IKEA has appointed Peter Jelkeby as its new UK and Ireland retail manager, replacing Javier Quiñones, who is moving to the same position in the US.

After joining the company at his local store in Sweden, over the next 20 years Jelkeby took on roles such as store manager at IKEA Lakeside, sales and communications manager, and deputy retail manager for IKEA UK and Ireland – as well as postings to Russia and Vietnam.

More recently, he has also worked with Swedish retailer Clas Ohlson, where he held the positions of executive vice president, chief operating officer, director of operations and acting chief executive.

Jelkeby will now be tasked with strengthening IKEA’s position in the UK and Ireland and leading the ongoing digital transformation of the business.

“Building on many years of solid growth, we are responding to the changing needs of our customers to secure an IKEA that is affordable, reaches more people, delivers excellent customer experience and is truly people and planet positive,” he commented.

At the end of last year, the Swedish furniture giant announced that it was planning to upgrade its e-commerce platform as part of a wide-ranging global transformation programme that could result in 7,500 jobs being axed in the next two years.

Soon after, it revealed pre-tax profits had fallen by €1 billion in the last year, as it poured investment into the transformation plan.

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