Harrods chief Ward to step down as chair of luxury goods group Walpole

The brag of Harrods is to measurement down adjacent twelvemonth from the radical which represents Britain's luxury goods manufacture - 1 of a fig of roles helium volition person relinquished since allegations emerged astir years of maltreatment perpetrated by the Knightsbridge section store's erstwhile owner.

Sky News has learnt that Michael Ward volition manus implicit the chairmanship of Walpole, whose members see the jeweller Boodles, Fortnum & Mason and Gleneagles, erstwhile his word ends successful 2025.

A recruitment process is nether mode to find his successor, with an announcement expected successful the caller year.

Mr Ward, who has tally Harrods for adjacent to 20 years, stepped backmost from a relation connected the committee of the Royal Ballet successful September, soon aft the standard of Mohamed al Fayed's maltreatment became apparent.

The section store main apologised successful the autumn, saying: "We failed our colleagues and, for that, we are profoundly sorry.

"As idiosyncratic who has worked astatine Harrods since 2006 - and, therefore, worked for Fayed until the alteration of ownership successful 2010 - I consciousness it is important to marque it wide that I was not alert of his criminality and abuse."

Harrods was bought by Qatar Holding successful 2010 for astir £1.5bn, making it 1 of the astir important overseas acquisitions by Gulf investors.

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Mr Ward took implicit arsenic Walpole seat successful 2016, meaning helium volition person to basal down adjacent year, according to the group.

A not-for-profit organisation, Walpole has much than 250 members and promotes the luxury goods assemblage successful Britain and internationally.

A Walpole spokesperson said: "Having served the maximum tenure allowed; Michael Ward volition measurement down successful 2025 astatine the extremity of his existent word arsenic Walpole Chair."