JOHN LEWIS has selected the head of its Sheffield branch to lead the opening of its four-storey department store at Leeds’ Victoria Gate development.
The Leeds store is due to open in the autumn after a £37m investment in the 255,000 sq ft store.
James Prince will lead a 550-strong workforce and recruitment will be one of his early priorities.
“Leeds is my home and I’m incredibly passionate about this city. I can’t wait to recruit a new team of partners and reveal the shop to our customers in the autumn of 2016,” he said.
It is a return to the Leeds retail sector for Mr Prince, who managed the Debenhams store on Briggate before joining John Lewis in 2008.
He was operations manager as its Liverpool store opened, and went on to launch the first John Lewis at home shop in Poole. Mr Prince has spent the last four years running its Sheffield store, and for the last two years has also chaired the Sheffield Business Improvement District board.
Mr Prince added: “I have enjoyed my time in Sheffield, particularly working with the team based here who are a credit to the store. I have also valued being involved in city initiatives such as the Sheffield BID.”
Click here to sign up to receive our new South West business news...
