Superdry has launched a fierce broadside against the fashion chain's co-founder, Julian Dunkerton, branding his attempt to return to the company "extremely damaging".
The retailer said that a shareholder meeting to decide whether to reinstall Mr Dunkerton on the board will take place on April 2, and recommended that investors vote against his return.
Superdry's current management, led by chief executive Euan Sutherland, have been involved in a months-long dispute with Mr Dunkerton, who has condemned their strategy as "misguided".
Mr Dunkerton earlier sought a shareholder meeting as part of his moves towards a comeback, having left the board 12 months ago.
The clothing firm said today in a stock market update: "The board unanimously believes that Mr Dunkerton's return to the company, in any capacity, would be extremely damaging to the company and its prospects."
READ MORE: Hundreds of Superdry jobs at risk as part of cost-saving efforts
It added that Mr Dunkerton's strategy would "fail", be "divisive" and reintroduce a leadership style that does not fit within the "open-minded collaborative culture, values and operation of the company".
It said: "Mr Dunkerton has failed to accept any responsibility for the Autumn/Winter 2018 range, even going as far as to claim that he had no involvement despite extensive and detailed evidence to the contrary."
Mr Dunkerton reportedly said late last year that he was offering to return to Superdry "in any capacity" to contribute.
Mr Dunkerton has not yet responded to a request for comment.
US retail sales nudged up in January, according to data released by the country's commerce department on Monday.
It showed retail sales rose by 0.2 per cent in January after tumbling by a revised 1.6% in December.
Economists had expected retail sales to come in unchanged compared with the 1.2% slump originally reported for the previous month.
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The retail rebound came despite a substantial decrease in sales by motor vehicle and parts dealers, which nosedived by 2.4% in January after rising by 0.3% in December.
Tui said on Monday that it has secured an operating licence from the government of Malaysia and will set up a new division in Kuala Lumpur.
The Malaysian arm will focus on the "increasing numbers" of tourists travelling to the South-East Asia region, who are travelling "more frequently" and "differently than in the past".
TUI also said its hotel portfolio expansion in Asia is "progressing" and that its focus on the continent will be on its cruise operations.
Shares in TUI were down nearly 2% on Monday afternoon at 762p.
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