Angling Direct PLC (LON:ANG) has appointed Andy Torrance as its new chief executive to replace Darren Bailey who is stepping down after 17 years at the retailer.

Torrance joined the fishing equipment specialist in October as a non-executive having previously been the chief operating officer at Dunhelm, Holland & Barrett and having held numerous executive roles at Halfords.

Martyn Page, executive chairman, thanked Bailey for his contribution to Angling Direct’s growth, adding he was excited to have Andy Torrance as the new CEO given his specialist retail sector and European scaling experience.

Under Bailey’s tenure, Angling Direct has grown to 34 branches and now boasts a substantial online presence. He will stay on as a non-executive director.