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High-stakes game:Solomon Lew and Premier's chief executive officer Mark McInnes.Credit:Josh Robenstone

Mr McCartney,an independent non-executive Premier director,previously served as managing director of Myer Grace Brothers,and lead the department store from 1995 to 2000. That tenure culminated in Myer turning a $148 million profit.

Premier,which owns 10.8 per cent of Myer,said Mr McCartney would boost the level of retailing experience on Myer's board.

Tim Antonie,another Premier director,was also put forward. Mr Antonie has 20 years experience as an investment banker,including with UBS,and was nominated to help Myer address its"balance sheet issues",Premier said.

Finally,Premier said it put forward Abacus Property Group's chief investment officer Steven Sewell as an independent director. Mr Sewell would use his property experience to help with Myer's lease liability issues,Premier said.

Terry McCartney during his time as Managing Director of Myer Grace Bros.Credit:Michael Clayton-Jones

"Premier is at a loss to understand why Myer feels it can do without the experience of Terry McCartney,Tim Antonie and Steven Sewell but requires the input of a director of one of its failed investments and a wine producer,"Mr Lew's company said.

Mr Hounsell runs a vineyard and is on the board of Treasury Wine Estates,while Myer's nominee director Julie Ann Morrison ran Myer's sass&bide business,which has prompted heavy write-downs.

Premier also outlined seven points for how it thinks Myer should be run,starting with appointing directors with more retail experience to the board.

It said Myer should get rid of consultants and stop the loss of"talented retail executives"from the company,improve its product range,improve customer service,close the eight clearance floors Myer is trialling at various stores,improve its online and"omni-channel"offering,and close underperforming stores more quickly.

Myer has said it has identified 19 stores that it will either close or cut floor space at if the company cannot improve their performance or negotiate better leases.

"Myer simply lacks the nous at board level to find solutions with its landlords,"Premier said."It also lacks the courage and experience to make big decisions on this issue."

A spokesman for Myer said nothing Premier revealed on Wednesday changed the fact it was a major competitor and supplier to Myer,and therefore posed too great a conflict of interest risk to grant it board representation.

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