Indigo Books & Music, Canada's dominant bookstore chain, has named current company president Peter Ruis CEO. Heather Reisman, founder and former CEO, will assume the role of executive chairman. The move comes as Reisman turned 74 and the company celebrated its 25th anniversary.
Ruis, 54, is from the U.K., and is a former retail executive with 30 years experience, having worked for Levis, Ted Baker, Anthropologie and U.K. luxury chain John Lewis. The succession to CEO was planned after he jointed the company last year, and helped the chain cope with the pandemic lockdowns and a shift to online shopping by Canadian consumers.
He told the Financial Post, his plans are to make things at the various stores "bigger and bolder" and will keep the focus on bricks-and-mortar retail, making each location the setting for a "cultural odyssey," with a refreshed selection of products.
“It’s the idea that we will always have an incredible sort of modern, progressive outlook in terms of everything we’re doing and talking about rather than (customers) walking in and seeing the same old assortment, same old things,” he said.
Ruis also maintained he is passionate about reading. “I’ve always loved books. I’ve always read books. English was my favorite subject at school. Two of the books I read as a teenager are still my favorite books of all time: The Great Gatsby and 1984."
