David Abbott is set to take over as Chief Executive Officer of Klondyke Group from April 2026, upon the retirement of current CEO, David Yardley, who will retire at the end of March. Mr Yardley, who has helped take the group from strength to strength during his 44 year career, will become Non-Executive Joint Chairman of the group, together with Dorothy Gault.
Mr Abbott also has a long history with Klondyke, having joined the group in 1997, following its acquisition of Mayfield Garden Centre, Kelso.
Commenting on his appointment, Dorothy Gault said: “We’re very sorry to be losing David Yardley as our Chief Executive Officer and, on behalf of all the family, I’d like to thank him for all that he has done to grow the company over the last 10 years in this role. We’re grateful, too, for how well he steered the company through the challenges of the covid years.
“However, I’m delighted that David Abbott is stepping up to take the company forward, he’s an intelligent and talented retailer with extensive knowledge of the industry who has proved himself in his role as our Retail Operations Director over many years. We’re confident the company will be in a very capable pair of hands and I’m looking forward to working with him more closely in the future.”
David Yardley commented: “It has been a privilege to lead Klondyke for the past 10 years and to work with such a talented team. I look forward to continuing to support the business in my new role as Joint Chairman.”
David Abbott said he was “honoured to be appointed Chief Executive Officer of Klondyke Group and to follow in the footsteps of David Yardley, whose leadership has left a strong legacy. Klondyke has an exceptionally loyal and dedicated team, and I look forward to working closely with colleagues across the business as we build on our strengths and continue to develop the business for long-term success.”
Klondyke Group was founded in the 1980s by Dorothy and her husband Bob, who started out with a greenhouse in Kirkintilloch. Today it operates from 22 garden centres across all parts of the United Kingdom.
