Harrods appoints Chief Operating Officer amid wider leadership shake-up

Harrods has strengthened its leadership team with appointment of Andreas Efstathiou as Chief Operating Officer, integrating all operations at the luxury store under one leader for the first time.   

Efstathiou, who currently serves as Chief Information Officer, will assume responsibility for wider store operations from September, including supply chain, facilities management, engineering and security.

"I’m delighted to take on the role of Chief Operating Officer at such a pivotal moment for Harrods. Our operations are central to delivering the exceptional, seamless experience our customers expect," said Efstathiou.

"By bringing our end-to-end operations together, we are well positioned to drive greater agility, strengthen collaboration and continue elevating the customer experience."

The appointment follows the planned retirement of Operations Director James Healy and forms part of broader changes to Harrods’ senior leadership structure.

The move also comes after a number of recent executive appointments, including Mark Blundell as Chief Retail Officer, Sarah Myler as Chief Brand & Reputation Officer and Geoff Weaver, who joined the business as Chief Financial Officer in 2025.

Harrods said the development reflects the ongoing evolution of its Management Executive Committee (MEC), which has been expanded to bring together senior leaders across functions including Customer & Strategy, People, Finance and Brand & Reputation.

According to the company, the revised structure is intended to strengthen executive oversight and support decision-making across the business, while providing additional support for Managing Director Michael Ward and the wider organisation.

"As Harrods evolves, our leadership structure must evolve with it to ensure we move with pace, continue to invest, and drive the global standard for luxury customer experience," said Ward.

"Our operations teams have delivered landmark transformations like our 'Future Retail' programme, ongoing business redevelopments, and the re-platforming of Harrods.com. Andreas is the ideal leader to step into this newly unified Chief Operating Officer role.

"As COO, Andreas will bring our end-to-end operations together under one leader for the first time, creating a more integrated, agile and resilient Harrods."