Intu’s ‘fight’ for survival

INTU’S incoming chief executive has insisted he is ‘up for the fight’ of taking on the struggling business.

Chief financial officer Matthew Roberts has been selected to take over the shopping centre group – which owns Lakeside in Essex – from David Fischel.

Roberts, who has worked at Intu since 1985, will take up his new post on April 29.

The company – which also owns the Trafford Centre in Manchester and Gateshead’s Metrocentre – has a £4.9bn debt pile.

Roberts said: ‘There are challenges in the business but I’m definitely up for the fight.’