Debenhams poaches Amazon's European fashion chief

Debenhams has poached Amazon's European fashion boss, Sergio Bucher, to be the department store group's new chief executive from October.

Bucher departs Amazon in a year when the online giant began to roll out its own-label fashions brands, which "brave strategy" the fashion press attributed to Bucher himself.

Prior to starting at Amazon in 2013 he was worldwide general manager for retail and e-commerce at Puma, and prior to that held retail roles at Nike and Inditex, where he led the start-up of its lingerie retail brand Oysho, and beginning his career at DuPont.

Current CEO Mike Sharp, who joined Debenhams in 1997, confirmed his resignation last month after reporting a slightly better than expected rise in half-year profits. He will step down from the board on 24 June but, thanks to a recently negotiated 12-month notice period, is likely to receive full pay and benefits of at least £772,999.

Other candidates were thought to include Karen Millen and Zara UK boss Mike Shearwood, Mothercare boss Mark Newton-Jones and Debenhams trading director Suzanne Harlow.

Announcing the appointment, Debenham's chairman Sir Ian Cheshire highlighted Bucher's "wealth of e-commerce expertise, international experience and clear leadership qualities".

He added: "I am confident we have the best possible person to realise the potential of 'new Debenhams' as a leading international multi-channel retailer with a bright future."

For his part, Bucher noted the FTSE 250 group's "strong UK heritage, a growing international presence and a track record of supporting and developing brands and designers".

Independent retail analyst Nick Bubb said it the new hire "certainly ticks the international and online boxes", given the group's vision to be 'a leading international multi-channel retailer', as well as experience in retail from the Oysho lingerie chain and experience of brands.

"So it is interesting that he flags up Debenhams’ good record on designer brand development in his statement in the press release," he added, noting that he "speaks excellent English".

Shares in the company, which have largely oscillated between 70p and 80p this year, were up 0.5p at 74.4p by midday on Thursday.