Koovs appoints former ASOS director Mary Turner as new CEO

Koovs plc, the London-listed parent of Indian lifestyle e-commerce venture Koovs, has appointed former director of British online fashion venture ASOS and former CEO of Internet of Things (IoT) firm AlertMe.com, Mary Turner, as its new CEO.

Turner has been a non-executive director of the group since July 2014. She will assume her new role at Koovs on October 1.

Turner has been the CEO of AlertMe.com, a pioneer in the 'Internet of Things' technology which provides smart controls platform and analytics for the connected homes sector, until recently. Previously she was the managing director and chief executive officer of Tiscali UK Limited from 2001 to 2009 where she led a number of acquisitions, making the company the third largest internet service provider in the UK.

She was also a non-executive director of ASOS between 2009 and 2013. Prior to joining Tiscali, Mary was chief executive officer of BTLineOne, the joint venture between BT and United News Media, and senior vice president marketing (Europe) at CompuServe Information Services. She has also held the position of product & merchandising at Innovation Group and prior to that, worked in sales and marketing at Avon Cosmetics and Elizabeth Arden.

"Having worked closely with her at ASOS, I have first-hand knowledge of her experience and relentless energy which will help to drive Koovs through the significant period of growth ahead," Koovs chairman Waheed Alli said in a statement.

Silvergate Retail Limited (now known as Koovs plc) was founded by British businessman turned politician Waheed Alli and retail industry executive Robert Bready. Alli was the chairman of online fashion retailer ASOS until 2012.

Bready will now take up the additional newly created role of chief creative officer in addition to the board responsibility for brand, design, buying, merchandising and all creative input.

Koovs Marketing Consulting Private Limited (Koovs India) was established in May 2010 by Rajesh Kamra, Manish Tewari, Kanishk Shukla and Amit Shukla as a general e-commerce business. In August 2011, Infotel E-Commerce Private Limited, a company controlled by the Nahata family in India, acquired a controlling interest in Koovs India, initially focusing on the sale of mobile phones and other electronic goods. It later pivoted to become e-tailer of fashion apparel and accessories.

Koovs plc picked majority stake in Koovs India after it went public in London Stock Exchange's junior market AIM two years ago.