Furniture Village has recruited Ian Oliver, Sofa Brands International ceo as a non-executive director.
‘I’m honoured to be joining the Furniture Village board and am looking forward to contributing my experience across retail, marketing, buying, brand development, and manufacturing. Furniture Village is a strong and forward-thinking business, but what excites me most is the culture: the focus on improvement, and the genuine care for its people,’ says Oliver.
‘Ian is a long-time friend of Furniture Village, and his experience, insight, and leadership will be invaluable as we continue to grow. He brings a unique combination of retail and manufacturing expertise, and we’re delighted to welcome him to the board,’ says Peter Harrison, Furniture Village chairman and co-founder.
Oliver spent 16 years at Marks & Spencer in senior buying roles across menswear and home after joining in 1987. As head of the furniture and soft furnishings division, he grew sales to more than £100m within five years, also establishing the chain’s first in-house marketing department and helping launch the Per Una brand.
He became Christie Tyler divisional md of branded furniture in 2003, overseeing Duresta, Derwent, G Plan, Corinth, and Parker Knoll. Following the creation of Sofa Brands International in 2005, he was ceo of G Plan, SBI Lithuania, and Parker Knoll before becoming SBI ceo in 2016.
