Marie Claire editor quits for top post at Arcadia

Juliet Warkentin, editor of IPC magazines’ Marie Claire, has quit to join the Arcadia Group as managing director for marketing and home shopping.

She replaces Robin Klein, who is leaving to become non-executive chairman for Dial, Arcadia’s home shopping joint venture with Littlewoods which was formed in December last year.

A spokeswoman for Arcadia says: “Home shopping via the internet or through catalogues is a key area of growth for Arcadia. One of Juliet’s key strengths is her grasp of brands and how to develop them.”

Dial has developed online shopping sites and catalogues for Arcadia’s portfolio of clothing brands which include Dorothy Perkins, Top Shop and Principles.

Warkentin was a surprise appointment as editor of Marie Claire in June 1996. She joined from textile trade magazine Drapers Record, where she had been editor for three years. She replaced Glenda Bailey who left to launch the American version of Marie Claire.

The Dial joint venture is 65 per cent owned by Arcadia and 35 per cent owned by Littlewoods. Arcadia, which demerged from Debenhams this year, saw pre-tax profits for the year ending August increase by 18.7 per cent to 81.1m.