Profile: Dennis Millard, interim executive chairman, Halfords

As a surfer in his spare time, Halfords’ interim executive chairman Dennis Millard is a bit of a thrill seeker, so he is no stranger to tackling challenges.

The 62-year-old is therefore well placed to take on extra responsibilities at Halfords, which has its own set of difficulties at present.

Millard assumes executive responsibilities at a tough time for the retailer, which last week issued another profit warning and revealed the exit of its chief executive David Wild.

It is the first hands-on role in retail for Millard, who has been chairman of Halfords for three years. Yet he created an excellent impression, according to Investec analyst David Jeary, who said on the day Wild stepped down that Millard and his team conducted a “comprehensive and confident” analyst call. They “came across as a united team, not shying away from the challenges ahead, but focused on delivering key projects of the strategy”, Jeary said.

South African-born Millard insists that the service-led strategy Halfords is pursuing is the right one. He tells Retail Week: “The strategy we have devised is sound and strong, and we believe it is up to us to deliver it. Fortunately, I am endowed with a very good management team that don’t need hand-holding.

“The road map for the business, to a large extent, has been laid out. Halfords is a unique business opportunity. Our competitors are straight retailers, garages and Kwik Fits. We are number one in retail and we do things others can’t do, such as our Wefit service – which no one else offers anywhere else in the UK and potentially the world – where you can drive in, buy your bulbs, blades or batteries and get it fitted for free.”

Millard’s knowledge of the business is critical during this interim period, and he is determined to find a chief executive with skills aligned with Halfords’ retail and service approach.

He will be looking for someone to continue the evolution of the stores, focus on customer service and continue its so far successful march into own-brand bikes, through tie-ups with cyclists including Chris Boardman.

Despite Millard’s lack of operational retail positions, he has experience in the sector through his non-executive directorship of Debenhams, and his career stints in a wide range of sectors, including pharmaceuticals and technology in finance positions.

His last executive position before he retired from the day-to-day running of businesses in 2005 was finance director of materials technology company Cookson. He was with the business for almost 10 years, helping to lead it through a challenging time, when he had to refinance banking facilities and conduct a rescue rights issue.

Millard might have taken a well-earned rest from business then, but over the next seven years he built up a portfolio of non-executive roles, meaning his workload is probably as heavy as ever.

In addition to his roles at Halfords and Debenhams, Millard has a range of other posts (see box). So, now he’s taken on an operational role at Halfords – albeit on an interim basis – how will he fit everything in?

“I will work seven days a week,” Millard half jokes. “They are all non-executive roles and the businesses are doing very well.”

But it is not all work for the dedicated Millard. He recently took part in several stages of the Cycle Slam, a race from Greece to the Olympic Park in Stratford, with Freddie Flintoff and Lawrence Dallaglio.

To wind down, he still likes to surf when he gets the chance, and has travelled to Indonesia, South Africa and California to catch waves.

Now he may be swapping the water for the road and his board for a Boardman.