New Chief Executive

Retail Stores PLC
02 October 2002







FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

2nd October 2002



                               RETAIL STORES PLC:

                         APPOINTMENT OF CHIEF EXECUTIVE



Retail Stores PLC ('Retail Stores'), owner of Liberty, the central London
department store, today announces the appointment of Iain Renwick as Chief
Executive with effect from 11th November 2002. He is also appointed Chief
Executive of Liberty.



Iain, 44, joins Retail Stores from Imagination Limited, one of the world's
largest independent design and multi-disciplinary creative agencies.



From the late 1980's until the mid 1990's he undertook a variety of key
marketing and communication roles within the Storehouse Group. As Marketing
Director and Company Secretary of Habitat Limited between 1992 and 1995 he was
part of a small team responsible for transforming Habitat's losses into profits
and overseeing the eventual sale of the business.



'Liberty is now well placed to become London's leading destination, design-led
store. I am looking forward to working with the existing Liberty team to further
develop the Liberty brand and enable it to fulfil its global potential,' said Mr
Renwick.



Retail Stores also announces that Liberty has appointed Lucille Lewin as
Creative Director. Ms Lewin was co-founder of the successful Whistles fashion
group which, from its launch in 1976, grew into a 16 store chain, with a further
20 concessions, and turnover of £25m.





                                     Ends.







Contact:

   Richard Balfour-Lynn, Chairman, Retail Stores PLC.    Tel; 020 7706 2121

   Baron Phillips, Baron Phillips Associates.            Tel: [phone]




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