Bedroom retail specialist Forty Winks has today announced the appointment of its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO), David Edwards, effective immediately.
Edwards was appointed following an extensive search process – the role had been vacant since the former CEO, Con Dekazos, who served as the CEO of Forty Winks for two years, left the business in August 2016.
Bringing with him more than 30 years’ experience in retail, Edwards first held General Management roles at Myer across both buying and operations. He later joined The Laminex Group, initially serving four years as General Manager of Sales and Marketing, followed by a further two years as General Manager of Operations. During this time, Laminex was acquired by Fletcher Building, providing Edwards with the opportunity to move to New Zealand where he served three years as CEO of Fletcher Distribution, which trades under the PlaceMakers brand: the country’s leading hardware retailer.
Returning to Australia, Edwards joined Mitre 10/Metcash, where he served as General Manager of Retail Trade and Sales, General Manager of Joint Ventures and Alliances and eventually as General Manager of Strategy – Building Products. It was here that he also served on several of the most influential Mitre 10 Joint Venture Boards, where he developed a real passion for independent retail.
“I’m delighted to have the opportunity to lead Australia’s iconic bedroom retail specialist, Forty Winks. Independent business owners are the backbone of Australian retail, so I look forward to working closely with our dedicated franchisees across the country to achieve continued growth and success,” said David Edwards.
The announcement follows recent news of Forty Winks expanding its retail footprint, with three new stores opening in Victoria (Springvale), New South Wales (Marsden Park) and Queensland (Mackay).
“As we closed last year with the opening of three new stores across the country, we now set our sights on the future with David Edwards at the helm. We are confident that we have welcomed a passionate leader with a team approach, who understands that the strength of any franchise group starts with ensuring that the committed franchisees, the lifeblood of the brand, are performing to their best ability,” said Paul Amos, Chairman of the Board of Directors at Forty Winks.
About Forty Winks
Over its 32 year history, Forty Winks has redefined the bedding landscape to grow into the most reputable and widely recognised Australian retail bedding brand.
With 97 stores operating across the country in every state and territory, Forty Winks is Australia’s true bedroom retail specialist, offering the widest range of mattress brands including Sleepmaker, Serta, Silent Partner, King Koil Chiropractic, and Sealy Posturepedic. Forty Winks also offers a wide range of beds, bedroom furniture, children’s furniture, Manchester and bedroom accessories all from leading suppliers.
Why become a Forty Winks Franchisee
Here are the reasons why you should take advantage of the opportunity to be a part of the Forty Winks franchise group.
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Forty Winks is Australia’s leading retailer in sleep and specialist beds, bedding and bedroom furniture.
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The company has more than 90 individually-owned stores across Australia.
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40 Winks has been in the mattress and bedding industry for more than 30 years.
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You can find a 40 winks store across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, Hobart and Canberra.
Learn more about Forty Winks, here.