In a bizarre 'coincidence', Carpetright - which lost its FD to J Sainsbury two months ago - has poached the supermarket chain's number two to head up its finance department.

Link: Sainsbury's CFO to start in August

Ian Kenyon - who was to work alongside Carpetright's Darren Shapland at Sainsbury's in August - will now become FD at the retailer on a package reported to be 'about the same' as that of his well-regarded predecessor.

Kenyon, 43, who is currently director of financial reporting at Sainsbury's, will therefore be earning close to the £330,000 earned by Shapland last year.

Lord Harris of Peckam, chairman of Carpetright dismissed claims that the poaching was a case of tit for tat. 'Not at all. Ian is a very good accountant. He was recommended by our non-executive director Martin Toogood, who worked with Ian at Kingfisher,' he told The Daily Telegraph.