Former Google and Amazon CFO to chair ASOS
ASOS has appointed Natasja Laheij as chair, bringing tech and retail finance expertise to a board focused on reviving the company’s fortunes.
ASOS has appointed Natasja Laheij as chair, bringing tech and retail finance expertise to a board focused on reviving the company’s fortunes.
ASOS has appointed Natasja Laheij, a former finance executive at Google, Amazon, and Apple, as its new chair.
The move comes as the London-listed online fashion retailer undergoes leadership changes and continues efforts to stabilize its business amid market pressures.
The announcement follows the decision by outgoing chair Jørgen Lindemann to step down after three years in the role.
Lindemann, who also leads Viaplay Group, will depart following the release of ASOS’s full-year results.
Laheij, who joined the ASOS board in April 2023 as an independent non-executive director, brings three decades of experience spanning eCommerce, technology, and financial management.
Her career includes senior finance positions at Amazon Fashion EU, Google EMEA’s platforms division, and earlier roles with Apple and Deloitte Australia.
Most recently, she has served as interim CFO at HR software provider Personio, a role she will leave by September 2025.
During her time at ASOS, Laheij has chaired the audit committee and served as senior independent director, positioning her to step into the chair role with an understanding of the company’s financial and governance challenges.
In parallel, ASOS has created a deputy chair position, appointing William Barker to support strategic and operational initiatives.
Barker, who joined the board in September 2023, brings experience in turning around digitally enabled businesses through his investment firm Camelot Capital Partners and various ventures across manufacturing, EV, and retail sectors.
The leadership changes arrive during a period of turbulence for ASOS. The company, once a high-growth eCommerce darling, has seen its market capitalization shrink to £377 million, with shares trading at 315p—far below their 2018 peak of 7,630p.
Profit warnings, supply chain disruptions, and changing consumer demand have weighed heavily on performance, even as the company seeks to execute a strategy focused on cost control and improved profitability.
The retailer, which listed on the London Stock Exchange in 2001, is facing heightened scrutiny from investors following years of uneven results and a highly competitive online fashion market.
The appointment of KPMG as its new external auditor reflects a broader governance refresh.
ASOS CEO José Antonio Ramos Calamonte welcomed the appointments, highlighting Laheij’s governance experience and Barker’s operational expertise.
“I look forward to working closely with Natasja and William as we continue to execute our strategy,” he said.
Lindemann, who guided ASOS through a volatile period that included the pandemic and significant shifts in the online retail landscape, expressed confidence in the company’s future leadership.
“We have the right leadership to deliver sustainable, profitable growth,” he noted in a statement.