Fashion chain New Look has appointed a new boss as it revealed its earnings were buoyed by having fewer discounts and tighter control over costs, while its loyalty programme topped a million members.

The high street retailer, which has 309 shops in the UK, has named Lynda Petherick as its new chief executive officer.

She will take over from Helen Connolly who leaves in late September to head up Asda’s fashion and homeware business George.

Ms Petherick joined New Look as its chief information officer in 2024, before being promoted to chief operating officer in 2025, leading work to accelerate its use of data and technology and transform digital channels.

Online shopping now makes up about 40% of total revenues, and New Look is the UK’s third-largest online women’s fashion retailer, according to the company.

The business’s earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (Ebitda) more than doubled to £36.6 million in the year to the end of March, from £14.3 million the year before.

Digital sales increased by 1.6% year-on-year.

New Look said this was helped by more disciplined cost management against rising costs, reduced discounting and improved stock quality, resulting in a higher proportion of products sold at full price.

It comes after New Look shut 15 of its shops in the UK last year and announced that it was shutting all 26 shops in the Republic of Ireland in the face of squeezed consumer spending.

The company has completed a refinancing of its loan facilities to 2029 which it said will provide some flexibility and support selective investment into its digital channels and shops.

Trading has also improved over more recent months with Ebitda coming in at £17.4 million between April and June, up £1.8 million on the same period a year ago.

The retailer said its customers had been responding well to recent products and new collections such as denim, dresses, knitwear and footwear.

It also revealed that more than a million members were now part of its loyalty programme, Club New Look, which offers weekly discounts and early access to sales.

Members shop around seven times more frequently and spend about 9.5 times more annually on average than non-members, according to the firm.

New Look’s chairman Mike Coupe said the retailer was “in a stronger position than it has been for many years”.

He added: “The board is delighted to appoint Lynda as chief executive.

“She combines strong commercial judgment and operational discipline with a deep understanding of our customers, our brand and the role that data and technology will play in our future.”

Ms Petherick said New Look was a “fantastic brand” with “millions of loyal customers”.

“Over the past two years, we have made significant progress in strengthening the business and becoming a faster, more data-led and customer-focused organisation,” she said.

“I am excited about what New Look can achieve and look forward to working with our brilliant teams to build on the strong progress already made and deliver the next phase of sustainable, profitable growth.”