Two senior directors leave Phones 4u

Two of Phones 4u’s most senior directors have exited the business, Mobile can reveal.

Marketing director Jim Slater is understood to be leaving the business, although a spokeswoman for the retailer wouldn’t confirm his departure.

Slater (pictured, right) is understood to be leaving for personal reasons, wishing to be closer to his family in the south-east of the country.

Slater has been instrumental in Phones 4u’s brand positioning in the 18-35 year-old bracket, and has sharpened the retailer’s profile within its key demographic. He joined from Sunderland FC in November 2004 where he was sales and marketing director.

Slater is believed to be pursuing a return to the sports business, and is understood to be working as a consultant for two sports organisations.
Meanwhile, it emerged this week that MD David Downie (pictured, left) left earlier in the year to join the hire specialist firm HSS, where he took the position of MD.

Downie joined Phones 4u in November 2005 after a 15-year career at Asda, and was one of a number of senior management positions appointed by CEO Tim Whiting.

Downie ran the fixed-line business, Caudwell Comms, supervising the sale to Pipex in March 2006, and then managed the closure of 4u Business before being made retail MD of Phones 4u.

Brendan Sweeney was promoted from commercial director to MD a few months ago to replace Downie. He reports to Whiting and COO Phil Dobson.

Both Downie and Slater, along with 11 other directors, invested their own cash into the business when it was bought by private equity firm Providence Equity Partners from John Caudwell for £1.1bn in August 2006.

Neither Slater or Downie were available to comment as Mobile went to press.
A Phones 4u spokeswoman confirmed that Downie had left the business, but added: Jim Slater is still currently employed by Phones 4u.’