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Empresas y finanzas

Barnes & Noble names new chief executive


    (Reuters) - Barnes & Noble Inc named a new chief executive on Thursday, weeks after investor Ron Burkle accused the top U.S. bookseller's board of protecting the interests of its controlling family when it blocked his attempt to raise his stake.

    On Thursday, Barnes & Noble said William Lynch will succeed Steve Riggio, who will stay with the company as vice chairman.

    Lynch comes to Barnes & Noble from HSN Inc , where he was executive vice president of marketing and general manager of HSN.com.

    Riggio, his brother and Chairman Leonard Riggio, and other insiders own about 31 percent of the company's shares.

    In January, investor Burkle, whose investment firm Yucaipa Cos owns 18.7 percent in Barnes & Noble, had asked the board for permission to double his stake in the company without triggering the poison pill provision.

    However, the board rejected the request.

    The company also said it promoted of Chief Operating Officer Mitchell Klipper to CEO of its retail group.

    Barnes & Noble shares closed at $22.33 Wednesday on the New York Stock Exchange.

    (Reporting by Nivedita Bhattacharjee in Bangalore; Editing by Gopakumar Warrier)