Incoming Kingfisher CEO faces daunting task

EASTLEIGH, England — Castorama chief Veronique Laury, set to take the reins of parent company Kingfisher, inherits a troubled legacy and will have her work cut out turning around the European conglomerate’s fortunes, the Irish Independent reports. Laury, who will be one of just five female heads of FTSE100 companies, will need “time and money” to staunch the firm’s recent downturn in profits, and faces headaches from a waning French market, disappointing results from B&Q, and the integration of Mr Bricolage, as well as a loss-making Chinese operation.