The Bookseller.com

1st December 2008

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Gunn out at Blackwell Retail

09.09.08 Catherine Neilan

The chief executive of Blackwell's UK Vince Gunn has left the company with immediate effect. Blackwell's has promoted Andrew Hutchings, chief executive of Blackwell Book Services, to take over his role. Blackwell's said the decision was by "mutual agreement".

Gunn told The Bookseller that he had not committed to any other projects as yet. "For the immediate future, I am considering a number of options," he said. "I am not going to rush into anything." He added: "Retail is a very broad industry, and there are quite a lot of other things I am involved in," highlighting his non-executive board role at Pagazzi Lighting. Gunn said: "Working at Blackwell's has been a fantastic experience - we have won two prestigious awards and the brand has got its credibility back. I genuinely wish Andrew Hutchings and the whole team continued success."

Stephen Harlow, chairman of the Blackwell board, said: "We would like to thank Gunn for all his hard work and achievement during his time with our business and we wish him well for the future."
Hutchings will now have full responsibility for both Book Services and Blackwell UK. Harlow said there were "significant synergies to be gained" from encouraging the two businesses to work more closely with each other. "In line with this, Hutchings' appointment enables us to move quickly to a single executive management structure," he added.

Hutchings, who joined the company as head of IT and marketing in 1987, takes on the new role with immediate effect. As well as his time in the Oxford office, Hutchings spent three years in Blackwell's Oregon offices, spearheading the integration of the global businesses. He was made UK m.d in March 2005 and had been Book Services c.e.o since March 2007.

Retail Blackwell's Home Vince Gunn Stephen Harlow Catherine Neilan Blackwell Retail Andrew Hutchings