Gateway to hire retail chief for UK expansion

Gateway, the US computer giant, is recruiting a retail operating director to handle its UK high street store roll-out programme.

Last year, Gateway became the biggest US seller of consumer PCs and is planning rapid expansion in the UK, where it owns a dozen stores. It plans to have 30 by the end of this year and 50 in 12 months.

Joran Mannerstrale, Gateway retail director for Europe, Middle East and Africa, says retail operations directors are being recruited in the UK, France and other markets to provide local representation.

The company has a manufacturing plant in Dublin. It builds PCs to order, and delivers within one week. It claims to be cheaper than Dixons and will compete with direct selling rivals Time and Tiny.

Mannerstrale says there are no plans to create new marketing positions in the UK, an area which comes under the jurisdiction of marketing director for Europe, Middle East and Africa Mike Moloney, but this position is likely to change in the future.

“As our expansion continues, we probably will have separate marketing people in the UK,” says Mannerstrale. McCann-Erickson London holds the £3m UK Gateway account.