Dixons Carphone hires Halfords' Mason as finance director

Dixons Carphone has hired Halfords’ Jonny Mason as its new finance director, completing a management overhaul as the electricals and technology chain seeks to revive performance.

Mason has been Halfords’ finance director since 2015 and ran the bike and car parts chain for four months until January. He will replace Humphrey Singer, who is joining Marks and Spencer.

In January the owner of Currys and PC World announced Alex Baldock would join as chief executive from online retailer Shop Direct. Baldock, who arrives in April, will replace Seb James, who is leaving for Walgreen Boots.

After a strong few years following the merger of Dixons and Carphone Warehouse in 2014, the company has been weighed down by its mobile phone arm which has struggled as consumers have held on to their handsets for longer. Analysts expect the new team to close stores and to consider unbundling handset sales from network contracts.

Ian Livingston, Dixons’ chairman, said: "The board and I are very pleased to welcome Jonny Mason to the group. Together with Alex Baldock, we now have a great new team to lead Dixons Carphone."

Before joining Halfords, Mason was the finance chief at Scandi Standard, a Swedish chicken producer. He has also worked at Sainsbury’s, Shell and Hanson.