After CEO exit, White Stuff trading director Verghese becomes MD

Following news of White Stuff CEO Jo Jenkins’ exit, the now-TFG-owned company hasn’t wasted time in getting its leadership team in shape.

It has promoted from within and named trading director Tracey Verghese as its new managing director, with immediate effect.

She’s been trading director for six years but originally joined in 2018 as merchandising director and was a Jenkins appointee, playing a major role in the firm’s growth of recent years that led to TFG London (owner of Whistles and Hobbs) buying it last autumn for an undisclosed sum.

Her trading director role saw her leading the brand’s commercial strategy across all of its channels and third-party partnerships and helping to turn it into a “modern, commercially agile business” that has been seeing rising sales and profits.

Before her arrival at White Stuff she was, like Jenkins, at M&S. In fact, she spent 16 years at the retail giant in increasingly senior merchandising and trading roles.

Verghese said: “It’s an honour for me to step into the role of managing director. White Stuff is in a great position with a unique brand and product offering, and I’m proud to lead such a talented team, supported by the wider expertise of TFG London.”