MELBOURNE: Jeanswest has appointed a merchandise director with over three decades of experience across retail giants Acardia Group, ASDA/Wal-Mart, Shop Direct Group and Target Australia.
Mark Daynes will be responsible for product and planning at the national denim retailer, incorporating product design, development, forecasting and budgeting across all categories. Daynes has replaced former merchandise director Belinda Barlow, a long-standing Jeanswest executive who assumed numerous positions and projects during her 8 1/2 years with the company.
Daynes said he was looking forward to working with the high-profile Australian brand, following over three years as group general manager of merchandise at Target Australia.
“From what I knew of the brand at the time, I liked what it stood for and its credentials,” he said. “Strong brand recall, great business model, good culture and a strong team already in place that I would inherit. I’ve got a real passion for denim and denim-related product, so it seemed like a good fit.”
Prior to joining Target Australia in 2008, Daynes was chief operating officer at ASDA/Walmart (2006 - 2008), managing director at Shop Direct Group (2003 - 2006), trading director at ASDA/Walmart (1997 - 2003) and within a variety of roles at Arcadia Group (then Burton Group) from 1978. He is credited with building several successful UK denim brands.
“It started back in the 80s with menswear denim label Nico, which was the biggest denim retail brand at the time in the UK,” he said. “Taking the same thinking, I was involved in the birth of the Moto Jeans brand to Topshop, which continues to be a hugely successful brand in the UK today.”
During his time at ASDA/Walmart, Daynes also developed a denimwear range for its private label George and was among the first to launch high volume, low price £5 pound jeans to market. Daynes confirmed he would lead a team of 30 employees in his new position at Jeanswest, including a general manager of product and a general manager of merchandise.
“We have in excess of 3,500 styles in store at any given time, with new deliveries and replenishment schedules bi-weekly,” he said. “Today’s consumer is more demanding than ever in terms of newness and, of course, we need to ensure we’re delivering on that. I’m looking forward to driving a refocus on the merchandise mix to ensure the hugely successful product categories remain relevant and identifying and driving the exciting opportunities I see for the brand.”
Jeanswest chief executive Stephen Younane said Daynes’ appointment comes at a crucial time for the sector.
“We conducted an extensive search for a proven performer who would cast an experienced, fresh eye across the Jeanswest product mix. The benefit of Mark’s international experience, particularly in denim retailing, will certainly put the company in good stead as the local market becomes more and more competitive and the need to innovate and meet customer demands heightens.”
Jeanswest has more the 250 retail sites across Australia, New Zealand, the Middle East and Fiji.
Assia Benmedjdoub