DSG appoints former Lever Bros marketer as chairman

DSG International, the struggling consumer electronics retail group, has appointed blue-chip marketing, finance and general management veteran John Allan as its new chairman. He will take-over from Sir John Collins in September.

Allan, who has senior marketing experience at companies such as the former soap manufacturing giant Lever Brothers and drug firm Bristol Myers, will join the board as a non-executive director until he takes over as chairman.

The appointment comes after the Curry’s and PC World owner last week confirmed it would close 70 of its 170 Curry’s high street stores after posting a 10% fall in like-for-like sales drop for the 12 weeks to January 12.

DSG chief executive John Browett warned full year sales in the UK are likely to show a “high single digit percentage fall.”

Allan will retire from his post as finance director of logistics group Deutsche Post World Net in June.