Retail veteran appointed senior director at UK's Post Office
Royal Mail Group has appointed a retail industry veteran previously responsible for improving the fortunes of Marks & Spencer and C&A as a senior independent director on the board of Post Office Ltd. Neil McCausland has an extensive background in many fields within business, including as a former governor of the UK’s largest healthcare non-profit, the hospital operator Nuffield Health, and a chief executive of military supplies agency NAAFI.
But he began his career in the retail sector at Marks and Spenser, rising to ultimately become a “director of change” before he was poached to become managing director of struggling fashion retailer C&A in the late 1990s.
More recently, McCausland has been chairman of footwear retailer Kurt Geiger.
Commenting on his appointment, Post Office Ltd’s new chair Alice Perkins, herself only appointed in July, said: “I am delighted Neil has joined the Post Office Board, where his extensive retailing and business experience will be a great asset as we transform the Post Office and grow its business.”
Transformation
Post Office Ltd, which oversees a network of 11,500 post offices around the UK, is currently going through a GBP 1.34bn transformation programme to modernise and respond to changes in the mail market.
The plan includes the upgrading of 6,000 post office branches, and the extending of opening hours in many post offices to provide greater convenience to customers.
The UK Government is keen on turning Post Office Ltd into a mutualised organisation – owned by its staff and stakeholders – while Royal Mail itself is expected to be privatised.
On joining Post Office Ltd, McCausland said: I am really excited to be joining the Post Office, a business which has a special place at the hearts of communities all across the UK.
“I am looking forward to working with the senior management team as it continues on its transformation programme to secure its future as a vital part of everyday UK life,” added the new Post Office director.
