Harvey Nichols IT chief quits to join retail software supplier

Harvey Nichols' retail operations director Martin Schofield has left the department store chain to join a retail software firm.

Schofield started at Itim, a systems and consultancy provider for the retail sector, three weeks ago. He said the departure from Harvey Nichols was on good terms.

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"While this may seem a bit of a departure for me I have always had a bit of a desire to develop products, and from Itim's perspective I bring significant retail exposure and experience to the table," Schofield told Computer Weekly.

Schofield joined Harvey Nichols's IT department in 2003.

Responsibility for logistics was added to his brief in 2006. He became group retail operations director in 2009, with continued responsibility for IT and logistics combined with line management responsibility for the store network.

Schofield says he has few reservations about going through a "one-way turnstile" by moving from being an IT buyer to a supplier.

"That did cross my mind but if it turned out to be something I really didn't enjoy, I think this would be apparent very quickly and getting back would be achievable," Schofield said.

"I've always liked the idea of developing a product and I think it's where my core skill has always been, and you have to take opportunities when they present themselves or regret what might have been."