Ex-Dome chief Liam Kane takes Betterware top job

Liam Kane, who is leaving his post as managing director of the New Millennium Experience Company, has been appointed to head catalogue sales company Betterware.

Kane announced his departure in February (MW February 24). His one-year contract was up for renewal in March, but he extended it to April to help new Dome boss PY Gerbeau to familiarise himself with the operation.

His switch to Betterware has surprised some observers. They find it hard to understand why Kane would move from a career running newspapers as managing director of Mirror Group Scotland – via the Dome – to a company with little glamour.

Kane will join Betterware – where he has been a non-executive director for a number of years – as chief executive in May. He replaces Peter Hartley, who has left the company.

Betterware has forged a business selling household goods door to door and through catalogues. It is considered well-placed to profit from the development of home shopping through the Internet. In 1998, the public company became a private one after family members voted to sell it to NatWest.

The company recently hired Littlewoods retail strategy director Tony Hillyer as director of strategic development.