Caffè Nero names Lysa Hardy as UK CEO

She will be overseeing the UK operations, reporting to Group CEO Gerry Ford.

Caffè Nero has appointed Lysa Hardy as UK CEO of the brand.

She takes up the role with immediate effect and will run the UK business, reporting to group CEO Gerry Ford.

Hardy joins from Hotel Chocolat, where she was CEO, and has more than 20 years’ experience in UK retail.

Her previous roles include key roles at T-Mobile, Joules, and Holland & Barrett.

Earlier in her career, she held marketing, commercial, and customer leadership roles across consumer businesses and has also served as a non-executive director.

Ford said Hardy will work alongside managing director Glyn House, who remains in his role. Both will oversee the UK Caffè Nero operation.

The appointment follows a strong first half for the group, which reported record sales of £338m, supported by 5% like-for-like growth.

In the UK, first-half sales reached a record £185.4m, up 7% year-on-year, with like-for-like sales growth of 5%.