Desperately seeking chairman

John Clare, former chief executive, DSG International

Clare stood down as boss of DSGi in September after more than two decades at the electricals group and is thought to be willing to take on another big role in retail.

Long experience of working with DSGi’s founder, the legendarily pugnacious Lord Kalms, provided Clare with plenty of experience of the dynamics of working alongside a strong-minded founder of a publicly quoted company.

Clare is no soft touch and would be willing to stand up to Mike Ashley when the need arose, whether on matters of business strategy or corporate governance. The tributes that he received from analysts when he left DSGi were testament to his investor relations skills and the City would welcome his appointment.

As architect of DSGi’s overseas expansion, Clare’s insight into foreign markets would be a boon to Ashley, who has ambitions to turn Sports Direct into the biggest global player in its market.

Jim Hodkinson, chairman, Wyevale Garden Centres

Hodkinson would bring experience of public companies, such as B&Q and New Look, as well as private store chains where the stakeholding interests of entrepreneurs have to be represented.

He also has decades of practical shopkeeping experience and years of boardroom involvement – a combination that Ashley may find complementary to his own.

Always willing to call a spade a spade, Hodkinson would have no compunction about locking horns with Ashley for the greater good of the business. At Wyevale, he oversaw restructuring of the senior team, while as chairman of Ideal Shopping Direct he smoothed the transition from a founder-run to fully professionalised business.

Equally able to chat with a checkout operator or discuss financial metrics with analysts, Hodkinson has the essential charisma, knowledge and strength of character needed for this role.

John von Spreckelsen, chairman, Thorntons

The German business doctor has a near-unrivalled reputation for turning around embattled firms.

After ramping up performance at Somerfield and then selling the grocery chain, he turned his attention to confectioner Thorntons, which is now showing signs of an impressive recovery.

His sure touch has delighted investors in underperforming public companies and he could potentially work magic on Sports Direct’s languishing share price and ensure concerns about its debt burden are addressed.

Von Spreckelsen is a partner at private equity house Merchant Equity and can pick and choose which companies he gets involved with, so may regard the Sports Direct chairmanship as too big a risk for insufficient reward. However, his operational track record, financial nous and sharp intelligence might be just the tonic for Sports Direct.

David Adams, chairman, Jessops

Parachuted in last May to cope with the meltdown at the camera specialist, the former House of Fraser finance director has proved himself capable of dealing with dismal circumstances.

He acted fast to oversee a strategic review, presided over senior executive changes and took a hands-on role to help get the retailer on the right track.

Jessops remains unfinished business, but it’s a safe bet that Adams is likely to move on once it is clear that his restructuring is bearing fruit.

He has also shown the requisite streak of independence necessary when working with entrepreneurs such as Ashley. Drafted in as interim managing director of fashion retailer Monsoon, he decided not to take up the role. Industry sources say that he was concerned at the extent of power wielded by Monsoon founder and chairman Peter Simon.

Jon Moulton, managing partner, Alchemy

Moulton has a famously no-nonsense style, demonstrated most recently in his outspoken evidence to the Treasury Select Committee’s inquiry into private equity.

The man who audaciously tried to buy Rover would have the mettle to challenge Ashley when necessary. He also has a forensic accountant’s eye for the numbers.

A consummate moneymaker, Moulton has served on five public companies’ boards and has a long-standing interest in retail. He turned around and sold homewares business AG Stanley and private equity firm Alchemy remains an investor in fashion chain Jacques Vert.

Moulton once told an interviewer that he preferred bad management to good, because that gave him the opportunity to make a difference. Nobody would accuse Ashley of bad management – after all, he has built Sports Direct from scratch – but Moulton might relish the opportunity to tackle its acknowledged weaknesses.

Lucy Neville-Rolfe, corporate and legal affairs director, Tesco

If Tesco has image problems, it is with the chattering classes rather than the City. But Neville-Rolfe’s communication skills, peerless networking and ability to influence would be equally applicable at Sports Direct and help bolster the retailer’s tarnished reputation.

As newly installed chairman of Dobbies, the garden centre chain in which Tesco has a majority stake, Neville-Rolfe will no doubt be getting used to reconciling sometimes divergent shareholder interests. Tycoon Sir Tom Hunter, who opposed a Tesco takeover, remains a shareholder and Neville-Rolfe will have to walk a fine line.

Regarded as one of the most powerful individuals in retail, Neville-Rolfe’s past experience in Whitehall should enable her to perform the political fancy footwork that would be needed in Sports Direct’s boardroom.

Alun Cathcart, chairman, Emap

Cathcart has proved himself able and willing to act decisively when a public company falls from favour with investors.

As chairman of media giant Emap (which owns Retail Week), he presided over boardroom change and his determination to deliver shareholder value was reflected in his decision to consider a sale.

His critics might argue that he is better at selling companies than building them, but few would argue that he is a shrewd operator. Cathcart has wide boardroom experience – he is also chairman of Palletways and Avis Europe – and retail sector knowledge.

He was chairman of department store group Selfridges, subsequently sold to the Weston family for£598 million.

Richard Baker, former chief executive, Alliance Boots

After pulling off the merger of Boots and Alliance UniChem, then leading the business during its sale to private equity, Baker has yet to reappear in retail.

The£6.5 million he made from the Boots deal with KKR means he would have no fear of taking an independent stance while, in Stefano Pessina, he had first-hand experience of dealing with a dominant shareholder.

A cool intellect, the ability to deal with the City and experience gained at Asda of the play-off between volume and value would all be invaluable at Sports Direct, as would be his corporate restructuring experience. As well as piloting the Alliance Boots deal, he sold Boots Healthcare International for a handsome return. Baker’s business style might be chalk to Ashley’s cheese, but that factor alone could make him a strong candidate.

Geoff Brady, former senior non-executive, Matalan

Few in the retail sector have more experience dealing with dominant founders than Brady, a former chief executive of Allied Carpets.

He was the senior independent director at Matalan when founder John Hargreaves decided to buy the business back. Brady won applause for being fair, but indisputably firm in a difficult situation, made more complicated by the fact that the chief executive was leaving.

Similarly, he is a non-executive director of Carpetright, which founder Lord Harris wants to buy back. Harris is nothing like Mike Ashley – he is highly regarded in the City – but the boardroom experience at Carpetright will only add to Brady’s knowledge of balancing the interests of entrepreneurial founders with those of external investors.

Brady’s former executive role at Superdrug would also bring useful retail insight, particularly in the value field.

Sam Allardyce, manager, Newcastle United

Well, why not? Managing Ashley’s latest toy Newcastle United has surely given the tough-talking Allardyce an insight into working with the entrepreneur and turned around his former club, Bolton, from a struggling outfit into a formidable Premiership team. What could count against him – apart from zero retail knowledge and the fact that Ashley owns Newcastle – might be his prickly nature. He once threatened to sue BBC’s Panorama programme – what would he do if the analysts write critical notes?