Quantuma hires retail specialist James Pow as Senior Advisor

30 December 2020 Consultancy.uk

Following a rise in demand for restructuring and insolvency services across the UK, business advisory firm Quantuma has appointed James Pow as a Senior Advisor to its retail group. Pow brings more than 40 years of retail and consulting experience to the role, strengthening Quantuma’s retail advisory group.

Business advisory firm Quantuma has seen a significant rise in demand for restructuring and insolvency services from retailers in light of the announcement of second national lockdown. Having already been in keen demand throughout the first shutdown, recent sector cases the firm worked in the second one included high street names Select, Lulu Guinness, Beulah London, and Store 21.

Currently led by Chief Executive Officer Carl Jackson and supported by Managing Directors Andrew Andronikou and Simon Bonney, and Director Brian Burke, Quantuma’s retail practice is preparing for further casualties in the coming weeks, as the Government’s short-lived plans to reduce lockdown restrictions over Christmas are dramatically reversed. In order to provide support to distressed clients in the coming period, Quantuma has installed James Pow, as a Senior Advisor to its retail group.

James Angus Pow, Senior Advisor, QuantumaQuantuman CEO Jackson commented, “Economic uncertainty, in addition to the pressure to adapt to keep up with changing consumer demand and requirements has seen the sector face an extraordinary level of pressure, which shows no sign letting up as we head into the “make or break” Christmas trading period… James’ wealth of retail sector experience will bring invaluable insight and perspective to businesses, and his advanced turnaround skillset has already been of keen interest to a number of prominent retailers we are acting for.”

Throughout his career, which spans the best part of five decades, Pow has held a range of chief executive positions at the likes of the Harris Watson Group and Tulchan Group, and has developed a reputation as a retail expert, working with global brands such as Samsung, Mulberry and Hackett. In 2006, Pow set up Angus James Associates – a specialist consultancy to provide executive and advisory services to corporate, financial and venture capital and investor clients – and in 2017 he became a Senior Advisor with Alvarez & Marsal, which similarly specialises in corporate turnaround work.

Commenting on his new challenge, Pow said, “This year has been incredibly difficult for the retail sector. Within a matter of months of the Covid-19 pandemic, more bricks-and-mortar retailers across the UK were forced into administration than in the whole of 2019, putting countless stores and jobs at risk. By early October 2020 and the second lockdown, this trend showed no sign of slowing, with more and more stores at risk and staff facing redundancy than at the height of the 2007 recession. Providing businesses in this sector with the right support at the right time is absolutely crucial, and Quantuma is a firm that is leading in this space.”

More on: Quantuma
United Kingdom
Company profile
Quantuma is not a United Kingdom partner of Consultancy.org
Partnership information »
Partnership information

Consultancy.org works with three partnership levels: Local, Regional and Global.

Quantuma is a not a partner of Consultancy.org.

Upgrade or more information? Get in touch with our team for details.