The managing director of Selfridges, Simon Forster, has left the luxury department store retailer after a little over a year in the job with Anne Pitcher taking the helm.

A report said his exit followed “a loss of confidence in his leadership”. He had been with the company since 2012 having previously been executive director - customer. However Pitcher declared: “Under his leadership, the business has continued to grow and thrive. Selfridges has a talented leadership team in place, and we continue to build that across the company.” Pitcher, who was his predecessor in the MD’s post but had been promoted to a wider role managing the Selfridges Group, is believed to have taken back the reins last week. She will continue to run the wider business that includes high-end department stores such as Ireland’s Brown Thomas and Canada’s Holt Renfrew.