At the Helm of Harrod’s

Former Wellington business man James McArthur, 48, has been appointed chief executive officer and Group chief of Harrod’s, reporting to chairman Mohamed Al Fayed. A 12-year Gucci Group veteran, McArthur was most recently president and CEO of Balenciaga. In his new position-a newly-created role-McArthur will oversee the Knightsbridge department store, as well as the real estate, aviation, and airport terminal retail outlets. Speaking from London, McArthur said he had “the best job in the world”. “Harrods is the most extraordinary place. It’s special in the hearts of everyone around the world. What other single store is known around the globe?” Al Fayed said of McArthur’s appointment that “James will bring a complementary set of strategic and leadership skills to our overall group of businesses that will help us to strengthen and propel the evolution of the organisation and its subsidiaries.” McArthur graduated from Victoria University in Wellington with first class honours and completed his MBA at Harvard in 1987.