Profile: Departing chief executive of Bonmarche, Beth Butterwick

Appointed to Bonmarche in 2011, Beth Butterwick led the turnaround of the company’s new business strategy which allowed the acquisition of Bonmarche by Sun Europe Partners in 2012.

The departing chief executive of Bonmarche has over 21 years’ of retail experience, having started her career as a graduate trainee with Marks & Spencer, where Ms Butterwick rose to head of buying for the accessories group.

She then joined Gap Inc as part of the senior management team responsible for European expansion and then worked for MS Mode BV in the Netherlands.

The turnaround

Bonmarché was acquired by private equity firm Sun European Partners in January 2012 from administrators KPMG after Peacocks, saddled with £240m of debt, went into administration.

Ms Butterwick joined the company as brand director just before the administration.

“One of the reasons I took the job was that I could see the business had incredible potential,” she said.

Under the new management team Ms Butterwick became chief executive.

50 proves plus point

Bonmarche is a fashion chain that caters for the over 50s, somewhat of a growing demographic. Ms Butterwick said: “When you look at the fundamentals of our business, we’re catering for a growing demographic so by sheer nature of the population, there’s a great proposition and an opportunity to be had there.”

The head office of the firm moved from Huddersfield on to a larger site in Wakefield more than a decade ago.

Champion of women in business

Ms Butterwick is a big advocate of greater gender diversity in business.

The CEO of Wakefield-based clothing chain Bonmarche, said: “Women bring a healthy combination of IQ and EQ to boards, and companies that have a good representation of both men and women are arguably better placed at navigating a strong and successful business.

“While ‘the boys club’ remains a precedent in many UK blue chip companies, I do not believe that strict quotas is the way to achieve a greater balance. Senior appointments should be made on merit, and regardless of gender, this requires sheer hard work and in many instances making tough family decisions.”

Bonmarche was founded by Parkash Singh Chima in 1982 when he started the business on market stalls before eventually opening the first store in Doncaster.