Intu Properties CEO Matthew Roberts has stepped down a week after Britain's biggest mall owner went into administration, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters on Friday.

Roberts, who took the helm in 2019 after serving as Intu's finance chief for about nine years, informed staff that he was leaving the company, the source said.

Intu, which owns 17 major shopping centres in Britain, including Manchester's Trafford Centre, last week called in KPMG as administrators after it failed to secure a deal with its creditors.

Sky News first reported Roberts' departure.

Intu's shopping centres, home to hundreds of well-known retailers, will remain open during Intu's insolvency proceedings as they are individually owned by special purpose vehicles and under the control of their directors, KPMG said last week.

(Reporting by Yadarisa Shabong in Bengaluru; editing by Jason Neely)