Pursuits
Burberry COO Smith to Leave, Heaping Pressure on CEO Bailey
- Smith leaves after seven years to explore other top positions
- CEO Bailey having dual roles ‘does not seem ideal’: analyst
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Burberry Group Plc operations chief John Smith is stepping down, depriving Chief Executive Officer Christopher Bailey of a key lieutenant at a time when he’s already filling two of the company’s most important positions.
Smith is leaving to pursue new interests and will exit the board by summer next year, Burberry said in a statement Friday. He had been chief operating officer since March 2013, having previously served as a non-executive director. Smith said he’s exploring several leadership positions in fast-growing international businesses.