Selfridges hires new marketing comms director as it ‘reshapes’ department

Selfridges will hire Arcadia’s group communications director Tania Foster-Brown as its new marketing and communications director as the luxury department store ‘reshapes’ its marketing team.

Selfridges logo

Foster-Brown, who has worked closely with Sir Philip Green at Arcadia over a 14 year tenure, will join Selfridges from the summer and is expected to take a seat on its executive board.

Selfridges has been without a marketing boss since 2013, when Richard Taylor, who oversaw marketing, PR, communications, events and visual merchandising functions, left the department store chain.

However, a Selfridges spokeswoman told Marketing Week that Foster-Brown’s remit won’t be as wide as Taylor’s.

“Tania’s role will be much more focused on marketing and communications, and she will reshape the department,” she said.

Foster-Brown will be expected to continue Selfridges’ digital drive. In 2014 it invested £40m in revamping its website in a bid to bring the website in line with the experience people have of the brand in-store.

Selfridges reported operating profits of £150m for the year to December 2013, up 12.2%. Sales at the luxury department store increased by 10.4% to £1.2bn.

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