Newbould joins Lagardère Travel Retail UK & Ireland from cruise retailer Harding+.

Respected duty free and travel retail executive Peter Newbould has been appointed Lagardère Travel Retail UK and Ireland CEO, this publication can report.

The appointment is effective from Monday 15 July, TRBusiness reliably understands.

Lagardère Travel Retail UK & Ireland has been approached for comment.

Newbould, who takes over responsibility for Lagardère Travel Retail’s UK and Ireland unit from Marion Engelhard, brings extensive experience to the travel retailer’s business.

His CV includes more than a decade spent in leadership positions with news, books and convenience retailer WHSmith, including as Managing Director and Senior Vice President of its US-based airport electronics and travel accessories brand InMotion.

Marion Engelhard will leave Lagardère Group at the end of July.

Having departed WHSmith North America at the end of last year to return to the UK, Newbould was appointed interim Chief Commercial Officer at cruise retailer Harding+.

His retail resume also includes spells at bookstore chains Landmark, part of India’s Tata Group, and the now-defunct Borders (acquired by Barnes & Noble).

He has also spent time with UK pharmacy and grocery stores ASDA and Superdrug, having begun his retail career as a Trading Controller for WHSmith in 1998.

Engelhard will leave Lagardère Travel Retail at the end of July to pursue new professional challenges, confirmed a statement from Lagardère Travel Retail.

She has spent 18 years in Lagardère Group, nearly five of these with the UK & Ireland division leading its operations.

Lagardère Travel Retail UK and Ireland runs duty free concessions under the Aelia Duty Free fascia at London Luton, London City and Belfast Airports.

It also manages several monobrand, F&B and speciality concepts at London Heathrow, London Gatwick, London Stansted, Glasgow and Aberdeen Airports, in addition to the Aelia On Board concept with Irish Ferries.

In total, its footprint covers 15 stores in travel essentials, duty free & fashion and dining in the UK and eight duty free stores in Ireland.

It recently expanded into dining operations with new openings at Dublin Airport.

Lucio Rossetto, Regional COO Lagardère Travel Retail, said: “We are confident that Peter will significantly contribute to the company, given his extensive knowledge of travel essentials and the broader global travel retail sector. His leadership will undoubtedly strengthen our positioning in the UK and Ireland travel retail market and drive our expansion in dining, successfully initiated by Marion Engelhard.”

This is an updated version of an original article published on 15 July.