End of an old Alliance as N Brown chairman quits after 44 years

CLOTHING retailer N Brown today quashed suggestions that outgoing chairman Lord Alliance of Manchester would immediately sell his family’s 47 per cent stake in the firm despite stepping down after 44 years in the role.

Alliance will be replaced by former Tesco executive director Andrew Higginson but will stay on as a non-executive director. Alliance’s brother, Nigel, who has sat on the board since 1969, is also leaving the company.

Alan White, who has been chief executive since 2002, will retire next year but will stay on until a replacement is found.

Commenting on the retirement of the Alliance brothers, White said: “They will remain as major shareholders. Very much their view is nothing changes.”

But, as a caveat, White added: “Nothing is forever.”

Alliance, who was made a Liberal Democrat life peer in 2004, was born in Iran in 1932 and moved to Manchester in 1950 to work in the textile industry.

Alliance, who was awarded an honorary doctorate by Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, said: “I felt the time had come to pass on the role to a new generation, which can continue to exploit the potential of multi-channel retailing. We have come a long way from the mail order business I bought in 1963.”

News of the boardroom reshuffle came as the wettest April to June period on record has hit ladieswear sales at the catalogue and online shopping group.

The company, which also owns Figleaves and High & Mighty, said overall like-for-like sales in the 17 weeks to 30 June were ahead 1.9 per cent, led by menswear, footwear and lingerie.