Marketing boss quits Blacks Leisure Group

Blacks Leisure Group is looking for a marketing director to oversee its Millets, Blacks, Free Spirit and Just Add Water brands following the resignation of Brian Asthley.

The appointee will sit on the executive board of the company. Asthley would not comment about when he is leaving or whether he has a job to go to.

Blacks Leisure Group is divided into two divisions: The Outdoor Group, which incorporates Millets, Blacks, Free Spirit and Just Add Water high street stores, and a second that looks after the surfing fashion brand O’Neill; for which Blacks Leisure Group owns the UK rights as well as eight branded outlets.

The Outdoor Group has 249 stores around the country specialising in outdoor and travel equipment and clothing and trading under the Millets brand. Blacks is its specialist hiking store, and Free Spirit is a chain of 30 stores selling surf, skate and snowboard goods. In June last year, the company added another ten stores to its portfolio with the purchase of rival surfing retailers Just Add Water. In its preliminary annual results last month, Blacks Leisure Group reported a 6.4 per cent growth in like-for-like sales and promised to continue its expansion. The company would not confirm which advertising and media agencies it uses.