The board of directors of Capital Shopping Centres Group PLC on Monday announced the appointment of Matthew Roberts as Finance Director to succeed Ian Durant who is now Chairman of Capital & Counties Properties PLC.

Matthew Roberts is expected to join the group on 17 May and to be formally appointed to the board on 3 June.

Durant will step down from his role as Finance Director of Capital Shopping Centres Group PLC, formerly Liberty International PLC, on 17 May in accordance with the intention outlined in Liberty International's 9 March announcement concerning its demerger of Capital & Counties Properties PLC and renaming as Capital Shopping Centres Group PLC.

Roberts is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.

As Finance Director of Debenhams plc from 1996 to 2003, he managed its 1998 IPO and, amongst other responsibilities, ran its international business and property function.

From 2004 to 2008, as Chief Financial Officer of Gala, subsequently Gala Coral Group Ltd, he led a number of acquisitions and fundraisings including the creation of a £3 billion debt package following the acquisition of Coral.

These transactions created the UK's largest private equity-owned business of the time.

Source: I-Net Bridge