New retail sales director

Conservatory Outlet Group has appointed Paul Clifton as sales director at its north-east flagship retailer, Pennine Home Improvements.

The announcement coincides with the departure of Derek McLaren, as he begins his retirement.

Over the past 15 years, Paul has worked as a business development consultant for a wide variety of retailers to help them improve and expand their sales performance, and is regularly invited to speak at industry events, trade shows and forums.

No stranger to Conservatory Outlet, Paul has also spent the last five years working with the national dealership network in a consultancy capacity, supporting the implementation of sales strategies across its 23 retailers.

Greg Kane, CEO of Conservatory Outlet Group, said: “Derek has done a brilliant job at Pennine and while we thank him for his work, and wish him well on his retirement, we couldn’t be happier to be bringing Paul Clifton in to the group. His reputation for retail sales development within our sector is unparalleled – this is a real coup for Conservatory Outlet.”