Department store scandal

Megan Gale and Mark McInnes 

Sad news today as the CEO of the chic department store David Jones, Mark McInnes steps down following a boardroom stoush over his personal relationship with a female staff member.

The shock announcement came in a one line statement although there have been whispers for months now. McInnes who has been at DJs for 13 years completely overhauled the stores after a disastrous flirtation with an imported American CEO who completely mis-read the local market and attempted to turn the 100 year old up-market purveyors of top quality merchandise into a chain of Bloomingdale style stores.

Miranda Kerr & Orlando at Royal Randwick  (c tSS)

McInnes had the city store completely re-furbished back to  it's original style with marble floors, inexpensive but luxurious food halls, grand  floral displays and personal service from white gloved assistants. He also restored the tradition of a pianist at the Elizabeth Street entrance, tinkling away on a grand piano. The punters flocked back and as anyone knows, popping into DJs just for a wander through the emporium is always an afternoon treat.

So successful were McInnes innovations that Mohamed Al Fayed hired the same team who oversaw the decorations, to tart up Harrods.
McInnes was also behind the hiring of supermodels Megan Gale and Miranda Kerr.

Always a gracious host, Mark hosted a lunch at last year's Autumn Carnival at the Royal Randwick Races for the media and various guests with Orlando Bloom and Kerr.

 He will be sadly missed . With a huge promotional budget that paid off in dividends via huge sales for DJs, McInnes will be a hard man to replace. Where he is off to he isn't saying but with a $2Million pay-off, the world is his oyster. As for David Jones, their share price plunged today on the Stock Exchange following Mark's departure.