MELBOURNE: Retail collective FrontLine has welcomed a new CEO, ending a ten month vacancy in the role.
The organisation's board of directors revealed new FrontLine CEO is David Kneale. He succeeds former CEO Michael Penman who departed FrontLine in February after a nine year term.
Kneale's background includes time in retail, wholesale and manufacturing, with prior employers including Pepsi-Cola Bottlers New Zealand, Goodman Fielder and LAI Games International.
Kneale also ran his own management consultancy business, Kneale and Associates, for 12 years, and holds an MBA in finance.
FrontLine is a member-owned retail collective that works to provide a competitive business advantage to its 800-plus members. Services offered by the group include the negotiation of preferential trading terms with suppliers and back office support.
Key suppliers to FrontLine members include labels Back Bay, Duchamp, Bonds, Bendon and Stitches.
FrontLine also operates a series of retail brands including Holy Sheet, Sport First, Blue Sky and Sleepdoctor.