News All change at the top for Haier Europe


Haier Europe has announced its appointment of Neil Tunstall as its new Chief Executive Officer, only seven months after he joined as Managing Director of UK & Ireland.. Mr Tunstall will begin his new role in April and will take over from the outgoing boss, Yannick Fierling. Mr Tunstall said:


“I am delighted Neil Tunstall 4


to have been appointed to lead Haier Europe. It is a business with an impressive manufacturing footprint, a strong brand portfolio, a talented team and an enviable reputation as a leader appliances industry.”


in the major


He will lead the company’s work in the wider European region, promising to promote long-term value creation for more customers and consumers, aiming to


position Haier Europe as the first consumer choice for smart home solutions. He will retain his responsibilities in the UK market until a successor is appointed. Mr Fierling, meanwhile, will “continue


his career outside of the company” when he leaves on 30 April. Commenting on his departure, he said:


Yannick Fierling


“After a very successful journey and having set up the business and organisational transformation to succeed in Europe, I believe it is the right time for me to move on. I’m leaving a winning organisation with the best-connected suite of innovations in the market.”


Mr Fierling joined Haier Europe in 2015 and has expanded its geographical and category scope – making it one of the fastest-growing brands in the industry.


Retail’s reaction to ‘bitterly disappointing’ Spring Budget


Retail bosses have hit out at the Chancellor’s Spring Budget, stating that they feel ignored after calls for business rate reform. Currys Chief Executive, Alex Baldock, labelled


the budget “bitterly disappointing” and that this Government has “yet again failed to address retailers’ business rates burden”. Mr Baldock commented: “It’s no wonder that more


and more stores are having to close their doors when you look at all the costs retailers are facing. “Sky high business rates, coupled with


big


increases to wages, and misjudged proposals like those on recycling, heap ever higher costs on those of us with physical stores.” Helen Dickinson, Chief Executive of the British Retail Consortium, said: “When shops we love shut


down, when jobs we need are absent, and when investment we benefit from is lost, it’s our lives and our communities which lose out. “The cost of


living crisis has taken a toll on


businesses and households. Consumer confidence remains low and retail sales volumes in 2023 were the lowest in four years. Yet the Chancellor has done little to promote growth and investment, instead hindering it with the business rates rise in April”. The British Retail Consortium also highlighted that


Government inaction will now cost the retail industry £470 million extra every year in business rates. Iceland boss Richard Walker shared his disappointment


on Twitter/X: “There’s only one budget that matters and that’s the family budget of my customers, who I doubt will be singing Mr Hunt’s praises.


“The overall tax take remains at a record high, debt is going up not down, yet the public sector is completely broken. Local services are on their knees. “The Chancellor should be focusing on getting the


public finances and economy back on track – not fiddling with National Insurance to give Tory MPs a delusory saccharine rush.”


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