WH Smith Plc (SMWH.L) Wednesday said that Carl Cowling has resigned immediately from his position as CEO and Board Director, following an independent Deloitte review. The company added that the Board has accepted his resignation.
The British travel retailer said that Cowling will continue in his role till February 28, 2026, to support an orderly transition and the Board has commenced a formal search for a new Group CEO.
WH Smith said that until a permanent appointment is made, Andrew Harrison, CEO of the Group's UK division, will serve as Interim Group CEO. Cowling has led the company as Group CEO since November 2019, having joined the organisation in 2014.
Commenting on the developments, Annette Court, Chair, said, "On behalf of the Company and the Board, I would like to thank Carl for his significant contribution to WHSmith over the last 11 years. Upon being appointed as Group CEO in November 2019, Carl successfully navigated the Company through the global pandemic and, more recently, has strategically repositioned the Group as a pure-play travel retailer. We wish Carl every success in the future."
On the LSE. SMWH.L is currently trading down 1.5 percent at 606.50 pence.
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