought-provoking campaigns. We thank Andrew for his hard work and wish him all the very best in his future endeavors.”
In addition to its world-famous 600,00-sq.-ft. London flagship, which opened in 1909, Selfridges has two locations in Manchester and one in Birmingham.
