– UK, London – Marks and Spencer Group PLC (LON: MKS) today announced that Stuart Machin will become Chief Executive and will take on responsibility for day-to-day leadership of the business and the Executive Committee, effective on 25 May.
He will continue to have oversight of his current portfolio of responsibilities, which includes the leadership of our Food business, as well as Operations, Property, Store Development and Technology. He will also take on responsibility for HR and Corporate Communications and will join the PLC Board with effect from 25 May.
Katie Bickerstaffe will become Co-Chief Executive with a particular focus on driving the global omnichannel, digital, and data future for the business. She will retain her existing portfolio including responsibility for Clothing & Home, MS2, International and Financial Services. Katie will also re-join the PLC board with effect from 25 May where she was previously a non-executive director.
Eoin Tonge becomes Chief Strategy and Finance Officer. In addition to his current responsibilities, he will play an enhanced role in leading the future development of the business. He will also take on oversight of Plan A and remains on the PLC Board.
M&S is now embarked on the second phase of its transformation programme, “Shaping The Future.” The Board’s view is that under the current team, the business has made remarkable progress and that continuity of strategy and leadership is advantageous. Bringing together these three outstanding leaders will provide the stability, pace and bandwidth required to accelerate the pace of change.
About Stuart Machin
Stuart joined M&S on 30 April 2018 as Managing Director of Food, with nearly 30 years in the food, fashion and home retail sector. In May 2021, Stuart’s remit expanded as he was appointed joint Chief Operating Officer, which in addition to his role as Managing Director of M&S Food, took oversight responsibilities for Operations, Property, Store Development and IT. Stuart is also the Executive Lead for HR and a Director of Ocado Retail Limited.
Stuart has held senior operational and commercial roles in UK retailers Sainsbury’s, Tesco and ASDA and spent 10 years in Australia working in Wesfarmers as COO and CEO of Coles and Target respectively. Stuart returned to the UK in 2017 and most recently held the position of CEO at Steinhoff UK for eight months, before leaving to join M&S.
About Katie Bickerstaffe
Katie first served on the Board of M&S as a non-executive director from 2018, before joining the M&S leadership team as Chief Strategy and Transformation Director on 27 April 2020. In May 2021 her remit was expanded to become joint Chief Operating Officer with responsibility for Clothing & Home, International, and the Data & Services businesses.
Katie was previously Executive Chair of SSE Energy Services, where she led the separation from SSE plc and subsequent sale to OVO. Until April 2018, Katie was Chief Executive, UK and Ireland of Dixons Carphone plc, where she led the transformation of Dixons’ retail estate, e-comm and the launch of the ‘knowhow’ services business. She joined Dixons in 2008 and was appointed to its Board in 2012. Prior to this she worked with many well-known food retail and consumer companies including, Kwik Save, PepsiCo, Unilever, Dyson, and Somerfield.
Katie is a non-executive director of the England and Wales Cricket Board and joined Barratt Developments plc as a non-executive director in March 2021.
For more information: https://www.marksandspencer.com/
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